World War II has long since ended, and yet Jaclyn and her four brothers and sisters grow up learning to survive it. Having lived through the Hol... read full description
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May 17, 2011
Literary
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Date: 5/10/11
Title: Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila
Author: Jeanette Katzir
ISBN 10: 0615274838
ISBN 13: 978-0615274836
Pages: 376
Publisher: Jeanette Katzir
Cover: eBook ARC
Reviewer: Yolanda M, Johnson-Bryant– Literary Wonders!
Rating: 5 Stars
Broken Birds by Jeanette Katzir was a challenging read for me. And by challenging, I mean that I wouldn’t normally have read a book of this genre, however, I am glad that I did. Broken More...
Title: Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila
Author: Jeanette Katzir
ISBN 10: 0615274838
ISBN 13: 978-0615274836
Pages: 376
Publisher: Jeanette Katzir
Cover: eBook ARC
Reviewer: Yolanda M, Johnson-Bryant– Literary Wonders!
Rating: 5 Stars
Broken Birds by Jeanette Katzir was a challenging read for me. And by challenging, I mean that I wouldn’t normally have read a book of this genre, however, I am glad that I did. Broken More...
Feb 09, 2011
Fran
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Broken Birds: The Story of Momila
Author Jeannette Katzir
The Holocaust really did happen and we should never forget that. Many survived only to live with unseen scars and permanent memories of the atrocities that were inflicted on them by these horrific people under the command of Hitler and his regime. There are many who would tell this story differently; there are others that would hide from the truth and bury their heads in the sand. Author Jeannette Katzir will take you back i More...
Author Jeannette Katzir
The Holocaust really did happen and we should never forget that. Many survived only to live with unseen scars and permanent memories of the atrocities that were inflicted on them by these horrific people under the command of Hitler and his regime. There are many who would tell this story differently; there are others that would hide from the truth and bury their heads in the sand. Author Jeannette Katzir will take you back i More...
Jan 09, 2011
Malcolm
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Broken Birds, by Jeannette Katzir
Channa Perschowski of Baranavichy Poland and Nathan Poltzer of Uzhgorod, Czechoslovakia move to the United States after World War II, meet and marry in New York, move their growing family to Los Angeles, and—as penny pinching and hard work evolve into financial stability—live their version of the American dream.
As Holocaust survivors, they know how to endure. Yet, as we learn in Jeannette Katzir’s compelling memoir, Broken Birds: The Story of More...
Channa Perschowski of Baranavichy Poland and Nathan Poltzer of Uzhgorod, Czechoslovakia move to the United States after World War II, meet and marry in New York, move their growing family to Los Angeles, and—as penny pinching and hard work evolve into financial stability—live their version of the American dream.
As Holocaust survivors, they know how to endure. Yet, as we learn in Jeannette Katzir’s compelling memoir, Broken Birds: The Story of More...
May 17, 2010
Bradley
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A dark tale at times, this story deals with the shattering horror of World War II survivors in part and a long legacy of family and their joys and sorrows. It treats the Holocaust with utmost seriousness and respect. Such a tragic time that it makes my blood boil. Especially since I am one quarter German myself. Fortunately my great-grandmother left Germany before those horrible events took place. The sibling rivalry through the rest of the book I am sure would be recognizable to most people. Re
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May 10, 2010
Corinne
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I've read dozens of Holocaust memoirs. All were horrible, and yet, strangely empowering with their tales of survival. They typically end at the completion of the war. Maybe you get a chapter of epilogues, but that's the end of the story.
Broken Birds is a Holocaust story, but that's only a part of it. Katzir tells the war stories of both her parents - their sufferings and the circumstances that allowed them to survive. Two unique stories, one within the camps and one without. But that More...
Broken Birds is a Holocaust story, but that's only a part of it. Katzir tells the war stories of both her parents - their sufferings and the circumstances that allowed them to survive. Two unique stories, one within the camps and one without. But that More...
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Apr 01, 2010
Cheryl
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Jaclyn shares the story of her family and how they fought battles against the Nazis and each other.
Jaclyn’s mother, Channa Perschowski was born in a small town in Poland. Jaclyn’s father, Nathan Polczer came from a large family. When Channa was a little girl, she and her family fled from the Nazis. She later traveled to New York with some friends.
On January 29, 1948, Nathan Polctzer became Nathan Poltzer. He boarded a ship for New York. Once in New York, he found that More...
