At Last An Unlocked Door!

Book Description

The book is an autobiographical work, which covers the author's childhood memories, his career in the military, and the loss of his loving wife to ovarian cancer. The story vividly reflects the harsh conditions of life during the depression years of the 1930's. He and his younger brother were cast aside by their mother and placed in various institutions, which included a home for unwed mothers, a nursery, and finally a South Carolina orphan home.

In 1939, at the age of 18, the author enlisted in the U.S. Navy somewhat reluctantly and soon found himself aboard a Navy vessel in the Alaska-Aleutians campaign during World War II. There are interesting stories about life aboard ship in icy weather and stormy seas, as well as love stories when the ship was in port.

Quite interesting also are stories about the travels of his wife and children from after the war until his retirement from the Navy in 1962.

In general, the author has framed his chronicle with descriptions of settings, individuals, and conversations, as well as his inner thoughts and emotions. He was dealt a bad hand at birth but defied the odds and had a distinguished career in the Navy.

Average customer rating:

Excellent and amazingly easy to put into practice.

Blah blah blah

Psychological tips that works!!!

Make Peace with Anyone :Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement

Priceless Information

Make Peace With Anyone: Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement
David J. Lieberman
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Instant Analysis

You Can Read Anyone

ASIN: 0312281544

Amazon.com

Behaviorist David Lieberman thinks all conflicts have something in common. Whether you're dealing with the complaining customer, the coworker with charisma bypass surgery, or the fallout from forgetting a friend's birthday, the resolution lies in understanding what he calls the "conflict recipe." The ingredients of all conflicts are fear and perceived loss of respect, says Lieberman. When people and events don't respond as we planned, we fear a loss of control. We compensate and translate this fear--and the lowered sense of esteem it brings--into anger. Ergo, conflict resolution is accomplished by offering the injured party the ingredients for restoring self-regard and a sense of control.

Based on this recipe, Lieberman creates dozens of step-by-step scenarios for resolving conflicts of every shape, including family money feuds, contretemps with friends, personality clashes, passive-aggressive coworkers, and differences in values. Other particularly strong chapters direct readers to seek forgiveness for their own behavior and provide emergency techniques for standoffs and longtime estrangement. Lieberman explains his basic theory with clarity, and illustrates its practice with smart strategies and chapter summaries. This practicality and consistency allow Make Peace with Anyone to deliver on the title's promise. --Barbara Mackoff

Book Description

Make Peace with Anyone is the first book that shows readers how to quickly resolve any situation, no matter how long it's been going on, or how many people are involved.The techniques and psychological strategies presented here are simple, easy to understand, and work....fast.In this book readers will learn how to: *End any family feud *Get an apology from anyone *Jumpstart any relationship or friendship *Handle any passive-aggressive person *Get the respect you deserve from anyone *Dramatically improve any relationship *Get anyone to forgive you for anything *Align anyone to your way of thinking Dr. David Lieberman provides the path to permanent peace and will show you the way to Make Peace with Anyone.AUTHORBIO: David J. Lieberman, Ph.D., whose books have been translated into fifteen languages, is an internationally renowned leader in the field of human behavior.He has appeared on more than two hundred programs and is a frequent guest expert on national television and radio shows such as The Today Show, National Public Radio, The View, PBS, The Montel Williams Show, and AE.Dr. Lieberman holds a Ph.D, in psychology and is the creator of Neural-Dynamics Analysis, a revolutionary short-term therapy.He is a sought-after speaker, lecturer, and consultant across a spectrum of topics.Techniques based on his work have led to groundbreaking advancements in numerous fields and are used by governments, corporations, and professionals in more than twenty-five countries.He lives in South Florida.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and amazingly easy to put into practice........2007-08-07

Wonder why people get hurt or angry? This book will reveal how our minds work and why pople react if treated differently in such an easy way that it is almost too good to believe.

Blah blah blah.......2006-11-05

It's the same story over and over and over and over. The whole book was a repetition of the first concept in every chapter. No eye - opening advice, and lame strategies.

