Friday, May 6, 2011

"Losing the Dead" by Lisa Appignanesi"

I had read 2 fiction books by her and enjoyed them, especially the one set in Montreal. It's because of her Montreal roots that I bought this non-fiction book, which recounts her search for her Jewish family's history, especially in wartime Poland. It also mentions her troubled relationship with her rapidly aging mother. I enjoyed the book, because I guess I can relate to both these things. The Poles are not always mentioned in a flattering light, but I do think she tried to be fair.

I recently took a course on a genealogy database at the Ottawa Public Library, and at first I didn't think it had inspired me to pursue my family history, but this book has given me that spark. It was useful to me that it mentioned some of the psychological roadblocks to pursuing a family history that is filled with horrible events.

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