I am celebrating the release of my friend and colleague’s book, The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey.
My Goodreads/Amazon review:
In Pat Black-Gould’s exquisite book, “The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey,” readers see the personal heartache and sacrifice of a mother and daughter as the Holocaust tears through their lives. From yellow dipped with tangerine to mother-daughter matching blue scarves, through darkness of Nazi terror into the blue of the last page, color serves as a metaphor, representing open spaces, freedom, and inspiration. An important book to inform children or adults, with thoughtful study guide questions at the end. “The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey” is both lovely and timely: We must never forget.
At Pat’s online launch party there were times that I was very moved, for instance, the discussion touching on parallels to disappearing culture in the Ukraine, but I also was frustrated by, as I commented to my husband, “a bunch of Christians talking about how it feels to be Jewish.” Every Jewish family in the world has lost a relative, mine included. Durning the war, my grandfather would sit in his Traverse City, Michigan, sunroom, ears cocked to the radio for any information.
They say he died from a broken heart, only 55 years old. I have so many questions, but I never had the chance to meet my Grandpa Sol. My father was only 17 years-old when his father died.
More than the victims died during the Holocaust.
We must never forget: It is happening again.
