Sunday, September 20, 2009

146 - Day After Night; Anita Diamant







Day After Night, by Anita Diamant, is a work of fiction, that takes place over the course of just a few months. It is based on a true story of the October 1945 rescue from Atlit, a British run internment camp in Palestine, where people fleeing Europe were held, in case there was a problem with their status.

The story focuses on four women who survived the Holocaust, and are now awaiting their release from Atlit. There is Leonie, a lovely Parisian woman who was forced into prostitution, Shayndel, a Polish Zionist, Tedi, a hidden Dutch-Jew, and Zorah, a concentration camp survivor. Little by little each of these women share the story of their past experiences. Although each of their stories is very different, they each have had to endure: cruelty, tragedy and loss, and each asks the same haunting question: "Why was I spared"?.

(p. 209) ...."Twenty", Tedi repeated. "Isn't it strange that twenty feels old to me?"

....."That is because we have seen so much death", said Shayndel. "Usually, people are old--fifty or sixty at least before they know more dead people than living ones".

Their shared horrors surrounding the Holocaust, bond them and make them friends. Each in her own way helps the others to focus on their next challenge: starting to live again in a new country. Not a pleasant subject, Day After Night, is a haunting story of suffering, tragedy, hope, and redemption. RECOMMENDED

17 comments:

  1. This sounds like quite a story. I wonder if it's based on a true story.

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  2. I'm going to have to add this one to my to-be-read list!! I love books on the Holocaust!

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  3. Sounds wonderful. I'll add it to my list.

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  4. I just finished Diamant's The Red Tent. I'll have to check this one out. Sounds interesting.

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  5. That sounds really good. I am going to have to look into getting this one. Thanks for the review!

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  6. This sounds terrific. I am usually hesitant about picking up books about the Holocaust, because there have been so many. But this one seems to look at it from a different angle. Thanks for the great review.

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  7. Nice review! I am going to check this one out.

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  8. I am so glad that you liked this book. I have not read much by Anita Diamant, but I loved The Red Tent. I am going to do some more digging around on this book and see if it might be something I should read. Thanks for the great review!

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  9. Glad to hear this is a good one. I read and enjoyed two of her other books (Red Tent and Last Days of Dogtown) so I am looking forward to reading her latest.

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  10. I just read her book "The Red Tent" for the first time not too long ago and really enjoyed it. I might check this one out too ... though maybe when I'm in a happy place. It sounds quite sad.

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  11. This sounds fascinating. I'm putting this on my to-read list. I'll get your review on War Through the Generations soon.

    --Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

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  12. I was wondering about this one! Now I definitely want to read it.

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  13. Glad you enjoyed this one. It's on my list.

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  14. I've had a chance to read two books by Anita Diamant and definitely would like to read this one. I am glad you recommend this, Diane. I'll have to add it to my wish list.

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  15. This sounds like a really powerful story. Adding to my TBR pile.

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  16. just finished it and the characters are still living in my heart. loved it.

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