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We Must Not Think of Ourselves
9 hours, 3 minutes
“This book is a masterpiece: profound, gripping, urgent, and beautiful.” —Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe and The Song of Achilles
A heart-wrenching story of love and defiance set in the Warsaw Ghetto, based on the actual archives kept by thosedetermined to have their stories survive World War II
On a November day in 1940, Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, where the Jews of the city are cut off from their former lives and held captive by Nazi guards, and await an uncertain fate. Weeks later, he is approached by a mysterious figure with a surprising request: Will he join a secret group of archivists working to preserve the truth of what is happening inside these walls? Adam agrees and begins taking testimonies from his students, friends, and neighbors. He learns about their childhoods and their daydreams, their passions and their fears, their desperate strategies for safety and survival. The stories form a portrait of endurance in a world where no choices are good ones.
One of the people Adam interviews is his flatmate Sala Wiskoff, who is stoic, determined, and funny—and married with two children. Over the months of their confinement, in the presence of her family, Adam and Sala fall in love. As they desperately carve out intimacy, their relationship feels both impossible and vital, their connection keeping them alive. But when Adam discovers a possible escape from the Ghetto, he is faced with an unbearable choice: Whom can he save, and at what cost ?
Inspired by the testimony-gathering project with the code name Oneg Shabbat, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Grodstein draws readers into the lives of people living on the edge. Told with immediacy and heart, We Must Not Think of Ourselves is a piercing story of love, determination, and sacrifice for the many fans of literary World War II fiction such as Kristin Harmel’s The Book of Lost Names and Lauren Fox’s Send for Me.
“This book is a masterpiece: profound, gripping, urgent, and beautiful.” —Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe and The Song of Achilles
A heart-wrenching story of love and defiance set in the Warsaw Ghetto, based on the actual archives kept by thosedetermined to have their stories survive World War II
On a November day in 1940, Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, where the Jews of the city are cut off from their former lives and held captive by Nazi guards, and await an uncertain fate. Weeks later, he is approached by a mysterious figure with a surprising request: Will he join a secret group of archivists working to preserve the truth of what is happening inside these walls? Adam agrees and begins taking testimonies from his students, friends, and neighbors. He learns about their childhoods and their daydreams, their passions and their fears, their desperate strategies for safety and survival. The stories form a portrait of endurance in a world where no choices are good ones.
One of the people Adam interviews is his flatmate Sala Wiskoff, who is stoic, determined, and funny—and married with two children. Over the months of their confinement, in the presence of her family, Adam and Sala fall in love. As they desperately carve out intimacy, their relationship feels both impossible and vital, their connection keeping them alive. But when Adam discovers a possible escape from the Ghetto, he is faced with an unbearable choice: Whom can he save, and at what cost ?
Inspired by the testimony-gathering project with the code name Oneg Shabbat, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Grodstein draws readers into the lives of people living on the edge. Told with immediacy and heart, We Must Not Think of Ourselves is a piercing story of love, determination, and sacrifice for the many fans of literary World War II fiction such as Kristin Harmel’s The Book of Lost Names and Lauren Fox’s Send for Me.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published November 28, 2023
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32633 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Grodstein
11 books406 followersLauren Grodstein is the author of the upcoming A Dog in Georgia, the Read with Jenna pick We Must Not Think of Ourselves and the New York Times bestselling A Friend of the Family.. She directs the MFA program at Rutgers University-Camden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,314 reviews
November 24, 2023
It’s difficult to read Holocaust stories, but that doesn’t keep me from reading them. It’s always for me so important to remember those who were killed or those who survived the unimaginable. Everyone should remember, so it doesn’t happen again. That’s exactly what this book is about - creating a way to remember. Adam Paskow, an English teacher in the Polish ghetto keeps a diary of people’s stories, their life before, their dreams, to preserve the memories so they are not forgotten. We meet a variety of characters in Adam’s circle who he interviews.
Eleven year old Filip, fascinated by dinosaurs can no longer go to the library to read about them, so he carves them out of wood and stays on the rooftop of the apartment to be away from everyone. He played football until they kicked him off the team to be “cautious” because he’s Jewish. This and the other interviews of children and others that Adam records are heartbreaking. It’s so important to see these people in the light of who they are , the lives they led to get a grasp of what was lost. And of course, it’s gut wrenching, as we learn what happens to Szifra, a young woman who does what she needs to do to protect her family, to feed her brothers. There are other horrific scenes that Adam reflects on as be encounters them in his daily life .
“I felt myself grow itchier as we walked south, toward their house; there were corpses on the street, covered with newspapers that fluttered in the wind. We pretended not to see them. A withered arm, a leg. On the sidewalk, children begged for scraps of food. “
“This morning. as I walked through the ghetto for my pail of soup, I saw the Nazis cordoning off a building on Chlodna Street. On my way back, they were removing its inhabitants at gunpoint, forcing their hands behind their necks. Even the children. The ones who stumbled were shot. The mothers who wailed were shot.”
I’m amazed at the resilience that I found here in spite of all that happened. The novel is based on true archives and some of these diary entries can be found today in the Oneg Shabbat Archive in Warsaw. A worthy addition to Holocaust literature. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Algonquin through NetGalley.
Eleven year old Filip, fascinated by dinosaurs can no longer go to the library to read about them, so he carves them out of wood and stays on the rooftop of the apartment to be away from everyone. He played football until they kicked him off the team to be “cautious” because he’s Jewish. This and the other interviews of children and others that Adam records are heartbreaking. It’s so important to see these people in the light of who they are , the lives they led to get a grasp of what was lost. And of course, it’s gut wrenching, as we learn what happens to Szifra, a young woman who does what she needs to do to protect her family, to feed her brothers. There are other horrific scenes that Adam reflects on as be encounters them in his daily life .
“I felt myself grow itchier as we walked south, toward their house; there were corpses on the street, covered with newspapers that fluttered in the wind. We pretended not to see them. A withered arm, a leg. On the sidewalk, children begged for scraps of food. “
“This morning. as I walked through the ghetto for my pail of soup, I saw the Nazis cordoning off a building on Chlodna Street. On my way back, they were removing its inhabitants at gunpoint, forcing their hands behind their necks. Even the children. The ones who stumbled were shot. The mothers who wailed were shot.”
I’m amazed at the resilience that I found here in spite of all that happened. The novel is based on true archives and some of these diary entries can be found today in the Oneg Shabbat Archive in Warsaw. A worthy addition to Holocaust literature. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Algonquin through NetGalley.
December 13, 2023
4.5⭐️
Inspired by the stories from the real Oneg Shabbat archives, We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein takes us into the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.
