The Magicians

If Harry Potter were to meet the Pevensie children and they had an adventure, you may find you have captured a bit of the spirit of Lev Grossman's novel The Magicians. 

Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans

At 22 years old Vivien Spitz, a novice Court Reporter,  began her harrowing journey to Nuremberg to report on the trials of Nazi Doctors.   In her recount, Spitz uses actual court transcripts to describe the deadly experimentation that occurred during the Holocaust. 

Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began

Maus II continues Art Spiegelman's retelling of his parents journey through Auschwitz and beyond. I enjoyed the second story for all of the reasons I enjoyed the first:  the novel presentation and Spiegelman's brutal honesty.  But, in the same vein, all of the reasons I didn't like the first volume hold true.  The revelation of too much of Spiegelman's own life intermixed with Vladek's tale took away from Vladek's story.  I feel like the author's autobiographical input lessened the impact of Vladek's survival.  Rather than a story of survival, Maus became more of a cathartic experience for the author.  While I believe the healing Spiegelman felt while writing his father's story may have been his purpose, reading about the therapy was not my intent.

I am still puzzled about the fact that Maus I and II are used by so many high schools.  There are much better stories about the Holocaust out there!

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My FAther Bleeds History

I can't say I've ever read an entire comic book or graphic novel, and I'm not sure Holocaust literature was the place to start.  However, reviewing the book as a teacher, I must say it's a great book to hook some of my not-so-eager readers.  Art Spieglman writes, in comic book form, about his father's experiences as a Holocaust survivor. Using mice to represent Jews and cats to represent the Nazis, Maus follows Spiegleman's family's life from the mid-thirties until the winter of 1944.  

Spiegelman's style is rather abrupt.  His brutal honesty regarding his father's behavior can come across as shocking.  But, I truly believe for others to even begin to understand the Holocaust, an author should not sugar-coat any aspect of a biography. I struggled a bit with Spiegelman's transitions; I often had to reread a passage to determine if I was in past or present tense.

I know that Maus is a part of many high school's English curriculum.  I have read numerous memoirs and biographies that have had a much greater impact on me and my view of the atrocities of the Holocaust.  Aside from the unique presentation, I don't really think that this particular story stands out among the others.

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II

Lita Judge's grandparents, Fran and Frederick Hamerstrom, sent relief to people suffering the aftermath of World War II.  Using their network of American Ornithologists, they asked fellow scientists to help by sending care packages to more than three thousand people in Europe. 

One of the greatest needs was shoes.  People overseas would send tracings of their feet to help insure shoes that would fit would be sent to them.  While cleaning out her grandparents' attic, Lita found foot tracings of every size.  While her grandmother never talked about her relief efforts, Lita's mother's memories came rushing back when she saw the box of mementos.

This beautifully illustrated picture book and series of poems shows just how powerful force of good can be.  While the memories of World War II are generally tragic, Judge's book is an awesome reminder that good can overcome evil.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

As my 3.5 year old daughter would say, "Girl Power!"  I love the character of Frankie Landau-Banks.  Her spunky determination enabling her to infiltrate the Basset Hounds is awe inspiring.  She is the teenage girl I wish I had been.

Her family calls her Bunny Rabbit.  However, she does not want to be seen as a meek and quiet, subservient girl.  She not only wants power, but she wants to be seen as powerful.  Frankie wants to make a statement.  She wants to be her boyfriend's Matthew's equal.  Frankie becomes frustrated because Matthew isn't revealing any of the Hound's secrets.  She is jealous of the fraternity Matthew and the other boys share.  She believes that if she can lead the infamous group to fame, she'll share in that feeling of brotherhood, regardless of the fact she's a girl.

As she uses The Disreputable History of the Loyal Order of Basset Hounds to plan the modern day pranks, Frankie feels she is close to obtaining her wish. But, as quickly as she took power, that power was usurped.  And, although Frankie lost her power, she found herself.  I love that despite everything, Frankie Landau-Banks lands on her feet.  "She will not be simple and sweet.  She will not be what people tell her she should be.  That Bunny Rabbit is dead... She doesn't feel like crying anymore."

Clara's Story

Clara's Story

Hana's Suitcase

At a small Holocaust museum in Japan is a suitcase labeled with a name, Hana Brady, a birth date and the word orphan. Intrigued by the story behind the suitcase, Fumiko Ishioka, the curator of the museum, begins a search that will take her thousands of miles from home. The story switches point of view telling the reader through words and pictures about the journeys taken by both Hana Brady and Fumiko Ishioka.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

Irene Gut was only 17 years old when she was separated from her family.  She volunteered to help with the war effort as a student nurse.  When her homeland was invaded she, along with others in her unit, were captured by the Russians.  She was raped and brutalized by the soldiers.  She is forced to work for the Germans, eventually running an officer's household.

Witnessing the horrid conditions in a ghetto, she begins to help Jews.  First, she leaves bits of food by a fence.  Then, she expands her aid by insisting she needs additional help in the home.  She is able to help care for more Jews in this way.  Ultimately, she ends up hiding Jews in the basement of the officer's home and smuggling them to freedom.

Irene does not even realize the danger she faces.  She is simply horrified by the way humans are treating humans.  "I did not ask myself, Should I do this? But, How will I do this? Every step of my childhood had brought me to this crossroad; I must take the right path, or I would no longer be myself. You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis, all at once."

The most poignant moment in the book is when the reader finally makes the connection of Irene's story of the falling bird.  It is an image one is not soon to forget.