Psychological tips that works!!!.......2006-04-07

This is an easy to read book plenty of psychological tips and advices that will help you got a better life. There are no tricks here, just proved techniques which being totally honest with yourself they will help you solve almost any personal, familiar or business problem. You will learn a very important think after reading this book: self esteem and respect is the solid base you must have and promote in any relationship you could have. Treat others like you want to be treated to; this is the big lesson Lieberman wants teach to us.

Make Peace with Anyone :Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement.......2005-07-07

This is an excellent book. It really is helpful as far as solving disagreements between people. It doesn't matter whether it is a spouse, friend or just an acquaintance whom you are having difficulty getting along with. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to mend any type of conflict between themselves and others.

Priceless Information.......2004-11-03

Even if you are not looking to make peace with anyone, this book contains priceless information on understanding your own behavior and others.

Make Peace With Anyone: Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement

Average customer rating:

Make Peace With Anyone: Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0641626681

Average customer rating:

Make Peace With Anyone: Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement
David J. Lieberman
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTJX5K

Average customer rating:

Make Peace with Anyone: Breakthrough Strategies to Quickly End Any Conflict, Feud, or Estrangement

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1413200885

Product Description

From the Publisher Make Peace with Anyone is the first book that shows readers how to quickly resolve any situation, no matter how long it's been going on, or how many people are involved. The techniques and psychological strategies presented here are simple, easy to understand, and work...fast. In this book readers will learn how to: *End any family feud *Get an apology from anyone *Jumpstart any relationship or friendship *Handle any passive-aggressive person *Get the respect you deserve from anyone *Dramatically improve any relationship *Get anyone to forgive you for anything *Align anyone to your way of thinking

Book Description

There are more than the ceremonial four questions when it comes to the Passover Seder:

What kinds of traditional dishes should I make?
What goes on the Seder plate?
What is the Seder plate?
Do I have to drink all four cups of wine?

Author Zell Schulman puts your mind at ease with Let My People Eat! the first Passover Seder cookbook that not only takes you step-by-step through the Seder, but also features six Seder menus to suit your religious background, your diet, your budget, and your time. Maybe your husband is Jewish and you're not, and you don't know where to begin. Or perhaps you've recently decided to become more involved in the Jewish holidays and traditions and want to make this Seder special. Maybe some of your guests are vegetarian or watching their weight. You'll find the answers to all of your questions as well as delicious recipes in Let My People Eat! Zell takes you by the hand to help you plan your first Seder with lists, explanations, and sources for the ceremonial objects for the Seder, as well as necessities for the Passover pantry. She tells you the many ways you can prepare the Seder Plate and set your Seder table, including recipes and symbolic meanings for the traditional ceremonial foods. She even has a chapter on kosher wines and food pairings. Let My People Eat! really does make Passover Seders simple. Zell Schulman is the author of two books, a food editor and columnist for The American Israelite, and a columnist for The National Jewish Post & Opinion. She has been on several tv cooking segments throughout the country.

Customer Reviews:

Love this book!.......2007-03-30

I checked this book out of the library last year and again this year. It is such a great book. I had to buy it this year so I could have my own copy.

Like the other posters said, it is just beautiful.... and very easy!

Passover help.......2002-03-18

This book has everything you need to make your sedar a success, from the basics to the more complicated. There is no pictures in the book of the items. I noticed some of the items need to be spiced up to taste, other wise there bland. For new or not so new jews, this book will be helpful in getting through the 8 breadless days.

Beyond Gefilte Fish.......2001-03-27

Zell Schulman should be commended for this fabulous Passover cookbook. With a beautiful layout, charming line illustrations (and a few color photographs), and clear text, she makes the idea of tackling a seder seem absolutely doable. Of particular note are the many "menus" she suggests, detailing recipes for multi-course meals. She has different suggestions for Ashkenazic, Sephardic, "off the shelf" (utilizing available kosher for passover products), vegetarian, healthful (low in fat but high in flavor), and an ecumenical potluck (acknowledging the fact that many other religious groups choose to observe the holiday that was the cause of the Last Supper of Jesus and his apostles). The ecumenical potluck has kosher suggestions but all the other menus are described in a kosher format (meat, pareve or dairy).

