WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES by Lauren Grodstein

[amyb]

This book recommendation is hard for me to post. With the ugly swelling of anti semitism which has always been under the surface and is now expanding and the terrorism and butchering and slaughtering of civilians by Hamas and other groups of evildoers in the Middle East set out to destroy the state of Israel, my Mother's birthplace, I feel it is a review I should write. In my heart of hearts, I know it is important to NEVER FORGET!

Grodstein's book is about the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland. The book opens as the ghetto is starting to become the settlement and home of Warsaw's Jewish population. (Naturally, against their will.)

The main character is a teacher,,,the kind of teacher that we all used to know and respect. He teaches English to a handful of youngsters in a small space that is their designated schoolroom. Also, at the same time, he is asked by the Jewish leaders to keep a journal, stories, events, biographies, or whatever else he can think to note about his observations of what is happening since the internment began. It ends before the Warsaw uprising.

Powerful topics and a look at what the families crowded therein did to maintain civility in a no longer civilized world.

Note:Some of these journals and interviews were found in a buried metal milk can after WWII as Warsaw was being rebuilt.

 

[cec1]

Sounds absorbing, Amy. I expect that there are more "buried metal milk cans" to be found . . . and lives to be revealed.

 

[amyb]

Sounds absorbing, Amy. I expect that there are more "buried metal milk cans" to be found . . . and lives to be revealed.

And we remember them..........

 

[lvbookworm]

Thank you, Amy! I've been absent from the forum for far too long. But just yesterday I was in need of recommendations for a new book. Then I remembered all your book reviews and immediately came here. I now have a LONG list waiting for my immediate attention (after I go thru a year's worth of unread forum posts, that is...).