As the novel begins, we meet forty-two-year-old Adam Paskow in 1940, a widower who had been married to a Polish woman from an affluent family and was once a foreign language teacher at the Centralny Lyceum. Tricked by his former father-in-law into surrendering his home and made to move to the ghetto as Nazi occupiers began displacing Jews from their homes, Adam is forced to share a small apartment with two families- a total of ten people sharing the same space. Adam teaches English to the boys and girls in the Ghetto and works shifts at the Aid Society kitchens. He is approached by the head of a secret group of archivists, the Oneg Shabbat (Joy of the Sabbath), to join in their efforts to document life in the ghetto and the stories of the men, women and children forced out of their own homes and imprisoned in the ghetto with even less than the bare minimum resources to survive.
We follow Adam as he begins documenting life in the Ghetto. The narrative is comprised of his interviews with his students, their families and his friends – inhabitants of the Ghetto from different backgrounds who share their stories and Adam’s own story and his account of daily life – his interactions with his students whose morale he tries to boost, the struggle for sustenance, the “smuggling” of food and other necessities from outside the of gates of the Ghetto by the youngsters, the desperate measures people turn to for securing papers and a way out and much more. In 1942, when “resettlement” to the concentration camps begins with 6000 people being transported every day, Adam knows that he must do whatever he can to find a way out of the Ghetto to save himself and those close to him before it was too late.
Though this is a fictionalized account based on the Oneg Shabbat archives, a few real-life characters also make their appearance in the narrative. The tone of the narrative is matter-of-fact and occasionally dispassionate but paints a vivid picture of the horrific living conditions in the Warsaw Ghetto and the fear, anger and pain of those struggling to survive. The author also captures the resilience of the human spirit in brief moments of hope, joy, friendship and love that provide brief respite and the will to survive amid all the darkness and suffering.
Exceptionally well-written, brutally honest, factual and informative, this is a heavy read that will break your heart - a must-read for those interested in Holocaust literature. Though I have read stories set in the Warsaw Ghetto before, this is the first time I read anything about the real archivists whose written accounts have helped shed light on an important part of history. Do read the Afterword where the author briefly discusses her inspiration for this novel.
“I will admit that as I have collected testimonies for this archive, I have not always understood what the point of the archive was, or I have seen it in the mildest of terms: that the Oneg Shabbat group has been creating a collective portrait of Polish Jews at this peculiar moment in our history so that we remember what really happened, inscribing the truth of what we went through so that liberation wouldn’t erase our memories.
But now I realize that we are creating a portrait of Polish Jews at the end of our history— not one peculiar moment, but the very last moment. It is yet another surprise that it has taken me so long to understand that. When this is over, there will be no more of us. Even among the survivors, should there be any survivors, there will be no more of us.”
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. We Must Not Think of Ourselves was published on November 28, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Inspired by the stories from the real Oneg Shabbat archives, We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein takes us into the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.
As the novel begins, we meet forty-two-year-old Adam Paskow in 1940, a widower who had been married to a Polish woman from an affluent family and was once a foreign language teacher at the Centralny Lyceum. Tricked by his former father-in-law into surrendering his home and made to move to the ghetto as Nazi occupiers began displacing Jews from their homes, Adam is forced to share a small apartment with two families- a total of ten people sharing the same space. Adam teaches English to the boys and girls in the Ghetto and works shifts at the Aid Society kitchens. He is approached by the head of a secret group of archivists, the Oneg Shabbat (Joy of the Sabbath), to join in their efforts to document life in the ghetto and the stories of the men, women and children forced out of their own homes and imprisoned in the ghetto with even less than the bare minimum resources to survive.
We follow Adam as he begins documenting life in the Ghetto. The narrative is comprised of his interviews with his students, their families and his friends – inhabitants of the Ghetto from different backgrounds who share their stories and Adam’s own story and his account of daily life – his interactions with his students whose morale he tries to boost, the struggle for sustenance, the “smuggling” of food and other necessities from outside the of gates of the Ghetto by the youngsters, the desperate measures people turn to for securing papers and a way out and much more. In 1942, when “resettlement” to the concentration camps begins with 6000 people being transported every day, Adam knows that he must do whatever he can to find a way out of the Ghetto to save himself and those close to him before it was too late.
Though this is a fictionalized account based on the Oneg Shabbat archives, a few real-life characters also make their appearance in the narrative. The tone of the narrative is matter-of-fact and occasionally dispassionate but paints a vivid picture of the horrific living conditions in the Warsaw Ghetto and the fear, anger and pain of those struggling to survive. The author also captures the resilience of the human spirit in brief moments of hope, joy, friendship and love that provide brief respite and the will to survive amid all the darkness and suffering.
Exceptionally well-written, brutally honest, factual and informative, this is a heavy read that will break your heart - a must-read for those interested in Holocaust literature. Though I have read stories set in the Warsaw Ghetto before, this is the first time I read anything about the real archivists whose written accounts have helped shed light on an important part of history. Do read the Afterword where the author briefly discusses her inspiration for this novel.
“I will admit that as I have collected testimonies for this archive, I have not always understood what the point of the archive was, or I have seen it in the mildest of terms: that the Oneg Shabbat group has been creating a collective portrait of Polish Jews at this peculiar moment in our history so that we remember what really happened, inscribing the truth of what we went through so that liberation wouldn’t erase our memories.
But now I realize that we are creating a portrait of Polish Jews at the end of our history— not one peculiar moment, but the very last moment. It is yet another surprise that it has taken me so long to understand that. When this is over, there will be no more of us. Even among the survivors, should there be any survivors, there will be no more of us.”
Many thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. We Must Not Think of Ourselves was published on November 28, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
March 3, 2024
How can one not think of themselves when the Nazis have stripped you down to nothing: killing your family; your religion; and trying to kill your identity.
We meet Adam. A teacher in the middle of a Jewish ghetto in Poland. He teaches English to a few kids in the basement of an abandoned building. He interviews the children and the adults he knows and journals it all: creating a record of the brutal conditions they endured; the devastating lives they lived; and the grief they suffered.
A heartbreakingly personal and intimate story. How through such horrendous conditions, there still existed a decency and connectedness amongst these people and a resiliency to adapt even when they knew they were facing their own deaths.
May we never forget.
5⭐️
We meet Adam. A teacher in the middle of a Jewish ghetto in Poland. He teaches English to a few kids in the basement of an abandoned building. He interviews the children and the adults he knows and journals it all: creating a record of the brutal conditions they endured; the devastating lives they lived; and the grief they suffered.
A heartbreakingly personal and intimate story. How through such horrendous conditions, there still existed a decency and connectedness amongst these people and a resiliency to adapt even when they knew they were facing their own deaths.
May we never forget.
5⭐️
December 26, 2024
$7.59 hardcover at Book Outlet
Blog Tour
As I was reading this book about WWII, and the topic of genocide, I obviously panned to what is currently happening in Israel and Palestine. We must not forget the past. If we do, we are doomed to repeat it. It's a very sad world when the oppressed become the oppressors. I was going to say politics aside, but you have to be in a very privileged position to be saying things like that.
