Welcome to Litsy!

Scenic reading spot 😍

Over the last few years I have stopped reading about WWII because it‘s been so overwhelming. This one was interesting but a hard read. The author discusses some of the early history that lead to the Holocaust, the propaganda, the acceptance of many as the Nazi party pushed its agenda forward. He discusses that it‘s impossible for any one person to be an expert in the Holocaust because it covers so many areas, regions, counties of Europe.

The writing style wasn't as captivating and engaging as I expected it to be, rather contrived. The story was quite compelling and enlightening. The premise was very interesting, but the execution wasn't fictional enough :)

#whereareyoumonday

I‘m in Nazi Germany this week. Not a fun place. But I think this is going to be a good book - worth reading and a particularly timely reminder.

This was interesting. British Colonel and his wife in post WW2 Hamburg. Lewis - strongly of the view that reconstitution is going to need kindness more than strong arms agreed to share his requisitioned home with its owners a widower and his angry 15 year old daughter. The set up was fascinating and I appreciated the colour of both Hamburg and the period but found the characters quite flat. There were other perspectives I would have liked to see

This book is part author‘s memoir,intermingled with discussions & interviews with her grandmother,Helga, archival material from Nazi &Jewish organizations,family mementos,letters,files,& journals her father kept.She writes,”For…Helga, remembering has become a sport– race against oblivion”(21).The author‘s great grandparents & one son perished in a concentration camp.The other son Hans,hides in plain site with his later adopted grandfather,Pepi.⬇️

#5joysfriday

1) Finally won a Table Topics at Toastmasters.
2) reading at the pool.
3-5) Day trip to Santa Barbara—gardens & library. At the library, I saw my favorite childhood book sitting on the shelf. :)

I created a special cubby on my bookshelf filled with some of my nephew‘s books. Some were in his backpack when he died, others were ones we had bought together or I had gifted him. The framed item is his Ex Libris stamp. The flowers from one of the funeral bouquets we were sent. It‘s a sweet way to be reminded of him every day since we connected so deeply over what we were reading.

I might have this one, but I like this cover. 😍 Did a swap 🥰