Annexed

Part of humanity is sharing experiences.  Although two people may inhabit the same space, view the same scenery and partake in the same activities, their ultimate experiences will differ.  How we each perceive a situation is based on many factors.  Reading Anne Frank's diary gives us a snap shot of how she experienced her time in the "secret annexe", but is that a true version of reality or is it her interpretation of reality.

Sharon Dogar's imaginative, although based on as much historical fact as possible, novel Annexed allows us to see Anne Frank's world through Peter Van Pels's eyes.  The ability to look at Anne through another person's lens, made her seem all the more alive.  In Anne's version of her captivity, she is the only round character; everyone else is flat.  However, Peter's story creates a round version of not only his character, but also the others:  Margot, Mr. and Mrs. Frank, his parents and the dentist.

Dogar's interpretation of Peter's final journey was spot on.  The amount of research done to write of his time in Auschwitz and eventually, Mauthausen was evident.  The knowledge that, like Anne, he died weeks before liberation is heartbreaking.

I highly recommend this novel.  Annexed would be a remarkable pairing with The Diary of a Young Girl to illustrate point of view to middle school and high school students.  However, this is a book for mature readers as there is reference to sexual situations.

See my review of The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank for another take on Peter Van Pels.

Shutter Island

This is definitely not my usual genre.  I decided to read the book because the movie previews were so compelling.  I knew from the start that Shutter Island was meant to be confusing; I had a difficult time keeping facts and the passage of time straight. 

I really enjoyed the mystery behind the code and how the solution played out, but just the code wasn't enough to keep my truly invested in Lehane's story.  Based on the movie previews, I expected the novel to be much more terrifying.  I didn't find myself scared or even horrified by any of the events.

Sala: More than a Survivor

While in the gift shop of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, I met Sala Lewis.  She is as beautiful in person, perhaps even more so, as she is on the cover of her memoir.

Her memoir tells of her survival on the streets of Poland, and her subsequent capture and imprisonment in Auschwitz. But, the bulk of the story is her arrival in the United States and her life once she was in the country.

It is very apparent that Sala wants it known that she triumphed over Nazis and became a successful model, mother and wife.  When I read Holocaust survival stories I want to learn more about how people survived the atrocities during that time period.  Mrs. Lewis's story was more about how she survived once she emigrated.

Unfortunately, the writing and the editing of the memoir is poor.  I truly believe the way the story was written impacted the emotional impact the story had on me.  I found myself correcting grammar or looking for typographical errors rather than investing myself in the remarkable woman.  

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

I had been intending to read this book for quite some time, and I am not sure it was worth the wait.  While there is no doubt that Ishmael's childhood was truly tragic, I am not sure that his memoir truly conveyed the emotional horror and terror he survived.  There were definitely gory and graphic parts, so much so that I will not be putting this memoir on my classroom shelf.  But, Beah's retelling didn't convey enough of the raw emotions or dramatic reintroduction to society that I would have expected.

The ending of his story just happened.  The book ended so abruptly that I was confused by the appearance of the chronology.  I truly thought my book was missing a chapter or two.  Although as the brief prologue and book jacket indicate, Ishmael Beah is adopted by the storyteller he met during his visit to New York.  But, I would have loved to read more about his journey out of Africa and his subsequent arrival in America. 

All in all, I thought the memoir was worth reading, but I feel as though Beah has so much more to tell.

The Girls of Room 28: Friendship, Hope and Survival

Hannelore Brenner's compilation of stories and anecdotes from the girls who lived in Theresienstadt is so much more than various memoirs.  I love that Brenner took the time to explain the prehistory of the Holocaust and the many events that led to the girls subsequent incarcerations.  I found it amazing the level of normalcy that was maintained for the children who were lucky enough to live in the girls and boys home of Theresienstadt. 

Amazing too, that many from their room survived.  I think that their camaraderie and friendship that was cultivated during that time truly helped the young women who were transported out of Theresienstadt. towards the end of the war.

One Day

David Nicholls book is based on an interesting premise; he follows Emma and Dexter, and their relationship on the same day each year:  July 15, the day they hooked up.  The thought behind this book is appealing.  I like the idea at looking at one's life by viewing it on the same day each year.  Nicholls artfully wove an appealing story.  I grew to love and hate both Emma and Dexter as the years passed by.   But, and this is a big but, I hate the way he chose to wrap up the story.  The ending was very abrupt.  The foreshadowing was clear, so I somewhat expected the outcome, but I think he was looking for a way to end the story.

November 2010

November is my favorite month of the year for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost is Thanksgiving.  I LOVE Thanksgiving.  The food is fabulous and it's a low-pressure family gathering:  no gifts to give or get, just time to spend together.

I also love November as it's a relatively easy teaching month.  Because of Election Day, Veterans' Day and Thanksgiving nearly every week has a day off giving me ample time to read this month. I'm hoping to read a cornucopia of novels!

107.  One Day by David Nicholls
108.  The Girls of Room 28:  Friendship, Hope and Survival by Hannelore Brenner
109.  A Long Way Gone:  Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
110.  Sala:  More Than a Survivor by Marsha Casper Cook as told by Sala Lewis
111.  Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
112.  Annexed by  Sharon Dogar
113.  In My Hands:  Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke
114.  Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine
115.  The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
116.  Clara's Story by Clara Isaacman as told to Joan Adess Grossman
117.  One Thousand Tracings:  Healing the Wounds of World War II by Lita Judge
118.  Maus I:  A Survivor's Tale:  My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
119.  Maus II:  A Survivor's Tale:  And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman
120.  Doctors from Hell:  The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments by Vivien Spitz
121.  The Magicians by Lev Grossman