02/06/2007
My Mom Wrote A Book!
A moment for a little bit of family logrolling:
My mom grew up in Berlin, as the Nazis were taking over Germany and getting ready for the Holocaust. She's written (along with three friends), a fine book called ~and Then There Were Four: Berlin Memories - 1930s And Beyond , about what it was like in the schools, on the streets, and at home while civilization crumbled.
My mom's a good writer, and the story of how she, her sister, and their parents escaped to England is an affecting one. It's hard to leave home even though society is crumbling around you; confronting the awful facts and having to devise an escape is an almost surreal enterprise. They didn't speak English, they had no money, and they each escaped with a just single suitcase of whatever belongings the Nazis hadn't stolen from them.
Matt Black of Coldcut and I were once discussing our similiar refugee backgrounds - families that fled to England to escape the Nazis. "Man, a lot of brave grandfathers in effect," Matt said.
Truly. My mom's book is a testament to bravery, ingenuity, and determination. I'm proud of her, her book, and my family.