Since my husband and I are vegetarian, I was looking for something beyond the more "hippie" resources available for Jewish vegetarian cooking and this book has more than exceeded my expectations. (A note to others thinking of preparing some of the vegetarian dishes: Schulman does include chicken bouillon granules in some of her vegetarian recipes which would render the food NOT vegetarian by the majority of the veggie world - just use powdered vegetable soup granules instead.) She also has an entire extra chapter of other passover recipes so you can switch or substitute to your heart's content.

I think this volume would be especially appreciated by the first-time Seder host/hostess as Schulman gives you a diagram of what your seder table should look like, the various seder plate items and their meaning, and an excellent reference for kosher wines and liquors (I would also recommend kosher.org as an additional resource). This beautiful holiday will certainly be enhanced by anyone choosing to read and implement the suggestions of this book.

It made my very first seder a hit!.......1999-04-03

Its a valuable book for anyone preparing for Passover

Book Description

Books in this instructive series are brief, good looking, inexpensively priced manuals that teach inexperienced adults and older children to be responsible for the ownership and care of animals. "Did You Know?" sidebar features present sometimes surprising, always amusing little-known facts about each book's subject animal. The main focus is advice on tending the animals—feeding them correct foods in proper amounts, and keeping them in a healtful environment. Full-color photos throughout.

Customer Reviews:

All About Tropical Fish Keeping.......2000-06-23

THIS IS A REAL GOOD BOOK IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT KEEPING TROPICAL FISH

Average customer rating:

a great knitting book for all levels!

Great book!

Move Over Minnowknits!!!

Tadpoles & Tiddlers: Thirty Two Knitting Designs for Babies and Children Up to Ten Years

Manufacturer: Rowan Yarns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fashion | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0952537508

Customer Reviews:

a great knitting book for all levels!.......2005-09-13

This is a book filled with great designs for kids. Even the beginner knitter can find a project. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in children's sweaters.

Great book!.......2005-03-01

This is so nice, since the sizes go up to 10 years old. I was getting very frustrated trying to knit for my toddler with books that only went up to 9-12 months in instruction. There are cute blanket patterns, too.

Move Over Minnowknits!!!.......2001-10-17

I purchased this book based on the cover photo alone. I was not disappointed. As a brand-new knitter and mother of 2 I look for books with patterns that my children would not be embarassed to be seen in, this does not disappoint. The amount of jackets for boys and girls alone makes it worth the investment. From there you are further inspired by the beautiful cardigans and pullovers. Simply another beautiful children's pattern book!
Happy knitting!!!
Nanette of Fruitland, ID

Book Description

Maritime gardeners now have a handy new tool for maintaining and improving their garden throughout the year. Gardening Month by Month in the Maritimes combines the features of an almanac and a gardening journal. Twelve pages are dedicated to each month of the year. Beautiful full-colour photographs and helpful hints specifically geared to the diverse growing conditions of eastern Canada provide both inspiration and a practical garden planner. A calendar format allows you to keep your own notes on such variables as weather, insect and disease appearances and treatments and garden highlights. The practical lay-flat binding makes it easy to write your notes while at work in the garden.

Book Description

Not just another resource on parenting. More than a book on autism. This important book is a must-have guide for any parent of a child with a disability as well as anyone who works with or cares for those families. Special Children, Challenged Parents shares the unique perspective of a father of a son with autism, with additional reflection from his perspective as a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with families of children with disabilities.

This moving book illustrates the impact that a child's disability has on the entire family. It is a valuable aid to parents dealing with fear, guilt, shame, sibling rivalry, marital strain, and other challenges. Though the author's personal experience is with autism, this book will be a valuable resource for families of children with a wide range of disabilities. Readers learn about resources, such as support groups, for working through complex emotions and about techniques for communicating effectively with professionals.

