Simple Truths

by Sheila Levin

Simple Truths has the vitality reminiscent of Erica Jong, and a powerful emotional base that sets it apart. Recommended for larger fiction collections. Marsha G. Fuchs Crown Publishing, NY What a pleasure that Sheila Levin is alive and writing in New York! Levin’s writing is often bitterly coarse, but only in reflection of the torment of Susan’s life. Perhaps not perfectly polished, this is nevertheless a fine debut, one with power and great feeling. Publisher’s Weekly This affecting book is very self-assured for a first novel. Its heroine, a New York woman in her mid-30s, is not. Susan Warner obsesses about her insecurities, the overwhelming weaknesses that afflict her as the daughter of concentration camp survivors, the hurt of being alone, the sense that the whole world, including herself is divorced. She could be a one-woman Holocaust. What saves Susan and prevents this novel from becoming just another diary of a maddening housewife is her involvement-post break-up with lover and suicide attempt-with an International Committee for Soviet Jews and her efforts on behalf of a dissident Jewish violinist. Los Angeles Herald Examiner Author Sheila Levin has worked as a professional in the Jewish community for many years. As the Public Information Officer of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, she was a member of the press corps on the Nixon-Kissinger trip to the Soviet Union in the late ‘70’s. As Director of the movement to free the famed ballet dancers, Valery and Galina Panov, while visiting them in Leningrad, Sheila was detained by the KGB. Sheila also served as the Executive Director of the Women’s Division of the UJA and as the Vice President for External Affairs of Polytechnic University. Following her years of service to the Jewish community, she became a political consultant, whose clients included Elizabeth Holtzman and President Vincente Fox, among many others. Keywords – Holocaust, Suicide, Jewish, Soviet, Divorce, Survivors, New York, Camp

Hardcover

First published August 11, 1982

About the author

Author Sheila Levin has worked as a professional in the Jewish community for many years. As the Public Information Officer of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, she was a member of the press corps on the Nixon-Kissinger trip to the Soviet Union in the late ‘70’s. As Director of the movement to free the famed ballet dancers, Valery and Galina Panov, while visiting them in Leningrad, Sheila was detained by the KGB. Sheila also served as the Executive Director of the Women’s Division of the UJA and as the Vice President for External Affairs of Polytechnic University. Following her years of service to the Jewish community, she became a political consultant, whose clients included Elizabeth Holtzman and President Vincente Fox, among many others.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update ...........Oh my gosh....I guess I am here to share another 'funny'...
I started reading this book this morning --and said to myself..."wait, I've read this before"....I know this story!!! I read it a couple of years ago --(kindle). I just re-read my own review --and at the end I said --"I'd love to have tea with this author"....Dreams do come true!
We have become friends -and not from Goodreads.

After my last surgery, Shelia mailed me this book --along with her 2nd book (which I haven't read yet, called "Musical Chairs") -- I didn't realize I had read it --until I sat down to read it again---and SHE-SHEILA - had written it!!!
Sheila has worked in the Jewish Community for years.....as a Public Information Officer of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry. She was a member of the press corps on the Nixon-Kissinger trip to the Soviet Union in the late 70's.
Her list of contributions and executive positions are long -- she works as a political consultant today....and is still active as a professional in the Jewish Community.

THANK YOU SHEILA...............
below is the review I wrote 2 years ago:

First....
I must share a funny: The past three books I've read have 'all' had graphic sex scenes --
Not only do I not read a steady-diet of graphic sex novels --
but each of these books were a "SURPRISE", ..."WHO KNEW"?

When it happened 'again' --(this 3rd book I've read in a row) --I had to ask myself --"Is there a hidden message I'm suppose to be looking at here? haha

The words 'graphic sex' are 'hidden' from the blurbs --plus the book covers look very innocent!
These are the books I'm speaking about:
..."Hausfran", by Jill Alexander

..."In Wilderness", by Diane Thomas,

..."Simple Truths", by Sheila Levin.

I'm here to review "Simple Truths". It was a RIDE!!!!! WOW, Sometimes, you just never know what is 'inside' a book until you begin reading ---[then find you can't put it down]....

NOTE: I'm going to include a couple of spoilers --(because its just so darn --sad/funny?) ---YOU CHOOSE!!!!! -- I couldn't contain the sadness --(so I laughed)

I don't think my spoilers SPOIL 'anything' though --[honest]...

UP FRONT spoilers:
1) A father kills himself --with a gun
2) His wife -years later --falls from a window --(from 12 floors up) --She dies!
3) A brother--walks to his death

The storytelling in this novel is PAGE-TURNING!!!!

Susan is our main character: Her parents were Holocaust survivors. Her mother tells her EVERYTHING --(often) --more than Susan wants to know.
Susan is also is on her way to Leningrad.
However --before she leaves-- you'll meet several other interesting characters. Susan with Sam, Susan with Jason, Susan with Paul, Susan with Marge, Susan with June, Susan with the police, Susan connecting with a Soviet Jew named Leoind, etc. You'll read read about many 'Susan' adventures.
note: Children of Holocaust survivors often do carry their parents pain-guilt-and-responsibilty. Its a heavy burden, an obligation, and they sure must try not to disappoint them.
In Susan's case --its EXTREME!!! Without too much more detail --(or I 'will' be giving more plot spoilers away) --lets just say --Susan has 'unique' relationship with men and jobs!

I had a great time with this book --Its messy - yucky -'guilty-wonderful'!!!! I couldn't stop laughing while sharing the storyline --(and more details than I've written here)--to my husband. WACKY-WONDERFUL! Those are my words....WACKY-WONDERFUL!!! (I'll stick by them!)

This is an author I'd love to share a cup of tea with!

Thank you Netgalley --GREAT pleasure!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place in the 1970s and the writing is similar to books written in that time period. The main character, Susan, survived the Holocaust because her and her mother hid in a basement in the French countryside. Her father and brother went to a concentration camp and her father returned. Through Susan, grief and mental illness as a result of these losses are explored. The material is understandably sad and sometimes it rambles on more than my attention span could tolerate. Throughout Susan's story is a story about Leonid, a Jewish violinist in Soviet Russia who applied for a visa to emigrate to Israel. He goes through an ordeal. There are many loose ends in this book but I guess that makes you think about it. There are also some explicit sex scenes; some are extremely crude.

[Michele King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Truths
A coming of age novel, Levin writes beautifully more poem than prose.
Simple Truths brings you through the life of a young woman shedding her past as a daughter of holocaust survivor, looking for, finding and accepting herself in order to become the woman she really is. It is a thought provoking story.
I am an avid reader and must say found this book one of the best I have read in the last twelve months.