Friday, January 21, 2011

The Boy : A Holocaust Story
by Dan Porat

On the cover of the book is the most recognized photograph of the Holocaust. A child has his arms raised. His face portrays acute fear. A soldier is pointing a gun at him.
The author presents three Nazi men who may or may not have been associated with this particular pictured child and two Jewish people who encountered these Nazis in Warsaw.
The writing style is dry and pedantic. What's worse, though, are the imagined thoughts and conversations that Porat ascribed. For somebody that teaches courses on the Holocaust (in Israel), you wonder why he would have chosen to go this route.
His editors weren't too happy and many arguements ensued.
It's a shame because there's information about the Warsaw Ghetto and who was involved that I have never read about before.
Not recommended.

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