In 1940, widowed Adam Paskow is jailed in the Warsaw Ghetto, where Polish Jews await an uncertain fate. Of course, we know what their fate is, but at this time, they still have hope. Adam is condemned by both his wife's family and other Jews for marrying a Gentile. I assume this is not done during this time. I find it interesting how the Jews don't consider themselves Polish, even when living in Poland. Is this a mere fact of citizenship, or the underlying differences in faith? Nationalist propaganda hurts everyone.
As always in a story of this scope, there is love, death, and betrayal. Amidst the terror and sadness, there is also hope. This is described in the Portuguese word saudade, which tempers sorrow with nostalgia, a wish for something that was and can never be again.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books
Blog Tour
As I was reading this book about WWII, and the topic of genocide, I obviously panned to what is currently happening in Israel and Palestine. We must not forget the past. If we do, we are doomed to repeat it. It's a very sad world when the oppressed become the oppressors. I was going to say politics aside, but you have to be in a very privileged position to be saying things like that.
In 1940, widowed Adam Paskow is jailed in the Warsaw Ghetto, where Polish Jews await an uncertain fate. Of course, we know what their fate is, but at this time, they still have hope. Adam is condemned by both his wife's family and other Jews for marrying a Gentile. I assume this is not done during this time. I find it interesting how the Jews don't consider themselves Polish, even when living in Poland. Is this a mere fact of citizenship, or the underlying differences in faith? Nationalist propaganda hurts everyone.
As always in a story of this scope, there is love, death, and betrayal. Amidst the terror and sadness, there is also hope. This is described in the Portuguese word saudade, which tempers sorrow with nostalgia, a wish for something that was and can never be again.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books
December 19, 2023
The essence of We Must Not Think of Ourselves revolves around the Oneg Shabbat Archive, which Grodstein adopts as the backbone of her narrative. The Archive serves as a treasure trove of knowledge about the Jewish populace within the ghetto. Nonetheless, the data tends to be rather dry, reflecting the atmosphere of this novel.
The setup should have made us experience the fear and uncertainty that individuals residing in the ghetto were enduring. However, it seemed like the author was mechanically narrating the story instead of making it deeply affect us as intended. Rather than allowing us to witness the hardships faced by these individuals, we are simply informed about them. The emphasis on maintaining a positive outlook diminished the genuine horrors endured by these individuals.
Overall, the premise sounded far more promising and the actual book just didn't work for me at the end.
The setup should have made us experience the fear and uncertainty that individuals residing in the ghetto were enduring. However, it seemed like the author was mechanically narrating the story instead of making it deeply affect us as intended. Rather than allowing us to witness the hardships faced by these individuals, we are simply informed about them. The emphasis on maintaining a positive outlook diminished the genuine horrors endured by these individuals.
Overall, the premise sounded far more promising and the actual book just didn't work for me at the end.
March 17, 2024
"“It is up to us to write our own history,” he said. “Deny the Germans the last word.” A dry chuckle escaped me. “It’s hard to deny the Germans anything, Pan Ringelblum.” “Perhaps,” he said. “Or perhaps after the war, we can tell the world the truth about what happened.”"
The above is the book’s premise. The narrator is a middle-age man who is currently in the Warsaw Ghetto and can only teach children while keeping a record of how life is changing around him.
I did not want to read this book about the time the Nazis herded all the Warsaw Jews into ghetto confinement. It was too soon after reading In the Garden of the Beast. It was too soon after seeing the shoes by the Danube in Budapest. It was too soon after visiting Dachau. But it was our book group’s monthly choice.
"“Will you join us?” I was flattered. “I will.” “I’m glad,” he said, and reached into his bag to hand me a small white notebook. “Write about what it’s like to teach here. Your students, their parents, their friends. Whatever you observe,” he said. “There is no privacy here.” Of course, I knew that. “Ask them questions about how they lived before this. Write down what they remember. And your own life. With your family before they left. With your wife while she was still alive. Your day-to-day activities,"
"But now I realize that we are creating a portrait of Polish Jews at the end of our history—not one peculiar moment, but the very last moment."
And so we learn through the eyes of Adam Paskow, a widower, what was the day to day existence once Warsaw’s Jewish citizens were forced into a ghetto that packed them together and became a place of brutality and disease and despair. Grodstein alternates between experiences in the present ghetto and interviews with Paskow’s companions as they reflect on both their present and past lives.
Here are some samples:
"“You’re a fool if you stay,” he slurred on our doorstep; he didn’t come into the flat, because he was certain Kasia didn’t like him. “This is where my life is.” “There is no life here,” he said. “You want to stay in a country that doesn’t even treat you like a citizen?” But I had always, for some reason, felt like a Polish citizen; my father’s grievous patriotism had rubbed off on me. “You know, you’ll never be one,” he said. “It’s amazing to me that you don’t know that.” “I’m not sure what you mean.” “You married the Polish girl, got the job at the Polish school, but your name is still Paskow, is it not? And nobody will ever think that’s a Polish name. Jewish blood runs in your veins, whether you like it or not.” “Blood doesn’t have a religion.” “Jewish blood does, brother.”"
"“But sometimes there’s tea,” I point out. “Sometimes.” “We have a toilet that flushes.” “Every once in a while.” “We’re alive.” “For the moment.”"
"(The only other language, in my humble opinion, that used poetry to rise above its station was German. My German was far worse than my English, but I knew a little bit, and I was a fan, like many Poles, of Goethe and Rilke. Still, I was unsure that a language that could order children to be mowed down by gunfire was still a sane one to use for poetry, and anyway, when comparing the two, I found English more pleasing to the ear.)"
"“How do you know Henryk Duda?” “He’s my father-in-law.” Sala raised her eyebrows. “Where’s your wife?” “She’s dead.” “Oh no. Oh, I’m sorry.” She paused, and looked around my strange little room. If I were her, I would have left, unable to handle such a confidence from a stranger. But Sala didn’t leave. “Do you think he’s a collaborator?” “Duda?” I considered it. “I thought the Nazis didn’t want to collaborate with Poles.” “Well, Duda’s not just any Pole,” she said. “That’s what I think, anyway. He’s a collaborator. Or worse, a profiteer.” I shrugged. “He was my benefactor.” “Some benefactor,” she said. “What happened to your wife?” “She fell. Damaged her brain.”"
"I looked up when I heard someone sit down at the table across from me. “God, I wish they would shut up,” Sala Wiskoff said, but she was smiling; she was one of those women who smiled to hide her irritation. She was wearing her nightclothes, a dressing gown pulled over herself for modesty, and was holding a half-empty mug of tea. Although we had been in this apartment for only a few weeks, we had taken to late-night conversations; our strange living situation allowed us a familiarity neither one of us would have imagined in any other circumstance."
