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David
Laskin's book, The Family: Three Journeys Into The Heart
of the Twentieth Century, is a gripping tale that traces
the roots of his ancestors. Although it is a non-fiction book
it reads more like a novel, with characters who are interesting
and well developed. Any American will enjoy this story since
it is really a history of the period from the late 1830s to
the late 1940s. Amazon has chosen it as its book of the month
for October.
The story begins with the birth of Laskin's great-great-grandfather
in Russia. It traces how the family separated into three branches.
One branch immigrated to America, including a former Russian
revolutionary who ended up founding the Maidenform Bra Company.
Another branch went to what was then Palestine and participated
as a pioneer in the birth of Israel. The third branch, seventeen
members, unfortunately remained in Europe and was killed during
the Holocaust.
Laskin stated, "My family reflected these movements of
the early twentieth Century. It is a book of how history swept
up my family and changed us. I believe every family has a
story like this. I hope the readers care about the individuals
and see how they were touched by history."
The book will remind readers of the "Fiddler on the Roof
" story, especially with his great aunt Itel who became
a revolutionary and a feminist, making sure she chose her
own husband. She is by far the most interesting character
because of her many different views. After coming to America
she maintained her socialistic ideology while becoming a very
rich industrialist, the owner of Maidenform. In explaining
the quote, "Itel, the socialist capitalist," who
eventually bought a house that he described as a palace, Laskin
commented, "Itel was a socialist in views but a capitalist
at heart. She is not utterly consistent, but that is how many
people were back then."
Beside the interesting characters, Laskin also fascinatingly
describes how different historical events affected his family.
The description of World War I as seen through his family's
eyes is very potent. Hyman, a great uncle, became an American
GI who was attacked with mustard gas, and luckily lived to
tell about it. This scene was described with great thought-provoking
detail.
Yet, those in his family who remained in Eastern Europe had
to endure the Russian Revolution and a war fought in their
backyard. People forget that the Germans of WWI were not the
Nazis of WWII. After the peace treaty with Russia many of
Laskin's family fell under German control. They were treated
with more respect, did not have to endure the Russian reign
of terror, and for the most part had their Jewish customs
accepted. Laskin hopes to show, "The Germans in WWI were
more tolerant. The Pogroms, attacks on Jews, came from the
Russians. Also, Jews were able to climb up in the German and
American armies to become officers, which was not permitted
in the Russian army."
In tracing the backgrounds of his family from the late nineteenth
to mid-twentieth centuries Laskin captures the historical
significance of the eras. The Family enriches the reader by
showing how history plays a role in many amazing and disturbing
ways. It reminds people that the past should never be forgotten
with a very riveting story.
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