A Childhood

Description

An Irish Times Book of the YearA small boy grows up in Amsterdam, making sand pies, playing with his favourite jumping jack toy, visiting his father's office as a treat. He is loved. Then men with guns come in the night to take them away, and the familiar world of his childhood is destroyed. In this searing, spare novel Jona Oberski, who was transported to Bergen-Belsen as a young boy, recreates the state of childhood with unblinking, almost unbearable clarity. Conveying the joy of family life and the terror of separation, these vivid, haunting snapshots of memory have the darkness and strangeness of the most terrible fairy tale, as a child tries to understand the horror unfolding around him. Jona Oberski was born in 1938 in Amsterdam. He studied and worked there as a nuclear and particle research physicist, and still lives there with his wife Froukje Slijper. He is the father of three sons, two from an earlier marriage. e novel Jona Oberski, who was transported to Bergen-Belsen as a young boy, recreates the state of childhood with unblinking, almost unbearable clarity. Conveying the joy of family life and the terror of separation, these vivid, haunting snapshots of memory have the darkness and strangeness of the most terrible fairy tale, as a child tries to understand the horror unfolding around him. 'A compelling, brilliant evocation of life, terror and white lies as experienced by a small boy' Philippe Sands 'What to say about it other than to admit that it approaches perfection?... a rare achievement and a delight' John Self 'It will shock, move you to tears and fill you with despair at man's inhumanity... Admirably understated, his story is haunting, strange and terrible' Daily Mail Jona Oberski was born in 1938 in Amsterdam. He studied and worked there as a nuclear and particle research physicist, and still lives there with his wife Froukje Slijper. He is the father of three sons, two from an earlier marriage.

Jona Oberski was born in 1938 in Amsterdam. He studied and worked there as a nuclear and particle research physicist, and still lives there with his wife Froukje Slijper. He is the father of three sons, two from an earlier marriage.

What to say about it other than to admit that it approaches perfection?... a rare achievement and a delight -- John Self A book which will shock every reader with a heart -- Isaac Bashevis Singer, Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature This is not the book of the year, but the book of this damned century. [It is] real art ... this novel is going to reach everyone and go on reaching people for generations to come -- Alan Sillitoe A compelling, brilliant evocation of life, terror and white lies as experienced by a small boy -- Philippe Sands, QC It will shock, move you to tears... Admirably understated... haunting Daily Mail A child sees the barbarities of such an event [the Holocaust] not in terms of race or politics, but the way a Martian would see them, as amazing and stupefying instances of the cruelty of man. Jona Oberski conveys this amazement in an unembroidered and memorial way. -- Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's Ark A Childhood is an astonishing book - memorable, piercing. It reaches the very soul -- Chaim Potok A small but glowing jewel Sette Giorni Libro A dark fairy tale... of the fears and anguish of a child, based on experiences that could not be grasped by reason, irrational yet truly real -- Heinrich Boll This book cleverly makes a singular and powerful statement... There is no mawkish sentimentality here... A Childhood punches well above its weight, and everyone should read it Historical Novel Society Told with the deadpan disbelief of a child, it is shocking as well as desperately beautiful in its simplicity -- Eileen Battersby Irish Times (Books of the Year) Full of scenes of great poignancy, it is made all the more shocking by the starkness of the style... In places, it is almost unbearable TLS Tragic, heartrending, but also hilarious... Unforgettable Jewish Chronicle