Special Children, Challenged Parents addresses issues of bonding between parent and child and presents strategies for dealing with challenging behavior. Additional chapters are devoted to special issues for the family of a child with a disability, including the relationship between the parents, the effect on siblings, and the needs of fathers, who the author feels often require special support to express and deal with their emotions in the challenging role of parent to a child with special needs. This book provides a unique and touching look at parenting and disability.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-06-27

This is a terrific book that will help a parent move through the stages of adjustment to their child having special needs. It acknowledges the grieving process that most parents experience, while giving parents some things they can do to help them move towards a temporary acceptance of the situation. It introduces parents to the idea of meeting their child where they are and helping them grow to their greatest potential, rather than trying to "fix" the child and make him/her "normal". It also talks about the behavioral issues some kids with special needs have and encourages a parent to try to understand why the child is displaying the behavior instead of simply reacting to the behavior. It even moves on to talk about how a child with special needs effects the parents as a couple and the more typically developing siblings. In short, this book is a comprehensive discussion of all the difficult and wonderful things of having a child with special needs. I highly recommend it.

Away from the Trenches?.......2004-02-27

This book is a good, basic book outlining the grief process and other major common emotional issues in raising a child with a disability. However, as the mother of an autistic child who is with her child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I can't help but wonder about the authenticity of the author's personal experience "parenting" an autistic child, as his own autistic child has been institutionalized for a huge segment of his life while the author went on to have more children and a very normal homelife. It feels to me like the man "skipped out" on the real experience of raising his autistic son himself and elected to become a part-time parent to the child, then felt himself capable of writing a book about it. I find it hard to believe that he truly understands the day to day life of a full-time parent of an autistic child, given his own choices, however "right" they may have been for his son.

An honest look at the grief a special needs parent feels........2003-01-23

Usually when I review a book, I'm looking for one that's reader-friendly (a quick read, written in understandable language, and offering practical ideas). By that definition, this book may not fit. Is "Special Children, Challenged Parents" written in
understandable language? Yes. Does it offer practical ideas? Definitely. Will it be a quick read? Probably not. You see, Dr. Naseef's book is going to touch your emotions. This is perhaps the most honest book I have ever read on the grieving process of parents struggling to accept and raise a child with special needs. By sharing his own story and those of other parents he has interviewed and worked with, Dr. Naseef discusses why this process is so hard and what parents can do to survive the process and come out on the other side. But perhaps Dr. Naseef's most valuable contribution is his message for fathers. Fathers very rarely fit comfortably into the role of fathering a child with special needs and Dr. Naseef's unique
qualifications as both a father and a psychologist have given him rare insights to help other Dads facing this challenge. This may not be an "easy read", but if you're a parent struggling with your emotional responses to your child -- it is definitely a "must read".

A very thoughtful book on special needs kids and families.......1999-01-19

I am a psychologist who works with children and families, many of whom are grappling with difficult issues related to a medical condition, behavioral problem, or learning disability. This book provides sound advice written in plain English from a psychologist whose son is autistic. I have recommended Dr. Naseef's book to a number of my clients because of how thoughtfully he combines his own story with a practical guide for parents and others who care for a child with special needs. A wide range of issues are covered, and all are essential. A great find on Amazon- thanks!

Know a child with special needs? This book's for you........1999-01-19

As a parent of a medically fragile child with special needs, Dr.Naseef's book has been a wonderful resource for me, my wife, and our family and friends. The author's experience as a father of a special child of his own and as a psychologist shine through its pages. This book is a must read for parents, teachers, medical professionals, caregivers, and others whose lives are touched by a child with special needs. Full of practical strategies for coping, from the initial grief to working effectively with medical and educational professionals, to staying together as a family. It's not easy explaining to our friends and family how we stay positive while faced with so many challenges -- Special Children, Challenged Parents has been a great help to us and the people who are close to our son.

