Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer
Three quick updates from my desk.
1. Frankly, I’ve done precious little writing this week. Most of my time has been consumed with preparing for the spring semester.
2. I’m still finalizing my course syllabus (it’s a course on Holocaust Literature), so I’m doing a lot of reading. Somehow, I’d only read excerpts from Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz—I’m pretty sure that I’m going to teach it, so I’m reading it now. (I’m also taking part in some very helpful webinars from Classrooms Without Borders.)
3. It’s hard to believe that later this month I’ll be commemorating the 10th anniversary of the release of Quiet Americans: Stories. As you may recall, I’ve making contributions based on book sales to The Blue Card every quarter since publication. This week, I made the Q4 contribution for 2020. It was small, yes. But it was there.
Can you share more info about the Blue Card? Maybe there are those of us who would also like to make contributions in your honor.
That’s very kind, Mindy. If you click the hyperlinked words, “The Blue Card,” in my post, there’s an extensive explanation, including (on THAT page) a link directly to The Blue Card’s page, where donations can be made.
Thank you for the link to Blue Card.
*If * you are looking for additional titles for your course and if it is not already on your syllabus, I strongly recommend “Tell Me Another Morning” by Zdena Berger (a survivor of Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen) — first published in 1961 by Harper Brothers and reprinted in 2007 by Paris Press (whose raison d’etre was to reprint exceptional work by women that had been forgotten and fallen out if print).
The book got glowing reviews in 1961 and again in 2007.
Ms. Berger (who is 96 and living in California) did several public radio interviews following republication as well local readings, speaking engagements at high schools, and a series of oral history interviews for the Urban School — https://www.tellingstories.org/holocaust/berger_zdena/index.html
https://www.jweekly.com/2008/07/11/local-survivor-s-shoah-tale-finds-new-life-47-years-later/
Every best wish for you and your endeavours in this hoepfully happier new year, and thank you so much for all you do for us!
Thank you so much!