About:
“Displaced Persons” by Ghita Schwartz is a fictional book that follows a group of holocaust survivors from their liberation to the twilight of their life. This is a moving narrative of people with no country and no home.
- 352 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow
- Language: English
- ISBN: 0061881902
The publisher has made available one (1) copy of “Displaced Persons” to be given out– enter at the end of the post.
My rating for Displaced Persons – 4
Buy Displaced Persons from Amazon.com*
More Books by Ghita Schwarz*
Thoughts:
“Displaced Persons” by Ghita Schwartz (website) is a post World War II survival story. An evocative novel that follows holocaust survivors for decades after their liberation. The content of the story is very interesting and thought-provoking.
What I found most interesting is how, living through decades after being liberated, the world treats the survivors differently. The perspective is not only that of the survivors themselves but also of the society around them. That is the aspect of the book I liked the most, society has not treated the survivors generously as we might like to imagine. For many years they were seen as weaklings, walking to the gas chambers like sheep to the slaughter.
Ms. Schwartz follows the survivors and gets into their mindset; they have been through the worst mankind can throw at them and have persevered. They don’t complain, share or talk about the past; they simply grunt and take the punches life throws at them quietly and with dignity.
The characters in the book are strong, resilient, complex, and profound – even though there was no one I could identify with. They are three-dimensional, real, and face hardships and struggles like the rest of us, only with a huge amount of baggage.
At times, however, I found myself getting disconnected from the story. It might have been the writing style, even though the book is well written, or the sticky and emotional subject matter. This is not a quick read, but a deep, sometimes disturbing exploration of the long-term impact and injuries the holocaust created.
Synopsis:
Covering several decades, the book is divided into three sections beginning in 1945. At the Bergen-Belsen refugee camp, several people meet and become those that the book follows. Pavel, Fela, Chaim, Berel, Dvora and their daughter Sima all become “Displaced Persons” or DPs.
The novel follows their struggles and trials throughout their lives in Europe and eventually in the US.
Buy Displaced Persons from Amazon.com*
More Books by Ghita Schwarz*
Giveaway
Rules:
- Contest is for one (1) new copy of “Displaced Persons”.
- There will be ONE (1) WINNER
- Must be a US/Canada mailing Address
- Ends September 7, 2011
- Winners will be chosen using Random.org
- Winners will have 24 hours after my initial contact to write back their mailing address, otherwise alternate winners will be picked
- Please consider joining the FACEBOOK BOOK GIVEAWAY group
Congratulations: {name is email}
TLC Book Tour for “Displaced Persons”:
Tuesday, August 23rd: Reviews from the Heart
Thursday, August 25th: Raging Bibliomania
Friday, August 26th: Books Like Breathing
Tuesday, August 30th: The House of the Seven Tails
Wednesday, August 31st: Rundpinne
Thursday, September 1st: Man of La Book
Friday, September 2nd: Diary of an Eccentric
Monday, September 5th: Life in the Thumb
Tuesday, September 6th: Crazy for Books
Thursday, September 8th: Life in Review
Friday, September 9th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, September 12th: nomadreader
Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free as part of the TLC Book Tour promotion.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
Article first published as Book Review: Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz on Blogcritics.
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BOOK BLOGGERS – Have you read “Displaced Persons”? If so link up your review below:
8 Comments
Sounds like a very moving read, would indeed be interesting to hear the author’s interpretation of how society treats survivors and how one goes about life after such a horrific experience and so much loss.
It is a very moving read, not easy.
Thanks for the comment.
I’m glad to see you liked the book. I’m finishing it right now, and I’m finding it quite powerful and unbelievably sad. You are right that the characters are complex. I’ll link to your review on War Through the Generations.
Thanks Anna
“society has not treated the survivors generously as we might like to imagine” – people can be so cruel, and we often like to overlook that fact because it makes us uncomfortable.
This sounds like a powerful book. Thanks for sharing your thoughts for the tour.
This sounds like a very interesting read.
This book has a very complex theme, very difficult to approach. If it kept you interested that means …the writer must be good..at least good :).
Thanks for the comment (and the contest 🙂 ) – it was an interesting read but a difficult one.