Book Review: I Have My Mother’s Eyes: A Holocaust Memoir by Barbara Ruth Bluman
Apr 14th, 2010 | By Christine Gordon Manley | Category: Books
Published by Ronsdale Press, 2009
I Have My Mother’s Eyes is special for numerous reasons. Not only does it tell the story of Zosia Hoffenberg’s escape out of Poland (and Europe) during World War II, but it does so using three voices: Zosia herself (as told by daughter Barbara), the author (Zosia’s daughter), and Danielle, Barbara’s daughter, who took over the project and ensured its publication after the author died from cancer. The book, then, not only stands as a message of inspiration, but also serves as a cherished family history.
Zosia Hoffenberg was 19 when the danger of the Second World War began to be felt in Poland. As a young Jewish woman, Zosia longed for nothing else but freedom, security, and to be surrounded by family love. When given the chance to escape with her then beau (and later husband), Zosia takes it—even though it means leaving her family behind. A two-week visit turns into a lifetime as the risk for Jews in that area increases and forces Zosia to choose between her home and her future. Zosia and her husband proceed to flee Warsaw, Poland, travelling through Lithuania and Japan to reach their final safe haven: British Columbia, Canada.
Barbara Bluman tells Zosia’s story while interweaving synpets of her own life choices throughout. While at first I admit I was confused by this switching of stories and tone, I have come to realize how clever this tactic actually is: It really is only by examining our past that we can fully embrace our individual futures.
I’ve read other Holocaust memoirs. They are not easy reads, no, but I do believe they are important ones. Clearly, not everything that happens in life is easy, and to even begin to understand and appreciate the horrors of history, we need to listen to those involved. What I really liked about this particular memoir is that it offered something that is often lost in most Holocaust stories: hope. Zosia was a true survivor and her story deserves to be read and admired.
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