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Rating: 
Summary: Breathtaking and poingnant
Review: A breathtaking and poingnant look at identity--from the pespective of a new and important vantage point: the 2nd generation Jew who must accept the past and forge a future. Larry Mayer's text unflinchingly takes on all the hard questions and Gary Gelb's photo's bring the reader the means of seeing for oneself.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and well worth it!
Review: This is an amazing book that integrates photos and text very successfully. This is not just a photo book, nor just a wonderful story about the miraculous revival of the Jewish community in Poland. The author's personal journey, as the son of two Polish-Jewish Holocaust survivors is just as intriguing and extremely well-written. I appreciate his open-minded approach and ironic self doubt. I was especially moved by the chapters about the old Jewish man living near Tarnow, and the 'Jewish' priest in Lublin. The sections where the author takes us back to his American childhood were also especially charming and enlightening. The black and white photographs are well-placed throughout and add an extra level of understanding to this contemporary narrative. A must for all those interested in Judaism, the Holocaust, and what it means to create an identity in the wake of tragedy. Also recommended: Helen Epstein--'Where She Came From' Thane Rosenbaum--'Second Hand Smoke' Nathan Englander--'For the Relief of Unbearable Urges'
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