Special Children, Challenged Parents: The struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability. (Book Review).(Book Review): An article from: Education & Treatment of Children

Average customer rating:

Special Children, Challenged Parents: The struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability. (Book Review).(Book Review): An article from: Education & Treatment of Children
Kathy Heron
Manufacturer: Family Services of Western Pennsylvania
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Education & Treatment of Children, published by Family Services of Western Pennsylvania on May 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1054 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Special Children, Challenged Parents: The struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability. (Book Review).(Book Review)
Author: Kathy Heron
Publication: Education & Treatment of Children (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2003
Publisher: Family Services of Western Pennsylvania
Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Page: 201(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

Nadia Stancioff was Maria Callas's friend during the diva's unhappy final years, starting as a publicist for Callas's film of Medea. Interviewing people who had known her earlier, Stancioff sought to explore the woman from the inside--"Maria," not "Callas." Though the result offers no real information we haven't seen before, it is delivered in a personal voice that makes this memoir (first published in 1987) worth reading.

There's plenty about Callas's appearance and love life, but the tone is chatty rather than trashy. The events that Stancioff herself was there for were not especially significant (she was present, however, when Onassis paid his first visit to an agitated Callas after his marriage to Jackie Kennedy). More valuable are the stories she hears from colleagues, fans, and the singer's elusive sister. The one subtle, and indeed moving, touch is something the author doesn't do: she declines to resolve the contradictions people tell her. Maria's mother pushed her into singing; it was Maria's own desire. Maria's family was kept in luxury during World War II by her sister's boyfriend; Maria ate out of garbage cans. In the '40s, the Met offered her roles that she turned down; there was no offer. The stories aren't reconciled because Callas can't be: she exists only in the kaleidoscope of other people's impressions. Stancioff's own Maria is a difficult woman--capricious, superhumanly insecure--to whom she is utterly loyal.

The unanswered questions surrounding Callas's death have been discussed elsewhere, such as in Maria Callas: Sacred Monster. As speculated on by the chorus of voices here, the mystery is particularly unsettling. Neither Callas nor, perhaps, anyone who cared about her was in control of what she left behind. It's a sad end to the tale of a tortured woman whose aura is as strong as ever but who was, ultimately, no more knowable than any of us. --David Olivenbaum

Book Description

Never before in paperback: An intimate portrait of the private Callas

Years after her death Maria Callas remains one of the most renowned and compelling of all divas. Although much has been written about Callas the prima donna, the consummate stage magician, and the tragic lover of Aristotle Onassis, this is the first account of Maria the woman by someone who was close to her. Stancioff, a longtime friend, shares memories of the Maria who gave impromptu concerts of Beatles hits and Mexican ballads; of the Maria who starved herself to conform to the image of a celebrity but would go into rhapsodies about a plate of pasta. And to her own warm reminiscences, Stancioff adds the insights of Maria's friends, colleagues, and family. The figure that emerges is intriguing, infuriating, mystifying-and endlessly fascinating.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful account of a diva!.......2003-07-29

The saga of Callas's life has been told by many people. Some have been close to her and some haven't. Some have been affectionate and some have been cruel. This one was the former. When reading a biography on someone as colorful as Callas you must read everything at face value, however it is nice to know her assistant cared for her. It seemed that she understood her more than anyone and that alone is quite a feat. Callas had so many troubles (family, Onassis, La Scala, press, weight, etc)and Nadia was right there for her.

You must read this as a story of course because the truth we'll never know. Take a read it's worth it for a fan of LA DIVA.

Brava!.......2000-06-02

Most people who write a biography of someone, especially a friend or relative, have a vested interest in either making the person sound like a saint or a sinner.

The author of this amazing book, however, portrayed her good friend, Maria Callas, in what can only be best described as a very objective manner.

One comes away from this book with a very real sense of the person who was Maria Calles, not particularly in the legend that was Calles, the great Diva, the great voice of the 20th Century.

