Title: 3rd Generation and Beyond
Author: Danna Pycher
Genre/Audience: Nonfiction
Publication: 2013
Source: For review
I’m grateful to be a part of Danna’s tour for her beautiful little book. When I first heard about it, I was instantly intrigued. Danna is a 3rd generation Holocaust survivor, hence the name of the book. Her grandparents were miraculous survivors of the Holocaust, and Danna has spent a great deal of time reflecting on what that means for her and her family. I knew right away that I wanted to read this book because I have always had a fascination with the Holocaust. I’ve collected many Holocaust books over the years, and even took a Holocaust Lit. class in college. I read about it because I love psychology, and I try desperately to understand what happened and why anyone allowed it to happen. I always search for answers, but they will probably never be found. Danna, in a way, is searching for answers too, about her own family history.
3rd Generation and Beyond is a compact book full of wisdom and advice that Danna has gathered over the years, much of it based on what her grandparents endured in order to live through the tragedy and horror of the Holocaust. Each short chapter is a life lesson that Danna has learned, with a famous quote that relates to each lesson at the start of each chapter. Danna then goes on to offer her advice, and usually relates it to a personal story as well, most often in relation to her grandparent’s survival. I really enjoyed the lessons, which included things such as kindness, perspective, and reading to grow (that one was my favorite, of course!). Though this book is slim, it is jam packed full of inspiration and wisdom. I really enjoyed the parts where she talked about her grandparents. One thing I would have enjoyed seeing was more about their experiences during the Holocaust.
This was a quick read, one I read in about an hour. If you enjoy self-help books, or reading for inspiration, I think you’ll enjoy this one. I won’t give it a star rating here, as this book is much different than those I typically read, but I will say it was an interesting and inspiring read. It was great to read that Danna’s grandparents lived happy lives, even after all they had been through.
No comments