The book event at the Barnes and Noble on the Upper West Side in New York last night was spectacular. A mix of friends from Texas -- Ace and Eileen Thurman -- and from New Orleans -- Tom and Margaret Weed-- and from New York -- my fellow Nieman classmate, Nina Bernstein and her husband, Andreas -- took the time to come and celebrate the launch. The extraordinary team from Scribners was there, offering support. The highlight of the event was when the children of Jack and Marie Wolf, two Jews freed from Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp during the January 1945 prisoner exchange, were recognized. In the photo, you can see them: Jack Wolfs son, Eric, to my right; Lonnie, Maries daughter to my left, with Lonnies daughter, Valerie, beside her, and Terrie, Maries daughter as well to the far left. The children of Jack and Marie, survivors who have died, did not know of the role that Crystal City played in the exchange. They had never heard of the Eiserloh family and were astonished that German-American children from Crystal City were traded into war and that their parents survived because of the trade. We made contact last week and I explained what I knew about what happened to their parents after the exchange. Last night when I got to the part in my speech about the exchange, I asked Jack, Lonnie, Valerie and Terrie to stand and the room went absolutely quiet. The glory of non-fiction is that you tell the stories of real people. As fate would have it, January 20 was Jack Wolfs birthday, the first since his death last February. Her son and his nieces and grand-niece were present at the book event in his honor and in honor of his sister, Marie. As I write this, Im on the train from New York to Philadelphia where I have a book event at the Barnes and Noble, Rittenhouse Square, 1805 Walnut Square. Pam Smith, the granddaughter of Joseph ORourke, officer in charge of the Crystal City Internment Camp, will be present for the event. She never met her grandfather -- who was estranged from her mother -- but Pam was a great help to me in finding out information about ORourke. To have the descendants of my characters alive in the room is an extraordinary experience. Ill post photos of Pam -- and perhaps other descendants from other characters -- on Friday. Thanks to all of you who are readers. After so many years of thinking about these stories on my own, its a joy to connect with those of you who are reading.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:47:37 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015