Inheriting Silence - A Holocaust Memoir by Zahava KornbergMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
An emotional, and utterly compelling read...
The Holocaust is always a difficult subject to read about, especially in a way that is meaningful beyond the subjects' inherent weight, insomuch that it doesn't rely solely on the tragic nature of the Holocaust to bring it resonance. “Inheriting Silence” by Zahava Kornberg manages to bring a fascinating story, in its own merits, and interweaves it with skill.
The story revolves around Zahava, born in a German displaced person camp (DP camp) after World War II. She had very little knowledge of her parents' lives before she was born, including her father's upbringing in Chortkiv, Poland. Her father had left her with a lot of unanswered questions after he died… Then, as her phone rang one day, a seemingly innocuous question at first turns out to be the catalyst for a significant turning point in her life. Years after her father's death, Zahava sets out on a journey to retrace his pre-Holocaust diaries and finds out more about her father's past than she ever imagined possible; enough to change the way she thinks about his life, the war, and the relationship he had with his family, both the one he started with her mother and the one he left behind…
It's impossible to read this utterly compelling memoir and not absorb the powerful drama and emotion that unfolds within its pages. Very highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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