Jaclyn’s mother, Channa Perschowski was born in a small town in Poland. Jaclyn’s father, Nathan Polczer came from a large family. When Channa was a little girl, she and her family fled from the Nazis. She later traveled to New York with some friends.
On January 29, 1948, Nathan Polctzer became Nathan Poltzer. He boarded a ship for New York. Once in New York, he found that More...
Feb 13, 2012
Phantom
rated it:
For the purpose of this review the author provided me with a Microsoft Word copy of her work, so I have not read the actual e-book.
This book is intended both as a memoir and a portrayal of the effects that the holocaust had on its survivors and their children. The first fourth of the book centers on the lives of the author's mother, Channa Perschowski, and father, Nathan Poltzer, beginning when these lives begin to unravel. Channa was taken by her brother Issac to join the resistance More...
This book is intended both as a memoir and a portrayal of the effects that the holocaust had on its survivors and their children. The first fourth of the book centers on the lives of the author's mother, Channa Perschowski, and father, Nathan Poltzer, beginning when these lives begin to unravel. Channa was taken by her brother Issac to join the resistance More...
May 19, 2011
Tamela
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Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila is a moving chronicle centering on the debilitating effects that people suffer during times of war and suffering. An overly protective streak evolves, as Jeannette Katzir so brilliantly shows, which can be damaging to a family.
Jeannette Katzir mother, Channa, lost nearly her entire family to the Holocaust. Having learned to survive, Channa’s surviving brother teaches her how to escape the Nazis, fight, live in a forest, save scraps of food, and More...
Jeannette Katzir mother, Channa, lost nearly her entire family to the Holocaust. Having learned to survive, Channa’s surviving brother teaches her how to escape the Nazis, fight, live in a forest, save scraps of food, and More...
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Oct 05, 2011
Book-shelf
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I took the book on holiday with me not expecting great things when i read the back cover notes. The premise of the story is that it follows one family through the years (starting present day then going back a couple of generations before moving towards present day again) It's based on Jeanettes own family life and struggles. I started reading it and got so involved in it that hours flew by, it took me 3 days to read it and that was only really at night. I found it a good read and very well writt
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Aug 10, 2010
Amber
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In “Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila” Jeannette Katzir has written a touching true story about the lasting and damaging effects of her family’s survival after the Holocaust.
Having lost her entire family (except her one older brother, Isaac) to the horrors of the Holocaust, Channa as a child has to learn from him how escape the Nazi’s—learning how to save scraps of food and any possession she has, to how to sleep in the snow, live in the forest and learning to fight. It’s a truly More...
Having lost her entire family (except her one older brother, Isaac) to the horrors of the Holocaust, Channa as a child has to learn from him how escape the Nazi’s—learning how to save scraps of food and any possession she has, to how to sleep in the snow, live in the forest and learning to fight. It’s a truly More...
Jun 19, 2010
Kari
rated it:
I was given this book free to review--free books rock! I've been pondering how to explain my thinking about this book and have come up with this analogy. Although I realize it probably fits best with my experience, I'm sure some of you will understand my meaning. Reading Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila is like running a marathon. You're glad you did it. It was long. It took dedication and hard work, but at least for me, I'll never do it again. It was painful. Too painful to want to read a s
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Apr 10, 2010
Lori
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From author
Broken Birds, written by Jeannette Katzir, is the multigenerational memoir that documents the lives of two Holocaust survivors and the unfortunate, irreversible damage that inflicts upon their relationships with their remaining family members, their children, and their children's children.
While I tend to walk past non-fiction novels while shopping, I do remain open to reading them when they are recommended, or gifted to me. It's true that I am a fiction lover t More...
Broken Birds, written by Jeannette Katzir, is the multigenerational memoir that documents the lives of two Holocaust survivors and the unfortunate, irreversible damage that inflicts upon their relationships with their remaining family members, their children, and their children's children.
While I tend to walk past non-fiction novels while shopping, I do remain open to reading them when they are recommended, or gifted to me. It's true that I am a fiction lover t More...
