Aftermath: A Granddaughter's Story of Legacy, Healing & Hope

by Allison Nazarian

The first-of-its-kind memoir by a "3G," or grandchild of Holocaust survivors, AFTERMATH is about being born into a history that never goes away. It is about reconciling memories of a tragic past with hopes for a better future. It is about the delicate balance between a proud legacy and a burdensome responsibility. Allison Nazarian grew up in the Washington, DC, suburbs, living a comfortable American life while at the same time being surrounded by stories of Auschwitz, of lost family members, of destroyed dreams and of miracles. The tales of Holocaust survival shared by her maternal grandparents and by their only child—Allison’s mother—were so ingrained in all aspects of everyday life that it wasn’t until Allison was older that she realized not everyone’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors. As Allison moved into adulthood, she began to examine more deeply the reasons why the family history empowered and made resilient people like her grandmother, whose life was a triumph until the day she died, well into her 90s—while it haunted and ultimately destroyed others, like her mother who took her own life at the age of 51. Aftermath is a powerful look at healing, forgiveness, breaking old patterns and, ultimately, finding ways to remember the past while being able to live a life of peace and joy in the present.

216 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2016

Reviews

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested in this and its potential to look at generational trauma in a really personal way, but it just never got deep enough into that. At times it felt really redundant or like the author was holding back - knowing this is a deeply personal story, I don’t fault that, but it made it less fruitful of a read.

[LauraSue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly one of the greatest books I have ever read. So honest, such an amazing story. Allison's voice is a true gift. I highly recommend for everyone.