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Title details for Alex's Wake by Martin Goldsmith - Available

Alex's Wake

A Voyage of Betrayal and Journey of Remembrance

by Martin Goldsmith
Martin Goldsmith
Audiobook
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1 of 1 copy available
Alex's Wake is a tale of two parallel journeys undertaken seven decades apart. In the spring of 1939, Alex and Helmut Goldschmidt were two of more than 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany aboard the St. Louis, "the saddest ship afloat" (New York Times). Turned away from Cuba, the United States, and Canada, the St. Louis returned to Europe, a stark symbol of the world's indifference to the gathering Holocaust. The Goldschmidts disembarked in France, where they spent the next three years in six different camps before being shipped to their deaths in Auschwitz.In the spring of 2011, Alex's grandson, Martin Goldsmith, followed in his relatives' footsteps on a six-week journey of remembrance and hope, an irrational quest to reverse their fate and bring himself peace. Alex's Wake movingly recounts the detailed histories of the two journeys, the witnesses Martin encounters for whom the events of the past are a vivid part of a living present, and an intimate, honest attempt to overcome a tormented family legacy.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 8, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781622314089
      • File size: 348120 KB
      • Duration: 12:05:14

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      September 15, 2014

      Goldsmith (Beyond Beards and Burqas) here tells two stories: one of the tragic 1939 journey of Goldsmith's 17-year-old uncle Helmut and his 63-year-old grandfather, Alex, on the ill-fated St. Louis. The ship was turned away from Cuba, Canada, and the United State as its passengers attempted to escape Nazi Germany but had to turn back to Europe. The Goldsmiths spent several years as prisoners in various French internment camps before they were sent to Auschwitz, where they died. The second story is Goldsmith's moving memoir of his own trip that retraced his relatives' awful journey. The author does an excellent job reading his book. His nuanced voice portrays his painful emotional state when visiting the decaying internment camps and his contrasting enjoyment of the bucolic French countryside. VERDICT Highly recommended for memoir and history collections in all libraries.--Ilka Gordon, Aaron Garber Lib., Cleveland

      Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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