Overview

Winner of the 2024 Richard G. Tomlinson Literary Award. Three generations. One hidden history. A family shaped by what couldn't be said. Vienna, 1938. Six-year-old Doris Lichtenthal flees the only home she has ever known. Her mother, Rose, grips her hand as they board a ship for New York-alone. Doris's father, Paul, has already been arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Her grandfather, Sigmund, a respected Jewish hatmaker with a thriving shop, stays behind, believing he still has time. He doesn't. Doris rarely speaks of what came before. She builds a life in America-marriage, children, forward motion-but the past remains: folded into silences and careful omissions. Decades later, great-granddaughter Deborah Holman begins asking questions. Through letters, archival research, and family memory, she reconstructs what happened-and what it cost-when survival demanded silence. Inside you'll find: - A meticulously researched family story rooted in documents and letters - Vienna-to-America displacement and the long afterlife of trauma - A modern genealogical investigation-and what the records still don't say - An epilogue on the reparations process and its real-world impact For readers interested in: - Holocaust memoir and family history - Genealogy and archival discovery - Intergenerational trauma, silence, and survival

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Deborah Samuel Holman is an author and passionate genealogist with nearly two decades of experience uncovering and preserving family histories. Her meticulous research has illuminated the lives of countless ancestors, inspiring others to delve into their own pasts. Deborah serves as Editor of Quest, the quarterly digital magazine of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT), where she also sits on the board. Through her leadership, she fosters interest in Jewish genealogy and supports others in their research journeys. In addition to publishing several family history books, Deborah has broadened her reach with the release of her novel, Nothing Really Bad Will Happen. This moving story explores the profound impact of the Holocaust on her mother's family, recounting the loss of their livelihood to Hitler's regime in 1938 and their resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges. When not writing, revising, or thinking about writing, Deborah indulges her creative side as a dollhouse miniaturist. She co-authored a reference guide to Ideal's Petite Princess line of dollhouse furniture, sharing her expertise and passion for this unique hobby with collectors and enthusiasts. Deborah also enjoys speaking at genealogical events and helping others trace their roots. Her work inspires readers and genealogists alike, highlighting the importance of preserving our shared history for generations to come.

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