"Perhaps you have heard that President Roosevelt has officially declared that the United States is no longer isolating itself from world affairs. Moreover, they will begin loaning arms to the British. So I think we can rest assured that our plight will not last too much longer. It’s impossible to imagine the Germans being able to stand up to both the British and the Americans together.”"
"“My mother is very sick,” Jakub said again. “When she dies, I’ll have no one to take care of me but Szifra.” “Why do you think she’s going to die? People recover from typhus.” “Not always,” he said. “Szifra said they only recover if they don’t want to die, and our mother’s just looking for a way out.”
"My guess is that the Lithuanians are behind this, not the Germans. They have always hated Jews in Lithuania.” “The Germans don’t hate us?” someone in the back said, a sneer in his voice. “Not like the Lithuanians.” “Not like the Poles,” someone else said, to bitter laughter, and I found myself laughing too."
"A year of sleeping on sofa cushions, my belongings piled around me as though I lived on a sidewalk. A year of teaching English poetry in a basement, slopping stew to desperate refugees in the Aid Society offices. Selling Kasia’s precious things to the parasites by the gates. Forgetting the taste of good bread, strong beer, beef. I had reread the same books again and again—Gone with the Wind twice. I could recite out loud long portions of Huckleberry Finn."
"“The soul needs time to depart the body, and cremation disrupts that process. And with cremation, you might have to leave the body alone for a few minutes, and that’s not right. A dead soul needs company at all times. Because, you know, the soul is lonely and confused from having died.” “You really believe all that?” She shrugged. “It’s a nice idea. Doesn’t strain the imagination too much.”"
The above is the book’s premise. The narrator is a middle-age man who is currently in the Warsaw Ghetto and can only teach children while keeping a record of how life is changing around him.
I did not want to read this book about the time the Nazis herded all the Warsaw Jews into ghetto confinement. It was too soon after reading In the Garden of the Beast. It was too soon after seeing the shoes by the Danube in Budapest. It was too soon after visiting Dachau. But it was our book group’s monthly choice.
"“Will you join us?” I was flattered. “I will.” “I’m glad,” he said, and reached into his bag to hand me a small white notebook. “Write about what it’s like to teach here. Your students, their parents, their friends. Whatever you observe,” he said. “There is no privacy here.” Of course, I knew that. “Ask them questions about how they lived before this. Write down what they remember. And your own life. With your family before they left. With your wife while she was still alive. Your day-to-day activities,"
"But now I realize that we are creating a portrait of Polish Jews at the end of our history—not one peculiar moment, but the very last moment."
And so we learn through the eyes of Adam Paskow, a widower, what was the day to day existence once Warsaw’s Jewish citizens were forced into a ghetto that packed them together and became a place of brutality and disease and despair. Grodstein alternates between experiences in the present ghetto and interviews with Paskow’s companions as they reflect on both their present and past lives.
Here are some samples:
"“You’re a fool if you stay,” he slurred on our doorstep; he didn’t come into the flat, because he was certain Kasia didn’t like him. “This is where my life is.” “There is no life here,” he said. “You want to stay in a country that doesn’t even treat you like a citizen?” But I had always, for some reason, felt like a Polish citizen; my father’s grievous patriotism had rubbed off on me. “You know, you’ll never be one,” he said. “It’s amazing to me that you don’t know that.” “I’m not sure what you mean.” “You married the Polish girl, got the job at the Polish school, but your name is still Paskow, is it not? And nobody will ever think that’s a Polish name. Jewish blood runs in your veins, whether you like it or not.” “Blood doesn’t have a religion.” “Jewish blood does, brother.”"
"“But sometimes there’s tea,” I point out. “Sometimes.” “We have a toilet that flushes.” “Every once in a while.” “We’re alive.” “For the moment.”"
"(The only other language, in my humble opinion, that used poetry to rise above its station was German. My German was far worse than my English, but I knew a little bit, and I was a fan, like many Poles, of Goethe and Rilke. Still, I was unsure that a language that could order children to be mowed down by gunfire was still a sane one to use for poetry, and anyway, when comparing the two, I found English more pleasing to the ear.)"
"“How do you know Henryk Duda?” “He’s my father-in-law.” Sala raised her eyebrows. “Where’s your wife?” “She’s dead.” “Oh no. Oh, I’m sorry.” She paused, and looked around my strange little room. If I were her, I would have left, unable to handle such a confidence from a stranger. But Sala didn’t leave. “Do you think he’s a collaborator?” “Duda?” I considered it. “I thought the Nazis didn’t want to collaborate with Poles.” “Well, Duda’s not just any Pole,” she said. “That’s what I think, anyway. He’s a collaborator. Or worse, a profiteer.” I shrugged. “He was my benefactor.” “Some benefactor,” she said. “What happened to your wife?” “She fell. Damaged her brain.”"
"I looked up when I heard someone sit down at the table across from me. “God, I wish they would shut up,” Sala Wiskoff said, but she was smiling; she was one of those women who smiled to hide her irritation. She was wearing her nightclothes, a dressing gown pulled over herself for modesty, and was holding a half-empty mug of tea. Although we had been in this apartment for only a few weeks, we had taken to late-night conversations; our strange living situation allowed us a familiarity neither one of us would have imagined in any other circumstance."
"Perhaps you have heard that President Roosevelt has officially declared that the United States is no longer isolating itself from world affairs. Moreover, they will begin loaning arms to the British. So I think we can rest assured that our plight will not last too much longer. It’s impossible to imagine the Germans being able to stand up to both the British and the Americans together.”"
"“My mother is very sick,” Jakub said again. “When she dies, I’ll have no one to take care of me but Szifra.” “Why do you think she’s going to die? People recover from typhus.” “Not always,” he said. “Szifra said they only recover if they don’t want to die, and our mother’s just looking for a way out.”
"My guess is that the Lithuanians are behind this, not the Germans. They have always hated Jews in Lithuania.” “The Germans don’t hate us?” someone in the back said, a sneer in his voice. “Not like the Lithuanians.” “Not like the Poles,” someone else said, to bitter laughter, and I found myself laughing too."
"A year of sleeping on sofa cushions, my belongings piled around me as though I lived on a sidewalk. A year of teaching English poetry in a basement, slopping stew to desperate refugees in the Aid Society offices. Selling Kasia’s precious things to the parasites by the gates. Forgetting the taste of good bread, strong beer, beef. I had reread the same books again and again—Gone with the Wind twice. I could recite out loud long portions of Huckleberry Finn."
"“The soul needs time to depart the body, and cremation disrupts that process. And with cremation, you might have to leave the body alone for a few minutes, and that’s not right. A dead soul needs company at all times. Because, you know, the soul is lonely and confused from having died.” “You really believe all that?” She shrugged. “It’s a nice idea. Doesn’t strain the imagination too much.”"
