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History Holocaust

Letters from the Lost

A Memoir of Discovery

by (author) Helen Waldstein Wilkes

Publisher
Athabasca University Press
Initial publish date
Feb 2010
Category
Holocaust
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781897425541
    Publish Date
    Feb 2010
    List Price
    $24.99
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781897425534
    Publish Date
    Feb 2010
    List Price
    $24.95

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Description

On March 15, 1939, Helen Waldstein’s father snatched his stampedexit visa from a distracted clerk to escape from Prague with his wifeand child. As the Nazis closed in on a war-torn Czechoslovakia, onlyletters from their extended family could reach Canada through thebarriers of conflict. The Waldstein family received these letters asthey made their lives on a southern Ontario farm, where they learned tobe Canadian and forget their Jewish roots.

Helen Waldstein read these letters as an adult – this changedeverything. As her past refused to keep silent, Helen followed thetrail of the letters back to Europe, where she discovered livingwitnesses who could attest to the letters’ contents. She has hereinterwoven their stories and her own into a compelling narrative ofsuffering, survivor guilt, and overcoming intergenerational obstacleswhen exploring a traumatic past.

About the author

Since receiving her Ph.D in French Literature, Helen Waldstein Wilkes spent 30 years teaching at every level in Canada and in the U.S. Her research interests include cross-cultural understanding, language acquisition, and neurolinguistics. Now retired and living in Vancouver, she is actively examining her own cultural inheritance and its impact.

Helen Waldstein Wilkes' profile page

User Reviews

A memorable read.

Where do I begin with this novel? It is one of the most fascinating and heartfelt novels I've ever read. It's a memoir but it's also full of history, stories and research. Helen Waldstein Wilkes's book makes you open up your heart to the survivor guilt she faced and the suffering she endured. I've recommended this book to many people because it really is a splendid and emotional read.

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