B.A.’s answer to “Hey B.A.Van Sise *Remember that kid from the JCC in Seattle who bought your book Invited by Life: …” > Likes and Comments
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I'm so glad you remembered me too! I thought you wouldn't. It gave me such a warm, fuzzy feeling. It was truly an honor to meet you. What inspired you to embark on this incredible project of documenting the stories of Holocaust survivors? ❤️
So it originally started out as something entirely different: I was working at the Village Voice in 2015 and Donald Trump had just kicked off his campaign for president and was speaking a great deal about what he saw as the blight of immigrants in this country: how they're not sending their best people, how the immigrant class is full of rapists and murderers and so on. I pitched my editor at the time on the idea of doing a short series on refugees who'd made their lives in America, looking back on the whole of that experience. My original instinct was to do a series on Cuban refugees who'd come over after the New Year's revolution in 1959, but I realised they just weren't quite old enough to look fully back on their lives. I then turned to a different cadre: Holocaust survivors, who came in great numbers after the second World War and in particularly dire circumstances, especially strange strangers in a strange land: they practiced a minority religion, rarely had work experience, rarely had a word of English, and almost never had true networks of family. They'd lost absolutely everything. They'd been razed to zero. And then they showed up on our shores, frail and foreign and penniless; what did those subsequent lives entail?
That's fascinating! It's incredible how a personal experience can lead to such a powerful and important book.
I'm curious, were there any particular stories or individuals that had a profound impact on you during the writing process?
Perhaps we could continue this conversation via email? I'd love to learn more about your experiences and insights, and maybe even get some advice on my own writing journey. I'm currently working on a book inspired by my own experiences with unrequited love.
Oh, so many that had profound impacts: Rene Slotkin and Allan Hall, in particular. And a bunch who truly became friends: Mireille Taub in particular. I'm easy to find- drop me an email.
Hey B.A. Van Sise,
Just wanted to say thanks again for your quick response and for sharing your insights. I sent you an email, so no rush at all. I look forward to hearing back when you have a chance.
Best,
Ari
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Ari
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Nov 21, 2024 10:32AM
I'm so glad you remembered me too! I thought you wouldn't. It gave me such a warm, fuzzy feeling. It was truly an honor to meet you. What inspired you to embark on this incredible project of documenting the stories of Holocaust survivors? ❤️
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So it originally started out as something entirely different: I was working at the Village Voice in 2015 and Donald Trump had just kicked off his campaign for president and was speaking a great deal about what he saw as the blight of immigrants in this country: how they're not sending their best people, how the immigrant class is full of rapists and murderers and so on. I pitched my editor at the time on the idea of doing a short series on refugees who'd made their lives in America, looking back on the whole of that experience. My original instinct was to do a series on Cuban refugees who'd come over after the New Year's revolution in 1959, but I realised they just weren't quite old enough to look fully back on their lives. I then turned to a different cadre: Holocaust survivors, who came in great numbers after the second World War and in particularly dire circumstances, especially strange strangers in a strange land: they practiced a minority religion, rarely had work experience, rarely had a word of English, and almost never had true networks of family. They'd lost absolutely everything. They'd been razed to zero. And then they showed up on our shores, frail and foreign and penniless; what did those subsequent lives entail?
That's fascinating! It's incredible how a personal experience can lead to such a powerful and important book.I'm curious, were there any particular stories or individuals that had a profound impact on you during the writing process?
Perhaps we could continue this conversation via email? I'd love to learn more about your experiences and insights, and maybe even get some advice on my own writing journey. I'm currently working on a book inspired by my own experiences with unrequited love.
Oh, so many that had profound impacts: Rene Slotkin and Allan Hall, in particular. And a bunch who truly became friends: Mireille Taub in particular. I'm easy to find- drop me an email.
Hey B.A. Van Sise,Just wanted to say thanks again for your quick response and for sharing your insights. I sent you an email, so no rush at all. I look forward to hearing back when you have a chance.
Best,
Ari