August 1, 2023
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
Loved the idea of this book and thought it was almost a guaranteed 5 star, but unfortunately this fell flat. Even though this is sort of a diary fiction, I just couldn't bring myself to feel anything for these characters. I've read books on the ghetto of Warsaw before, and it was interesting to get a new point of view of trying to stay positive, but it felt like it glossed over how awful life truly was for these people. The narrator was just so factual and pragmatic in a situation that calls for emotion, desperation, with hope that things will get better. And maybe it was just lack of description. Like stating people were starving vs describing the starvation with little remorse. So factual- in a bad way.
Then we have interviews on other characters and they were.... boring. I did like the small mention of Wladyslaw Szpilman, author of The Pianist. But because I've read his book, it was hard not to compare the Warsaw in "The Pianist" to this book.
Towards the end, we get a little more desperate and less realist, but then the book is over and done and we are left wondering- that's it? Then what happened!
Loved the idea of this book and thought it was almost a guaranteed 5 star, but unfortunately this fell flat. Even though this is sort of a diary fiction, I just couldn't bring myself to feel anything for these characters. I've read books on the ghetto of Warsaw before, and it was interesting to get a new point of view of trying to stay positive, but it felt like it glossed over how awful life truly was for these people. The narrator was just so factual and pragmatic in a situation that calls for emotion, desperation, with hope that things will get better. And maybe it was just lack of description. Like stating people were starving vs describing the starvation with little remorse. So factual- in a bad way.
Then we have interviews on other characters and they were.... boring. I did like the small mention of Wladyslaw Szpilman, author of The Pianist. But because I've read his book, it was hard not to compare the Warsaw in "The Pianist" to this book.
Towards the end, we get a little more desperate and less realist, but then the book is over and done and we are left wondering- that's it? Then what happened!
March 13, 2024
The world of historical fiction contains a plethora of books documenting the horrors of World War II. Lauren Grodstein's We Must Not Think of Ourselves is a stand out, on par with Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Could Not See and John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Inspired by a true story, Grodstein takes us inside the Warsaw Ghetto where a group of courageous Jewish citizens commit to document the life stories of its inhabitants while struggling with the escalating horrors of daily life. It is profoundly unforgettable and I recommend it without hesitation.
I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks.
I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks.
November 30, 2023
Adam Paskow is a high school English teacher who, until being locked in the Warsaw ghetto, had little connection to the Jewish community, culture, and religion. He is the widower of a rich (gentile) man's favorite daughter and arrives at the ghetto used to living comfortably, devoting himself to his job as a teacher, and a little naive about how sinister humans can get when the tide of war turns against them.
And that gets at the question that We Must Not Think of Ourselves explores. In a situation where you have no way to win, what counts as sinister? Lauren Grodstein writes a portrait of a community that is struggling for survival, and everyone tries to find their own way to deal with their harrowing reality.
There is plenty in We Must Not Think of Ourselves that will break your heart. But, Grodstein does something remarkable here, namely - humor. I actually laughed out loud at times.
The kids in the ghetto do their part to contribute to their families' survival. Some beg, some barter, and some... gamble their parents' change in "dog races". When you read the words "dog races", what are you thinking of? Lean greyhounds, an elliptical track with neat lanes? No no, this is way better. The kids find the laziest **beagles** in existence and bet their money on them.
Now that might seem random, maybe even inappropriate in a story that takes place amidst the height of human suffering. But here's the thing, humans will always seek levity, some entertainment, some distraction. And the protagonist sees it as his duty to make sure that the children in the ghetto can keep experiencing moments of hope and diversion, even after they go through the greatest horrors that humans can bestow on each other.
Grodstein gets so many things right. The emotional numbness after being barraged with too many horrors. The complex relationship that every character has with Judaism. The strange mixture of feeling like a stranger and returning home that a secular Jew might experience when thrust into an observant community. The humor that lives right alongside the trauma of the Holocaust.
Read it.
And that gets at the question that We Must Not Think of Ourselves explores. In a situation where you have no way to win, what counts as sinister? Lauren Grodstein writes a portrait of a community that is struggling for survival, and everyone tries to find their own way to deal with their harrowing reality.
There is plenty in We Must Not Think of Ourselves that will break your heart. But, Grodstein does something remarkable here, namely - humor. I actually laughed out loud at times.
The kids in the ghetto do their part to contribute to their families' survival. Some beg, some barter, and some... gamble their parents' change in "dog races". When you read the words "dog races", what are you thinking of? Lean greyhounds, an elliptical track with neat lanes? No no, this is way better. The kids find the laziest **beagles** in existence and bet their money on them.
Now that might seem random, maybe even inappropriate in a story that takes place amidst the height of human suffering. But here's the thing, humans will always seek levity, some entertainment, some distraction. And the protagonist sees it as his duty to make sure that the children in the ghetto can keep experiencing moments of hope and diversion, even after they go through the greatest horrors that humans can bestow on each other.
Grodstein gets so many things right. The emotional numbness after being barraged with too many horrors. The complex relationship that every character has with Judaism. The strange mixture of feeling like a stranger and returning home that a secular Jew might experience when thrust into an observant community. The humor that lives right alongside the trauma of the Holocaust.
Read it.
December 9, 2023
We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein is a historical fiction novel set in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. It tells the story of Adam Paskow, a schoolteacher who works for the Oneg Shabbat archive, a secret project of Jewish prisoners to document their lives and histories. He falls in love with a married woman, Sala Wiskoff, and faces difficult choices and challenges.
The novel is based on the true story of the Oneg Shabbat archive and blends historical facts and fictional characters. It is a tribute to the Jewish people and their history, and a reminder of the importance of bearing witness and remembering the past.
This book was simply stunning. I listened to the audiobook and the performances brought it to life. The accents were strong but only took me moments to settle in and get lost in these brave peoples stories. 🔯
The novel is based on the true story of the Oneg Shabbat archive and blends historical facts and fictional characters. It is a tribute to the Jewish people and their history, and a reminder of the importance of bearing witness and remembering the past.
This book was simply stunning. I listened to the audiobook and the performances brought it to life. The accents were strong but only took me moments to settle in and get lost in these brave peoples stories. 🔯
April 16, 2023
Lauren Grodstein takes the reader back to the horrors of The Warsaw Ghetto during WWII. The nazis have invaded Poland and Jews have been rounded up, either placed in a walled ghetto or sent by train to extermination camps.
Adam Paskow, an English teacher in a fine lyceum, is a widower. His wife, Katia, was a christian and their marriage was not looked upon fondly by either his or her family. Her father, however, favored Katia of all his children and, for that reason, takes some interest in Adam's welfare. When he visits Adam and asks him to return Katia's jewelry, Adam knows that things are getting very bad. In exchange for the jewelry, Adam will be granted an apartment in the ghetto. Adam has to leave almost everything behind, carrying what he can manage in a wheelbarrow.
