Holocaust and genocide discussion

I've not yet posted in this group, but would like to invite members to read Even in Darkness, which debuted in April and which I've been touring with since. My favorite talks blogs, etc. have been around what it's like to write fiction about a real family story based in the Holocaust involving a lot of boundary crossing, and why so many of us are doing this now. Below is a description of Even in Darkness, and I'd love to hear what you all think... You can learn more at www.barbarastarknemon.com as well. Thank you!

Spanning one century and three continents, Even in Darkness tells the story of Kläre Kohler, whose early years as beloved daughter of a prosperous German-Jewish family hardly anticipate the often harrowing life she faces as an adult—a long saga of family, lovers, two world wars, concentration camps, and sacrifice. As the world changes around her, Kläre is forced to make a number of seemingly impossible choices in order to protect the people she loves—and to save herself.

Based on a true story, Even in Darkness highlights the intimate experience of Kläre’s reinvention as she faces the destruction of life as she knew it, and traces her path beyond survival to wisdom, meaning, and—most unexpectedly—love.

The operative word about this book is "novel." As a Holocaust survivor and a writer of a memoir about my concentration camp experiences, I am prejudiced about novels on this topic.

I do not wish to prejudge this book without reading it first, but the above is my immediate reaction.

Peter Kubicek

Thanks for your comment, Peter, and I am profoundly respectful of your reservations, and have had many conversations in the course of my research and touring with the book, with those who directly experienced escape and survival from/of the Holocaust (including my parents, grandparents and great aunts). My novel is based on 15 years of research, personal interviews, travel to all the sites mentioned in the book (including 3 visits to Theresienstadt and their archives), and translation of more than 100 family letters. The interviews and letters were all with and from the real family members who formed the basis of my characters. More than 80% of what is portrayed in Even in Darkness really happened. It is because this is the real story of my family that it became the story of my heart. That said, I totally understand and respect that this may not be the novel for you!

Well, Barbara, I am much impressed by your exhaustive research of 15 years !

I wish your book much success.

Peter

Barbara wrote: "Thanks for your comment, Peter, and I am profoundly respectful of your reservations, and have had many conversations in the course of my research and touring with the book, with those who directly..." Thank you, Peter!

Peter, I have long felt the same about the tiny but burgeoning genre of Holocaust fiction. I know others feel the same, due to fear of 'romanticizing' the Holocaust (and also fears that it gives Holocaust deniers ammunition?) Not to mention that there are so many good memoirs out there that are, frankly, better reading than the vast majority of fiction. Still, there will come a time when there are no more memoirs, I think it's only natural that there will be novels whose backdrop involves the Holocaust. We've seen this already in some remarkable movies.

This is an interesting subject. There are some great books and stories of how the Holocaust affected the next generations. One of my favorites is "I didn't say goodbye" by Claudine Vegh. The book is the poignant first-person accounts of the children who survived French Holocaust. They were interviewed later in life, but their stories show the true depth of their wounds. Even those too young to remember much were scarred for life by what happened to their parents.

I find that this is true, Jz, for me personally, and for many many people that I have spoken to on book tour. I would only add that some of us were not only scarred, but also inspired by our family stories of courage and resilience. I wrote a Huffpost piece about this. http://huff.to/1yhsWYO I hadn't heard of the Vegh book. Thanks for the recommendation.

Nice article, Barbara.
The subject is dare to my heart for all of the same reasons. I even wrote a novel that connects the events of WW2 to the current generations. I'll check your book.

Victor

The subject of the children of survivors is brilliantly, and I mean **brilliantly** captured in Goran Rosenberg's memoir, "A Brief Stop on the Road from Auschwitz." My review for The Associated Press
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2...

Haven't read this one. Will check it out. Thanks, Pamela.

ditto, Pamela.. What's your novel, Victor?

Pamela, I think I am allergic to Holocaust fiction. See my review of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne.

There are a great number of books by Holocaust survivors -- some of them of them of great renown. This list is endless; and yet John Boyne's novel always appears among them.

Peter Kubicek

Thanks for asking, Barbara.
My novel is about a Luftwaffe's ace who falls in love with a Jewess from the ghetto in WW2 Warsaw. It's out to beta readers. We'll see how it comes out.
One thing mentioned to me is that "jewess" is an offensive term. Never thought about if that way.

Jz, not sure if Jewess is really offensive (though i think to some it might smack of 'Jew(ish Princ)ess, but it's definitely old-fashioned. I'd change at the next opportunity.

I agree with Pamela... unless your work takes place in biblical times, I'd go with a different term..

Thank you, ladies. I agree. To me "jewess" is old-fashioned, even obsolete. I wonder at which point did it become offensive.

Hi. Just a brief note to say that I have finished KL ( still reading the epilogue )KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps and it is an excellent history of the building and operation of the konzentration lageren from 1933 to 1945 and some comments on the aftermath of the war.

Patrick wrote: "Hi. Just a brief note to say that I have finished KL ( still reading the epilogue )KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps and it is an excellent history of the building and o..."

Thank you ! It is on my to-read list

Barbara wrote: "ditto, Pamela.. What's your novel, Victor?"
Must agree wholeheartedly with you Peter. A novel about the Holocaust is anathema considering the wealth of true histories by inmates who have suffered the KZ existence

I am guessing that Holocaust fiction will emerge as a stronger genre in time ... but now is just not the time

Patrick,

I have only read reviews of "KL" but as a survivor of six German concentration camps, I consider this a very important book.

Peter Kubicek
Autor of "Memories of Evil"

The idea of "holocaust fiction" is bound to be a sensitive issue, simply because the events are still very much part of our national psyche. As Jews, so much of our daily life is a reaction to the Shoah -- whether we admit it or not, whether we're even aware of it or not. This is true even of those who are not children of survivors. For children (and grandchildren) of survivors, the reaction is that much more conscious and immediate.

Last year I participated in an online book club discussion for children and grandchildren of survivors, and was amazed at the depth of emotion engendered by the discussion. Many of these people had been carrying so much for so long, and suddenly it all came pouring out. The fact that the discussion was online, rather than face to face, probably helped to create a sense of privacy and distance. Here is a write-up of the experience: http://www.damaged-mirror.com/new-ven....

I wonder if something like this could be done on Goodreads. Ideas?

Thank you, Yael, for sharing the experience of your online book club discussion. The article is very illuminating, and I didn't know of either of these FB groups! A Damaged Mirror goes on my to-read list!