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Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
Lifelines by Patricia Haim will appeal to fans of historical non-fiction and memoirs. The book is based on the old letters the author's father, Walter Haim, kept since 1938. The correspondence between the Haim, Kurz, and Neuhaus families inspired the author to research the history of her family during the most challenging years of the twentieth century. The Jewish families in Vienna looked for ways to escape and find shelter after the Kristallnacht shattered any illusions that their lives might remain unchanged. Walter gets a US visa and leaves for the United States. Patricia's mother, Lilly, does her best to follow him to safety from Great Britain. Things take a dark turn for Patricia's uncle, Paul Kurz, also a refugee in England. Meanwhile, the older family members send encouraging letters to their loved ones from Vienna.
Lifelines by Patricia Haim is a beautifully written and historically accurate memoir. The author shares captivating life stories of her family members. Patricia emphasizes the importance of handwritten letters, which she skillfully combines with vivid descriptions and profound observations. While describing the struggles of the Jewish families in the Nazi Greater German Reich, Patricia manages to make the narrative thrilling and even cozy, especially when she writes about Lilly and her fight to receive a US visa. Yet, the author speaks about the horrors of the transit camp Theresienstadt with brutal honesty. Patricia uses simple language, and her writing style has an appealing touch of dry humor. This engrossing book is a necessary read and a warning to us and the next generations. History tends to repeat itself, and our duty is to prevent another possible future tragedy.