The apartment he's been granted is tiny, derelict and shared by two families and Adam, eleven people in all. Adam hangs a sheet up in an attempt to make his sleeping space private. Food is scarce and the children are forced to scrounge and barter for anything that can make life easier on the families.
The horror of the ghetto is described in uncompromising narrative, The people beg, have mental breakdowns, are killed in the street, sell their bodies to nazis for food and passports, and try to cope with their situation in any way they can. Their bodies turn skeletal, their eyes vacant and their hope becomes destroyed.
Despite the devastation, Adam manages to teach an English class to the ghetto children. A speaker of five languages himself, Adam uses poetry, novels and conversation to teach the children. As time goes by, despite being childless himself, Adam grows to love his students.
Fear, horror, anger and numbness are the prevalent emotions of the ghettoed jews. However, despite this, some feel hope and dream of ways to break free of the nazi imprisonment and travel to another country. What is even more remarkable, is to watch the formation of love between Adam and a married woman who shares the apartment.
As part of a group called Oneg Shabbat, Adam is responsible for chronicling the lives of the ghetto's inhabitants so that one day, others may know what transpired and never forget the people who lived and perished in the Warsaw Ghetto.
Adam Paskow, an English teacher in a fine lyceum, is a widower. His wife, Katia, was a christian and their marriage was not looked upon fondly by either his or her family. Her father, however, favored Katia of all his children and, for that reason, takes some interest in Adam's welfare. When he visits Adam and asks him to return Katia's jewelry, Adam knows that things are getting very bad. In exchange for the jewelry, Adam will be granted an apartment in the ghetto. Adam has to leave almost everything behind, carrying what he can manage in a wheelbarrow.
The apartment he's been granted is tiny, derelict and shared by two families and Adam, eleven people in all. Adam hangs a sheet up in an attempt to make his sleeping space private. Food is scarce and the children are forced to scrounge and barter for anything that can make life easier on the families.
The horror of the ghetto is described in uncompromising narrative, The people beg, have mental breakdowns, are killed in the street, sell their bodies to nazis for food and passports, and try to cope with their situation in any way they can. Their bodies turn skeletal, their eyes vacant and their hope becomes destroyed.
Despite the devastation, Adam manages to teach an English class to the ghetto children. A speaker of five languages himself, Adam uses poetry, novels and conversation to teach the children. As time goes by, despite being childless himself, Adam grows to love his students.
Fear, horror, anger and numbness are the prevalent emotions of the ghettoed jews. However, despite this, some feel hope and dream of ways to break free of the nazi imprisonment and travel to another country. What is even more remarkable, is to watch the formation of love between Adam and a married woman who shares the apartment.
As part of a group called Oneg Shabbat, Adam is responsible for chronicling the lives of the ghetto's inhabitants so that one day, others may know what transpired and never forget the people who lived and perished in the Warsaw Ghetto.
January 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Ooof, I wanted to like this so much more, but sadly I didn’t. This just proves that highly rated books aren’t for everyone. The overall story was okay, but I think that’s the problem. It was just okay. I thought Adam (the narrator) was extremely boring. His flashbacks, his story-telling were all so bland that I started skipping his monologues by the end. The interviews were the best part. They felt real and authentic, and you got to know the characters you actually liked so much deeper.
Kinda spoiler but not sure…
This book had sadness, obviously because of the setting/context, but what I found even sadder was finding out that Adam was a selfish, judgy, snake. 👀 the synopsis was incredibly misleading. Adam was not heroic in saving anyone. He was selfish in wanting a married woman to follow him. That’s another thing!!!! This “love story” was not love. It was flat sexual desire to distract from the fact that they were trapped and starving.
It wasn’t enough for me. I’ve read a lot of books about this time period, and usually fall over in love with them. These characters didn’t work for me.
Ooof, I wanted to like this so much more, but sadly I didn’t. This just proves that highly rated books aren’t for everyone. The overall story was okay, but I think that’s the problem. It was just okay. I thought Adam (the narrator) was extremely boring. His flashbacks, his story-telling were all so bland that I started skipping his monologues by the end. The interviews were the best part. They felt real and authentic, and you got to know the characters you actually liked so much deeper.
Kinda spoiler but not sure…
This book had sadness, obviously because of the setting/context, but what I found even sadder was finding out that Adam was a selfish, judgy, snake. 👀 the synopsis was incredibly misleading. Adam was not heroic in saving anyone. He was selfish in wanting a married woman to follow him. That’s another thing!!!! This “love story” was not love. It was flat sexual desire to distract from the fact that they were trapped and starving.
It wasn’t enough for me. I’ve read a lot of books about this time period, and usually fall over in love with them. These characters didn’t work for me.
February 6, 2025
This is a definite case of “half stars are needed.”
4.5 stars ⭐️ for this book.
I have read a lot of WW2 books and this one will be one of my top reads, about this horrible time . The author is very good at giving a strong sense of place and this book takes us to the horrors of a Warsaw ghetto.
The characters are flawed as anyone would be during this time. The title, “We Must Not Think of Ourselves,” is curious as you see many instances where to survive, you do have to be selfish and take control of your own future.
The small details make this book stand out. A phenomenal representation of a time we must ensure in never repeated.
4.5 stars ⭐️ for this book.
I have read a lot of WW2 books and this one will be one of my top reads, about this horrible time . The author is very good at giving a strong sense of place and this book takes us to the horrors of a Warsaw ghetto.
The characters are flawed as anyone would be during this time. The title, “We Must Not Think of Ourselves,” is curious as you see many instances where to survive, you do have to be selfish and take control of your own future.
The small details make this book stand out. A phenomenal representation of a time we must ensure in never repeated.
January 5, 2024
4.5 stars
*This one gave me serious “book hangover”.*
In 1940, a young Jewish man, confined in the Warsaw Ghetto with thousands of other Jews, is asked to join a secret group of archivists. Their job will be to preserve in writing what is happening inside the ghetto, in the form of testimonies from the residents. Adam Paskow agrees, and begins to interview his neighbors, friends, and his young students immediately, because to wait will mean missing the opportunity to do so…
This novel was inspired by the author’s trip to Poland and the information that she discovered about Project Oneg Shabbat. The actual diary entries, sketches, and other treasures collected by the archivists can be seen at the Oneg Shabbat Archive, along with a milk can which contained some of these documents, which were buried before the ghetto was destroyed in 1943. (Author’s notes).