And I found this book to be quite a spellbinder. It was very hard to put it down. My feelings toward the subject ran the gamut from immense like and understanding to immense dislike. I found her at once fascinating and brilliant and on the other hand somewhat stupid. One minute I would think of her as a simple, silly twitt and the next I would find myself thinking of her as a very loving and warm rather intelligent woman. In some instances she was very stingy and other instances she was very giving and generous.

But I think the thing that stood out most to me was the fact that she had suffered from a good deal of betrayal in her lifetime. People had used her and emotionally and abused her. She was also financially used. And I think this made up a good deal of the woman she later became.

Like most people, Maria Callas was neither all good nor all bad. She was neither a saint nor a sinner. What I like about this book was that it gave her dignity and it gives the reader a feel for who the real Maria Callas was. Although it's written by a dear friend, someone who obviously thought highly of her, the author was nonetheless very objective in writing the accounts of Maria's life. She also told of the darker side of Maria Callas. But she did not use her own words entirely. In fact, she went to a great deal of trouble to interview other people who knew Maria well and many of them had very differing views from those of others who were interviewed.

So in the end the reader is left to draw his or her own conclusion about the type person Maria Callas was. I personally came away with a feeling of being quite touched by her life. I felt that she had suffered greatly, although she had indeed brought a lot of on herself, as we all do. I found her a very human person and quite different from the legend that we know as Callas.

There is no question that Calles, the legend, was the greatest soprano of the 20th century. She was the divas diva. The living up to the legend must have been very difficult indeed. And we find in this book an idea just how hard it was.

If you want a history of the career of Callas this is not the book you want to read. If you want what I believe to be a very factual and objective rendition of what her life as a woman was, this book has no equal.

And while you will get glimpses of the glamorous life of the diva, you'll also be able to feel the crashing reality of loneliness that was at the depth and center of the person behind the great diva, Maria.

Average customer rating:

superb read

sensitive, poignant memoir about Holocaust/American roots

Informative and important, but not a great book

One of the best books I have ever read on the subject

Beautifully Written Memoir

Displaced Persons: Growing Up American After the Holocaust
Joseph Berger
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Holocaust | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671027530

Book Description

In this touching account, veteran New York Times reporter Joseph Berger describes how his own family of Polish Jews -- with one son born at the close of World War II and the other in a "displaced persons" camp outside Berlin -- managed against all odds to make a life for themselves in the utterly foreign landscape of post-World War II America. Paying eloquent homage to his parents' extraordinary courage, luck, and hard work while illuminating as never before the experience of 140,000 refugees who came to the United States between 1947 and 1953, Joseph Berger has captured a defining moment in history in a riveting and deeply personal chronicle.

Customer Reviews:

superb read.......2003-04-12

i loved this book. i felt as though i was right there with him and his family through every phase of their lives. this book had everything going for it, sadness, chaos, happiness, tragedy. it was so personal and you just felt as though the author let you in to share with him.

sensitive, poignant memoir about Holocaust/American roots.......2002-08-11

New York Times journalist Joseph Berger has created a masterful, evocative and moving account of the ever-present duality of his life: his identity as an acculturated American child of Holocaust survivors. This duality gives his account of his mother's life and his own evolution from a bewildered refugee child into an accomplished American a poignancy and power. "Displaced Persons" will stand as an important contribution, not only to our understanding of the long-term implications of being a survivor of the Holocaust, but of the unique burdens, pressures and responsibilities children of survivors inherit from their parents.

Berger is acutely aware of "the unmentioned sorrow that was the subtext to everything [his] parents said or did." Haunted by memories, devastated by enormous loss, handicapped by their arrival in America in their twenties and driven to provide security for their families, Holocaust survivors often perceive their children as replacements of beloved family members who perished and as repositories of hopes and dreams denied them. Worried about their children's safety, happiness and future, Berger muses about his parents' perspective, "What could I say about the dread and suspicion with which they encountered a world that had proven maliciously fickle?"

