Memoirs of a Jewish Gypsy by Jenny Graubart, with Lea Tenenbaum © 2014, ISBN 978-1-939758-88-0, 73 pages.
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – As a family keepsake encapsulating Jenny Graubart’s childhood memories along with photos of herself, parents and sister, this slim volume will have enduring value.
However, the book does not extend itself beyond some reminiscences, and therefore, from the general reader’s standpoint there is little new to be learned either about the Holocaust period or the process of resettlement in the United States.
The book is simply told, and is often repetitious, leading one to speculate that perhaps Graubart dictated her memories into a tape recorder, or on video, and that they were then transcribed, with very little editing, and matched with photos from the period.
Except for one serious flaw, one might recommend this volume as a book for children to learn a little bit about what it’s like to be uprooted. The troubling part is that Graubart praises her father excessively for his resourcefulness for being able to bribe officials, not only to get his family across borders, but later to attain for them comforts that were denied to other ship passengers en route to Cuba. I can’t recommend a book that might lead juvenile readers to conclude that bribing officials to get one’s way is admirable or commendable.
Had it been buttressed with serious research into the geopolitics that enabled her family to find safety and sustenance in Cuba, Memories of a Jewish Gypsy might have made an important contribution to World War II and refugee literature. In its present form, however, unless you are related to Graubart or are a friend of hers, I’d recommend you find something else to read.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. You may comment to him directly at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com or post your comment on this website provided that the rules below are observed.
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