Prize-winning author Linda Grant and a special guest drew over 100 literary lovers to the first Jewish Book Week event in South London.

The bonus for the audience at the Nightingale home in Clapham was that Ms Grant was accompanied by Canadian fashionista Catherine Hill, the inspiration for her new book, The Thoughtful Dresser.

Ms Hill came to Canada as a teenager after surviving Auschwitz. She att-ributes her survival and career success to the credo that looking good leads to feeling good — even in a death camp.

Nightingale chief executive Leon Smith said that “Catherine’s story resonated with some of our residents’ backgrounds. I feel very strongly that Jewish Book Week should be accessible to the South London community. We were pleased to offer Nightingale and fortunate that our literary committee could facilitate the event.”