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A year ago today I was picking up Holocaust survivor Gene Klein from the airport to speak at our university. It was the most incredible experience getting to know him in the process of setting that up and it all started with this book. My students are about to turn in papers over it again and I can‘t wait to read their thoughts. (We are pictured with my jr high English teacher who taught a Holocaust unit that forever shaped my career.)

Yesterday, my students in Modern World Civ turned their papers in for We Got the #Water and I can‘t wait to read them. This is such an incredible book. During our discussion a few students had tears. The 4 page paper I assigned turned into 11-12 pages for many of them, because they were so moved by the book. I‘m so honored to get to share this special book with them. (Except for the one girl who plagiarized 😂) #noteworthynovember

We filled our auditorium last night (1,114 seats) when Gene Klein, Holocaust survivor, spoke on campus. There were an additional 100 people that could not get seats, but stayed in the lobby to listen through the doors. Putting this together was so much work, but worth every minute. I so loved getting to spend the last few days with this incredible human. I totally cried when I dropped him off at the airport. This book was the start of it all!

I may be off the Litsy grid for the next couple of days, as I'm headed to Wichita to pick up Gene Klein, the Holocaust survivor I'm brining to campus to speak. I am so excited and honored and full of all the feels. My students just finished the book written by his daughter about his family's experiences in Auschwitz and they were so moved. Now, they'll get to hear from Gene himself. Pick this book up, you won't regret it! 💜💜💜

My favorite #signed book is appropriate for #holocaustremembranceday as well. Not only is the book phenomenal, the survivor it is written about will be my guest speaker on campus in April. We are here in DC for a summit at the USHMM and I feel so honored to be there on Holocaust Remembrance Day. We must never forget.

I just got this in the mail, eeeek! I'm so excited! Mr. Klein will be speaking to our campus in April and I cannot wait!

Campus is peaceful and the weather is gorgeous so I've moved my office to the patio this afternoon to re-read a book I'm using in Modern World Civ. I may hold outside office hours permanently from now on!

The author was lucky enough to have her father and his two sisters survive the holocaust and live into old age. She used their words, their diaries, their experiences to shape a fascinating work of history. Well-written, heart wrenching. What makes this different is that she explains her processes..when one sister's story differs from the other, she tells the reader how she reconciles this with records she researched. Superb. My class will ❤️ it.