*This one gave me serious “book hangover”.*
In 1940, a young Jewish man, confined in the Warsaw Ghetto with thousands of other Jews, is asked to join a secret group of archivists. Their job will be to preserve in writing what is happening inside the ghetto, in the form of testimonies from the residents. Adam Paskow agrees, and begins to interview his neighbors, friends, and his young students immediately, because to wait will mean missing the opportunity to do so…
This novel was inspired by the author’s trip to Poland and the information that she discovered about Project Oneg Shabbat. The actual diary entries, sketches, and other treasures collected by the archivists can be seen at the Oneg Shabbat Archive, along with a milk can which contained some of these documents, which were buried before the ghetto was destroyed in 1943. (Author’s notes).
October 19, 2023
“We Must Not Think of Ourselves” by Lauren Grodstein tells the story of the Warsaw Ghetto through the eyes of Adam Paskow, a young widower and English teacher, who becomes involved in a secret archival project code-named Oneg Shabbat. As the book unfolds, we learn not just more about Adam’s story but, through the interviews he collects, also get insights into the lives of his neighbours and friends both before the war began and during their time in the Ghetto.
Based on the true story of a group of people who collected and preserved archives of daily life in the Ghetto, I was fascinated to learn about this aspect of the history of the Warsaw Ghetto that I had been previously unaware of. As someone who loves spending time in archives and a family historian that relies on the record keepers of previous generations, I have so much respect and admiration for the bravery shown by these individuals who were passionate about preserving their community’s stories knowing that they would likely not live long enough to tell their stories themselves. In doing research after reading this book, I found out that of the three capsules of archive materials hidden within the Ghetto, only two have ever been found and recovered.
I appreciate that this book brought a new perspective to a subsection of historical fiction that can often feel saturated. In addition to the fast-paced, gripping plot, the writing in this book was very poignant and beautiful with numerous passages where I highlighted quotes that particularly stood out to me. If you are a reader who seeks out Holocaust/WWII-era stories, I would definitely recommend picking up “We Must Not Think of Ourselves”.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Algonquin Books through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*
Based on the true story of a group of people who collected and preserved archives of daily life in the Ghetto, I was fascinated to learn about this aspect of the history of the Warsaw Ghetto that I had been previously unaware of. As someone who loves spending time in archives and a family historian that relies on the record keepers of previous generations, I have so much respect and admiration for the bravery shown by these individuals who were passionate about preserving their community’s stories knowing that they would likely not live long enough to tell their stories themselves. In doing research after reading this book, I found out that of the three capsules of archive materials hidden within the Ghetto, only two have ever been found and recovered.
I appreciate that this book brought a new perspective to a subsection of historical fiction that can often feel saturated. In addition to the fast-paced, gripping plot, the writing in this book was very poignant and beautiful with numerous passages where I highlighted quotes that particularly stood out to me. If you are a reader who seeks out Holocaust/WWII-era stories, I would definitely recommend picking up “We Must Not Think of Ourselves”.
*DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC of this book from Algonquin Books through NetGalley for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*
April 6, 2023
I read this book in one sitting, which wasn't planned - I just found myself completely absorbed. And now that I've finished I wish I would have gone slower - there's so much to process and reflect on. The mark of a good book: both propulsive and thought-provoking.
I've read a great deal of historical fiction (not to mention nonfiction) about World War II, but We Must Not Think of Ourselves feels unique to me. It takes place almost entirely in a ghetto in Poland - a place with its own (increasing) horrors, but also a place all too full of real people with the full scope of their humanity, their hopes and dreams and jokes and emotions in spite of everything. The characters are quite vivid - not just Adam (the protagonist) or Sala (his love interest), but each of the students he teaches and the people he interviews as part of an archive project.
I expected the overall feel of this book to be somber, and that's certainly the case, but it's also bittersweet and joyful and agonizing and infuriating. I'm writing this review immediately after finishing - so it's fresh in my mind, but hard to articulate! I guess this is how I'd sum up the question at the heart of this book: In circumstances in which there are no good choices, and in which it's not a question of whether people will be killed but how many and when, and you have limited control over your fate - how do you go on? And how do you aim not just for continued existence, but for genuine survival? I'll be thinking about these things for a long time.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I've read a great deal of historical fiction (not to mention nonfiction) about World War II, but We Must Not Think of Ourselves feels unique to me. It takes place almost entirely in a ghetto in Poland - a place with its own (increasing) horrors, but also a place all too full of real people with the full scope of their humanity, their hopes and dreams and jokes and emotions in spite of everything. The characters are quite vivid - not just Adam (the protagonist) or Sala (his love interest), but each of the students he teaches and the people he interviews as part of an archive project.
I expected the overall feel of this book to be somber, and that's certainly the case, but it's also bittersweet and joyful and agonizing and infuriating. I'm writing this review immediately after finishing - so it's fresh in my mind, but hard to articulate! I guess this is how I'd sum up the question at the heart of this book: In circumstances in which there are no good choices, and in which it's not a question of whether people will be killed but how many and when, and you have limited control over your fate - how do you go on? And how do you aim not just for continued existence, but for genuine survival? I'll be thinking about these things for a long time.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 11, 2024
I wanted to like this more than I did, but I think it's likely that I've read so many books about the Warsaw ghetto that I was more bored than someone who is reading about it for the first time. The events are tragic, just like in any story about this time and place, but the tone was a bit mundane. The premise is fantastic, as it is based on the Oneg Shabbat archive, and this is an important part of history to keep alive, especially with a possible resurgence of hate groups.
January 13, 2024
We Must Not Think of Ourselves
By: Lauren Grodstein
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heartwarming novel about a group of people sharing an apartment in the ghetto is Warsaw during WWII. As the Jews are rounded up people are living under horrific circumstance’s.
Adam Paskow teaches poetry to the children. He finds himself interviewing those in ghetto and getting their powerful stories.
Between the war, close quarters, disease, little food, keeping warm and the daily challenges they each try to survive. Who will survive and whose stories will be told?
I can see why this is a Jenna pick. If you enjoy historical fiction I highly recommend this one.
By: Lauren Grodstein
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heartwarming novel about a group of people sharing an apartment in the ghetto is Warsaw during WWII. As the Jews are rounded up people are living under horrific circumstance’s.
Adam Paskow teaches poetry to the children. He finds himself interviewing those in ghetto and getting their powerful stories.
Between the war, close quarters, disease, little food, keeping warm and the daily challenges they each try to survive. Who will survive and whose stories will be told?
I can see why this is a Jenna pick. If you enjoy historical fiction I highly recommend this one.
September 8, 2025
4.5 stars "A heart-wrenching story of love and defiance set in the Warsaw Ghetto, based on the actual archives kept by those determined to have their stories survive World War II."
