I got two new memoirs by Holocaust survivors. Both add moving and beautiful voices to this important body of work.
When a Toy Dog Became a Wolf and the Moon Broke Curfew: A Memoir by Hendrika de Vries. The author was in the Netherlands when her father was deported to a Nazi POW camp and her mother joined the Resistance. It is the story of the tragic events of Amsterdam during WWII, as seen through the eyes of a young girl, and a reflection on the wisdom she gained from her experience.
Shedding Our Stars: The Story of Hans Calmeyer and How He Saved Thousands of Families Like Mine by Laureen Nussbaum with Karen Kirtley. Hans Calmeyer was a lawyer in the Netherlands appointed by the occupying Germans to adjudicate "doubtful cases" of people trying to leave the country. He saved at least 3,700 Jews from deportation to Nazi camps, including Nussbaum and her family.
Laureen Nussbaum was a childhood friend of Anne Frank in Amsterdam. She was a professor of Foreign Languages and Literature at Portland State University. Since retiring, she lectures on the Holocaust, Anne Frank, and her experience during World War II.
Both books are available from She Writes Press, one of my favorite independent publishers. I admire their business model and they have turned out an impressive book list! What they do for women writers (and readers) is really wonderful. The Fall 2019 Catalog, as well as back list and upcoming titles, are available on the She Writes Press website.
Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.
Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Martha of Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf.
