This morning, I am sharing my review of historical fiction novel The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain! Read my thoughts, learn about the book and the author & be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.
Book Title: The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain
Category: Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sparkpress
Release date: August 4, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book.
Category: Adult fiction 18 yrs +, 264 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sparkpress
Release date: August 4, 2020
Content Rating: PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book.
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affiliate partner.
About the Book
With
the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka
and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a
Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience
the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the
burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former
Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows.
As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts,
and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those
memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could
have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the
impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents
and children in mid-twentieth-century America.
My Review
The Takeaway Men takes a different look at Holocaust survival. While most of us have read books about the Holocaust and even memoirs or stories of the survivors--The Takeaway Men takes a different path in telling the story of the Lubinski family. Readers watch the family members grow and adapt to the life and times of America as immigrants in a new world while coping (and struggling) with the secrets and darkness of the past. Rather than hearing simply the stories and secret struggles of Aron and Judy--we see how those stories impact and intertwine with others in their new community and their daughters' lives over time.
The author transports readers into the Lubinski family's world. The author did a wonderful job taking me into the Lubinski family's life and times. I enjoyed learning about their community and their histories and watching everyone move through the world as it was in the 50's/60's America. The author's writing style allows readers to learn and visualize so much through so many different perspectives and character side stories.
Would I recommend The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain? If you are a fan of historical fiction that delves into realistic events and survival aftermath stories--this book should certainly be on your reading list. I did have a bit of trouble from time to time, early on, keeping stories and character voices sorted in my mind until I settled into the flow of the novel--but, once I settled in--the story flowed very well. I found myself wanting to stay with the characters and their stories when I reached the end.
Buy the Book
Meet the Author
Meryl
Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New
York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications.
The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the
award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and
in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project
Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on
television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud
to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a
school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the
result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a
thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in
the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her
students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also
developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching
the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol,
the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living
Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust
survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and
Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from
Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an
Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband,
Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
Follow the Book Tour
July 31 - The Eclectic Review – book review
Aug 3 – I'm All About Books – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 3 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotligh
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