The Memory Keeper: A Journey into the Past to Unearth Family Secrets
Max and Mally, two out of millions murdered in the Holocaust, are deported in 1942 from Berlin to Theresienstadt - where they will starve to death.
Decades later, in London and on a whim, their granddaughter, Jackie googles their names to find two commemorative stones recently placed outside their old home. The discovery compels her to open a long-closed cupboard of haunting family papers, piece together the story of the family she never knew and find her place in it.
With searing prose and meticulous detective work, Jackie Kohnstamm offers a gripping and poignant portrait of an ordinary family and reveals a remarkable story of loss, discovery and memory.
Jackie Kohnstamm grew up in North London, where she still lives. She studied an ancient Jewish community in France for her PhD, never guessing how the skills acquired then would later help her delve into her own family story. She has lectured in higher education and written short stories and plays for BBC radio and the stage. Jackie is nourished by lengthy meals with friends and by her garden on the wild side. If she hits a winning shot at tennis, that's a bonus. The Memory Keeper is her first book.
Author: Jackie Kohnstamm
Format: Paperback, 320 pages, 129mm x 196mm, 226 g
Published: 2024, Canongate Books, United Kingdom
Genre: Autobiography: General
Max and Mally, two out of millions murdered in the Holocaust, are deported in 1942 from Berlin to Theresienstadt - where they will starve to death.
Decades later, in London and on a whim, their granddaughter, Jackie googles their names to find two commemorative stones recently placed outside their old home. The discovery compels her to open a long-closed cupboard of haunting family papers, piece together the story of the family she never knew and find her place in it.
With searing prose and meticulous detective work, Jackie Kohnstamm offers a gripping and poignant portrait of an ordinary family and reveals a remarkable story of loss, discovery and memory.
Jackie Kohnstamm grew up in North London, where she still lives. She studied an ancient Jewish community in France for her PhD, never guessing how the skills acquired then would later help her delve into her own family story. She has lectured in higher education and written short stories and plays for BBC radio and the stage. Jackie is nourished by lengthy meals with friends and by her garden on the wild side. If she hits a winning shot at tennis, that's a bonus. The Memory Keeper is her first book.