As the author emerges from childhood, he begins to chafe from his mother's protective, controlling instincts and desires to assert himself as his own man. Berger's wrenching analysis of his status becomes the overarching theme of his memoir. "I saw myself now an an American...I would no more be the timid refugee boy with one leg planted in the fearful shtetls of Poland, with a mother ever vigilant that no more perils come to the remnants of her kin." It is this unspoken loving tension between Joseph and his mother, Rachel, that gives "Persons" its dynamism.

Alternating between two narratives, one his own and the other the gripping account of his mother's survival, Berger deftly intermingles past and present. Aware of his distinct heritage, the young Berger recognizes others in his impoverished Manhattan neighborhood who share his background. "We knew one another, knew in our young bellies that our parents were the same dazed and damaged lot, had the same refugee awkwardness, the same whiff about them of marrow bones and carp." Now attempting to wrest coherence in America, Holocaust survivors tend to frustrate Berger with their problem solving techniques. Berger prefers the American way of standing up directly; survivors "were always scraping by on a willingness to do what was necessary to survive, even if that meant surrendering pride or principle."

Raw emotion floods "Displaced Persons." Rachel's symbolic mourning of a dead child in Warsaw at the onset of World War II serves to remind us that she has no "mental picture" of the actual murder of her family. Unspoken grief undulates throughout the memoir. Berger's stoic father Marcus scarcely articulates his unfathomable sense of loss; nearly half a century passes before he can utter the names of his sisters. Guilt ebbs and flows in Rachel's description of her survival. Anguished over refusing to bring non-kosher food to her hungry brother during World War II, she has never forgiven heself, calling it "the worst thing I ever did in my life."

Yet life surges and humor emerges in Berger's descriptions of growing up in New York City in the 1950s and 60s. With both parents working at dreary, tiring jobs, the author experiences a freedom of movement he admits he would never conceive of allowing his own daughter today. His descriptions of his initial exploration of Manhattan reveal the sheer joy of discovery, the incredible exuberance of youthful hopes and the awesome sense of possibilities Berger recognizes in his new home. Berger's frantic disposal of an illicit girlie magazine carries universal appeal; he becomes an American everyboy. His struggles with self-confidence, academic competition and sexual frustrations are those of not only his generation, but of those before and after.

Written with conviction and compassion, "Displaced Persons" is that kind of memoir that not only describes, but instructs. Through the author's descriptions of his resolute, stubborn and proud mother, survivors attain an identity beyond that of suffering and loss. His own life's story shapes our understanding of the purpose of our national experience and the sacredness of an American identity. Treating both the Holocuast in its past brutality and its implications for the second-generation children of survivors, the memoir blends sorrow and joy, heartache and hope, pain and redemption.

Informative and important, but not a great book.......2001-12-11

Joseph Berger has written a story that needed to be told, but he has included too much extraneous material about his own life. Much of what he tells reveals what it was like growing up as the child of a refugee, but who cares whether or not he dated in high school?

The best parts of this book were those about his mother's life and about how she managed in the United States as a refugee. Berger's writing is more journalism than story telling. He's got all the facts, but none of his descriptions flare above the mundane. His mother's reminisences are far more artistic, and reveal more than the words on the page.

One of the best books I have ever read on the subject.......2001-11-06

My father's story parallels Joseph Berger's in eerie ways...they were both at the Schlactensee DP Camp and the Landsberg-Am-Lech DP camp...Berger's mother's story of her youth could be my grandmother's, from an unpleasant step-mother to the flight East to Russia. My father was born during my grandparents' refuge in the USSR, and crossed illegally with his family into Poland after the war ended. I have always been close to my grandparents, but this book brought clarity and insight into topics they don't generally discuss...the duality that immigrant survivors (the displaced persons) felt between their new lives in America and the tragedy and loss left in Europe. When I look at my grandparents' happy faces at family occasions---graduations, weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties---I wonder if the events make them remember times similar back in Lithuania. Berger's story, beautifully written and researched, is a must-read.

Beautifully Written Memoir.......2001-10-04

This book will be enjoyed by all who read it for it is a story of survival from the ashes of the Holocaust. This book is also an excellent book club selection that will spark much thought and conversation.

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