Ask the Author: Jack Barsky
Answered Questions (12)
Jack Barsky
This seems to be a repeat question, but I answer it anyway because today I have a different answer. I would love to join the "The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" in his adventures. This was arguably the most fun and entertaining book I ever read. jb
Jack Barsky
There is almost no question about my life that I can answer without an addendum or caveat. Firstly, my mother had great influence on me as a child (most mothers do). Some of this was positive, such as discipline and work ethic, and some of it was not so good. She was very hard on the little boy - there were few to none signs of emotional love. As a result, I did not bond with her emotionally which made it rather easy for me to leave my German past behind and lie to my mother.
My mother never knew what happened to me until her dying day. As I tried to live out my life as an American I blocked out everything German, including the fact that I had been hurting several people, including my mother. At the time of her death, I was still not in a position to reconnect with Germany, but I do regret not having had a chance to do so.
My mother never knew what happened to me until her dying day. As I tried to live out my life as an American I blocked out everything German, including the fact that I had been hurting several people, including my mother. At the time of her death, I was still not in a position to reconnect with Germany, but I do regret not having had a chance to do so.
Jack Barsky
I woke up this morning in anticipation of a great day. Then I looked in the mirror and saw ------- me!
Jack Barsky
Other than the weather, the seasons have no meaning for me anymore. For most people, "summer" means vacation, relaxation and perhaps reading a bit more. I just keep on reading, regardless of the season (I have not watched TV for months). Having said that, I will spend the next couple of months going over the various books I have read in the last 18 months (world history, American history, espionage, KGB, East Germany, philosophy etc.) to firm up my foundation for future public appearances. I have to go back to my earlier years when I STUDIED rather than just READ.
Jack B
Jack B
Jack Barsky
Well, one could imagine a rewrite of my memoir as a mystery fiction novel. There have been so many events and instances in my life for which I cannot find a rational explanation. Chance? Coincidence? Given where I came from and what is considered normal of my contemporaries in old East Germany, the probability of me sitting here and answering this question is about one in 20 billion (I calculated that). Perhaps I should start a contest for people to discover all the instances in my life which would strike people as "odd" and which I now chose to explain to be the result of the hand of God.
Jack Barsky
Ah, those were the days. We were dirt poor, and the living quarters were lousy, but there was always beer and "Der Keller".
With regard to my tutor, given that this was the KGB, she never told me anything about her past. As I state in the book, she was quite miserable in Moscow. However, she was there voluntarily. During the debriefing, the FBI showed me some pictures, and I was able to identify her. I forgot her real name, but I do know that she had fallen in love with a KGB agent (diplomat) and followed him to the Soviet Union. Bad move........
With regard to my tutor, given that this was the KGB, she never told me anything about her past. As I state in the book, she was quite miserable in Moscow. However, she was there voluntarily. During the debriefing, the FBI showed me some pictures, and I was able to identify her. I forgot her real name, but I do know that she had fallen in love with a KGB agent (diplomat) and followed him to the Soviet Union. Bad move........
Jack Barsky
My instinctive answer was Dr. Zhivago and Lara (awesome book!), but then I dove a little deeper and came up with what many people may consider an unlikely choice: Otto and Anna Quangel of Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada. Their's is a moving story modeled on a real couple, Otto and Elise Hampel. Those two working class people fought a courageous fight against the Hitler regime, surreptitiously placing hundreds of anti Nazi flyers in the hallways of tenements. They were caught and died fighting for their beliefs. I have no idea if I had had the courage to actively fight the Hitler regime had I been alive at the time. God rest their souls!
Jack Barsky
Luckily, I rarely ever have it. When I do, it is usually over a certain passage. I let it rest for a day and the next day the block is gone.
Jack Barsky
I have always been rather vocal in expressing opinions. I used to say "I will give you my opinion even if I don't have one".
I would write things down even when there was nobody to read them. I even experimented with a blog. But when the opportunity to write a book came along, I jumped in with both feet. Writing for others forces you to be more careful, judicious, and factually accurate. That in turn, has helped me mature a bit more (even at my age).
I would write things down even when there was nobody to read them. I even experimented with a blog. But when the opportunity to write a book came along, I jumped in with both feet. Writing for others forces you to be more careful, judicious, and factually accurate. That in turn, has helped me mature a bit more (even at my age).
Jack Barsky
Sit down and do it! In my view, the vast majority of people have at least one book in them, and the vast majority never even take the first step. Too bad!
Jack Barsky
Working on my website and some conceptual ideas about a children's book based on observations of my 6 year old growing up.
Jack Barsky
When 60 Minutes thought my life was interesting enough to do a segment on it, the book idea seemed to be a no brainer. Also, my kids pushed me very hard, so when I was approached by a book agent, there was no hesitation to step into this unknown territory.
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