Synopses & Reviews
In this truly innovative memoir, Bernice Eisenstein combines her skills as a writer and illustrator to recount her early childhood in the 1950s. Drawing on the memories of her parents-both Holocaust survivors-and the fragmented stories of other family members lost in the war, she explores the impact of their legacy on her own life. Through her vivid prose and stunning illustrations, Eisenstein crafts a tale that is emotionally rich and visually arresting.
I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors harkens back to Art Spiegelman's Maus but breaks new ground in combining graphic novel and memoir. Mixing sadness with bittersweet humor, Eisenstein describes her experiences growing up in the wake of the World War II. But more than a book about the Holocaust and its far-reaching shadow, this moving, searingly honest testament speaks to the universality of memory and loss.
Anyone who sees this book will be deeply affected by its beautiful, highly evocative writing and its brilliantly original, haunting artwork.
Synopsis
In this innovative memoir, Bernice Eisenstein combines her skills as a writer and illustrator to distill her memories of growing up in the 1950s in the shadow of the Holocaust. Drawing on the harrowing experiences of her parents-both of them Holocaust survivors-and the fragmented stories of other family members lost in the war, she explores the impact of their legacy on her own life. A groundbreaking exploration of personal history in the tradition of Art piegelman's Maus, I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors is a searingly honest and deeply moving work that speaks to the universality of memory and loss.
About the Author
Bernice Eisenstein was born in 1949 in Toronto. An artist whose drawings and illustrations have appeared in a variety of publications, she has also worked as a freelance literary editor. Eisenstein lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.