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking look at the Holocaust and is unique in its scope. It is told by Adam Paskow who is a widower and teacher. The focus is of The Warsaw Ghetto rather than the concentration camps, which is a refreshing change. He is tasked with secretly recording the stories of his students and their parents. It is historical fiction, it is a love story, it is based on actual archives as a history of its people. It emphasizes the importance of the loss of one individual, which is greater than the loss of thousands because it is more personal and emotional. There are so many great pearls in here. The audio performance is perfection with a Polish narrator who brings this to life. Highly recommend. 🎧📚
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking look at the Holocaust and is unique in its scope. It is told by Adam Paskow who is a widower and teacher. The focus is of The Warsaw Ghetto rather than the concentration camps, which is a refreshing change. He is tasked with secretly recording the stories of his students and their parents. It is historical fiction, it is a love story, it is based on actual archives as a history of its people. It emphasizes the importance of the loss of one individual, which is greater than the loss of thousands because it is more personal and emotional. There are so many great pearls in here. The audio performance is perfection with a Polish narrator who brings this to life. Highly recommend. 🎧📚
April 16, 2024
This is one of those books that stays with a reader long after the last page has been read. The author tells the story of life in the Warsaw Ghetto during WW11. As tragic and heartbreaking as it is to read Holocaust books I continue to read them. There’s a story to be told over and over. The author did a great job of bringing the characters to life on the page. May we never forget. I enjoyed this book although it’s not an easy read.
I’m on to something lighter now.
I’m on to something lighter now.
April 15, 2024
if you’ve been waiting for my first 5 star of 2024 here it is, and it’s a heartbreaking, crushing 5 star read
December 24, 2023
4.5 actually
January 5, 2024
When handling subject matter such as this, it's hard not to feel something because of the pure devestation of the situation. But this book did read a bit more clinical vs. submersive so I ultimately had a hard time connecting with the characters and getting through this book. Great story, but didn't love the execution.
February 13, 2024
We Must Not Think of Ourselves by Lauren Grodstein is the first book I have read by this Author but, will not be the last. This story revolves around Adam Paskow’s life after he becomes locked in the Warsaw Ghetto during the height of WWII. I have read countless books focused on World War II and the resulting atrocities. This book is very different as it focuses on Adam’s efforts to document the lives of the people who were imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto while he was part of the group Oneg Shabbat. The interviews took place throughout the book as the war escalated in the background. My heart pounded throughout the book as the way the story unfolds you find yourself transported to this horrific time. This book will stay with me for a long time.
December 27, 2023
This very powerful and heart wrenching story is set in the ghettos of Warsaw during WWII. The Jews have been rounded up and are now guarded daily and treated like prisoners.
Adam Paskow goes to his apartment within the ghetto and quickly realizes that he will be sharing this small apartment with 10 other people. They will all make it work as they know to survive, they will have to make many daily sacrifices.
Adam is a teacher and will continue to teach poetry and other stories to the kids in the ghetto. He is also asked to join Oneg Shabbat archive where he will interview other Jews in the ghetto so their true story will survive.
Everyday is a huge challenge for them!! Will they have food to eat?? Will they have fuel to keep the apartment warm?? Will they fall victim to the rampant diseases going thru the ghetto?
Adam finds solace with Sala…the married woman that he shares the apartment with along with her husband and 2 children. Will their love survive???
I really enjoyed this book which is the Dec Read with Jenna pick. One of my favorite parts was that even though this was a heavy subject, Lauren found a way to weave in some humor. The dog races is one of my favorite scenes!!! I did a combination of physical book and audio.
Adam Paskow goes to his apartment within the ghetto and quickly realizes that he will be sharing this small apartment with 10 other people. They will all make it work as they know to survive, they will have to make many daily sacrifices.
Adam is a teacher and will continue to teach poetry and other stories to the kids in the ghetto. He is also asked to join Oneg Shabbat archive where he will interview other Jews in the ghetto so their true story will survive.
Everyday is a huge challenge for them!! Will they have food to eat?? Will they have fuel to keep the apartment warm?? Will they fall victim to the rampant diseases going thru the ghetto?
Adam finds solace with Sala…the married woman that he shares the apartment with along with her husband and 2 children. Will their love survive???
I really enjoyed this book which is the Dec Read with Jenna pick. One of my favorite parts was that even though this was a heavy subject, Lauren found a way to weave in some humor. The dog races is one of my favorite scenes!!! I did a combination of physical book and audio.
February 18, 2024
We Must Not Think of Ourselves has a bit of a slow start, but I really enjoyed this novel. The character development through the interviews was well done, and I loved and will miss all of Adam’s students. Really appreciated author sneaking in some witty lines and jokes between the characters.
January 31, 2025
This is a gripping heart-wrenching story set in the Warsaw ghetto. It is a novel of survival and resilience under the most squalid and dire circumstances, and it gives voice to those who perished as well as those who miraculously survived.
January 9, 2024
Moving and heartbreaking story about the Warsaw ghetto that I will not soon forget.
Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the ghetto and is soon approached to take testimonies from other prisoners to preserve their stories. Stories that are filled with unspeakable horrors and how can they possibly survive long enough to get out of the ghetto.
An important book that should be read by everyone.
Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the ghetto and is soon approached to take testimonies from other prisoners to preserve their stories. Stories that are filled with unspeakable horrors and how can they possibly survive long enough to get out of the ghetto.
An important book that should be read by everyone.
April 23, 2024
In a sea of WWII historical fiction, I think this is one that will get a little lost.
✨ 4.5 star initially ✨
✨ 4 stars is probably my final rating though ✨
To be very clear, this is not a bad book, clearly I gave it 4.5 stars right off the bat. I just think that in such a heavily saturated genre like WWII historical fiction, the story really needs to be memorable and to stick out. I found value in this story, in the history, in the characters, in the storytelling style, I just know they weren’t memorable enough, if that makes sense. It’s a shorty, falling just under 300 pages. Makes it a fairly fast read, but might also add a bit to what I was describing.
Still a worthwhile read, just not a new favorite.
✨ 4.5 star initially ✨
✨ 4 stars is probably my final rating though ✨
To be very clear, this is not a bad book, clearly I gave it 4.5 stars right off the bat. I just think that in such a heavily saturated genre like WWII historical fiction, the story really needs to be memorable and to stick out. I found value in this story, in the history, in the characters, in the storytelling style, I just know they weren’t memorable enough, if that makes sense. It’s a shorty, falling just under 300 pages. Makes it a fairly fast read, but might also add a bit to what I was describing.
Still a worthwhile read, just not a new favorite.
December 20, 2023
DNF at 30%….
Let me start by saying that I love World War II historical fiction. It’s probably my favorite genre. But this book… It’s incredibly slow - a series of interviews that are only vaguely connected by a story in between. I understand the story is taken from actual transcripts, but this just doesn’t quite work.
Let me start by saying that I love World War II historical fiction. It’s probably my favorite genre. But this book… It’s incredibly slow - a series of interviews that are only vaguely connected by a story in between. I understand the story is taken from actual transcripts, but this just doesn’t quite work.
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