Description
Book SynopsisThrough narrative analysis of the memoirs of six holocaust survivors from a single extended family, Trauma and Resilience in Holocaust Memoir: Strategies of Self-Preservation and Inter-Generational Encounter with Narrative examines strategies of self-preservation of young people exposed to violence and persecution at different ages and life stages. Through the lens of studying resilience in child development, this book describes the striking diversity of holocaust-era experiences and traces the arc of a remarkable global diaspora. Birnbaum argues that stories from the past can enhance understanding of the internal lives of today’s young refugees and survivors of violent conflict. Exploring the socio-politics of narrative and memory, this book considers the ways that children of holocaust survivors may honor the past while also allowing a new generation to engage family history in a conversation with contemporary concerns.
Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable book, very well researched and captivating with its emotional details. The book stands out among the many holocaust narratives. In addition to the extraordinary manner in which the six members of this family has survived, the book is rich in theoretical explanations of how the author had arrived at her conclusions. -- Anna Ornstein, M. D. Professor of child psychiatry (retired), University of Cincinnati
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Looking Forward While Looking Back: What We Learn about Child Development and the Refugee Experience by Reading the Memoirs of Holocaust Survivors
Chapter 1: 1939
Chapter 2: 1940
Chapter 3: 1941
Chapter 4: 1942
Chapter 5: 1942 in the Ghetto
Chapter 6: 1943
Chapter 7: 1944-45
Chapter 8: Young People in the Confrontation with Disaster
Chapter 9: Resonances of War
Epilogue: Conversations Across the Generations: Holocaust Memory and the Vocabulary of Remembrance