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Dec 05, 2010
Abi
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Jeannette Katzir tells her parents' story of living through the holocaust and then later how they both came to America, met and started their family. Through Jeannette's eyes the reader learns how our past effects greatly our future. Channa comes from a different area in the Holocaust than that of Ann Frank or Corrie ten Boon. Each has their own survival story and they all will put chills down your back when your eyes are open to what the survivors had to endure for great periods of time in t
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Feb 05, 2011
Jennifer
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From my book review blog Rundpinne...."Broken Birds by Jeannette Katzir is a memoir unlike others I have read, it is almost two separate memoirs told as one. In one part, the reader is taken into the dark days of the Holocaust, which is vividly portrayed through the eyes of Channa Perschowski, and Nathan Poltzer. As one would expect, the subject matter is very bleak and grim, and yet against odds, Channa and Nathan both survive the Holocaust and eventually meet in the United States, where
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Jun 29, 2011
Evangeline
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Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila isn’t just a story about Channa, it is a story about the whole family. Every one of them is a broken bird. It was interesting reading about life for the Jews after World War II. Many books on World War II usually only tell about life during the war but not after it, so this book was eye-opening. I was especially intrigued when it came to the part where Jaclyn, her two brothers, and father journeyed back to his hometown and the concentration camps where he was
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Aug 10, 2010
Jane
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This review is from: Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila (Paperback)
"Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila"
Jeannette Katzir
ISBN:9780615274836 ISBN: 0615274838
I received "Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila" when I entered a contest at [...:]. I did not win, but I had marked that I wanted to read, and Ms. Katzir, contacted me asking if I was still interested in the book, I replied yes, and I ordered the book from Jeannette Katzir.
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"Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila"
Jeannette Katzir
ISBN:9780615274836 ISBN: 0615274838
I received "Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila" when I entered a contest at [...:]. I did not win, but I had marked that I wanted to read, and Ms. Katzir, contacted me asking if I was still interested in the book, I replied yes, and I ordered the book from Jeannette Katzir.
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Oct 27, 2011
Biola
rated it:
I started reading Broken Birds cursorily at first intending to settle down to it later. I wish I hadn't opened the book, I missed my dinner, and my breakfast as well. I was held spellbound. I raged, cried, and was fearful as I lived through the dark years of humanity in the second world war with Channa. Her lost childhood that never made her able to live the future sucessfully. A love that stayed unsure and tormented. I wished I could bring her back to life and show her the love of her children
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Jun 01, 2010
Bookworm
rated it:
When I first started reading Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila I didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't expect to find myself totally immersed in the story and unable to put the book down. It was interesting reading about the effects the Holocaust had on these survivors and how this trickled down to their own children, who weren't even born during the war. This is a great book club read, it's one of those books that makes for a great discussion. It's a book about the Holocaust, it's s
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Jan 01, 2011
blueviolet
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I am a huge fan of memoirs, but not all books capture my attention and pull me in like Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila did. Channa and Nathan are Holocaust survivors, and their experiences during the war along with their eventual escape and move to America are chronicled in an emotionally gripping and painfully honest way. Once in America, they marry and begin to raise a family, but the scars of the war are so deep that dysfunction within the family is inevitable and deeply rooted. Both ele
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May 10, 2011
B.K.
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If you've ever been curious about the Holocaust and wanted to know more about what actually happened and the effects it left on survivors then this is the book for you. Jeannette Katzir brings you smack dab in the middle of it with Broken Birds: The Story of my Momila.
I can't say enough about this book. Katzir did such a fantastic job you feel the emotions from the beginning to the very end.
Channa and Nathan were caught in the middle of Hitler's Reign. Fighting to survive, More...
I can't say enough about this book. Katzir did such a fantastic job you feel the emotions from the beginning to the very end.
Channa and Nathan were caught in the middle of Hitler's Reign. Fighting to survive, More...
Jul 04, 2011
Jessica
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I'm not entirely sure where to begin in my review for this book. Broken Birds is the story of a family growing up in the aftermath of the Holocaust. This story is dark, but what makes it so much more difficult to read is knowing that it is truth. Jaclyn, one of the five Poltzer children, is the narrator of the book and following her through her memories is heart wrenching to say the least.
A little bit of back story for you. Channa, the mother of these children, was a survivor of the More...
A little bit of back story for you. Channa, the mother of these children, was a survivor of the More...
Oct 01, 2010
Broken Birds provides an excellent example of the reasons why parents and children should engage each other in a discussion of the family's plans and future long before a will must be executed. Unless frank discussions about how assets will be divided occurs, parents are likely to leave behind disappointment and tension instead of goodwill.
Ruth Nemzoff, Ed.D.
Author and Speaker: Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children (Palgrave/Macmil
Ruth Nemzoff, Ed.D.
Author and Speaker: Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children (Palgrave/Macmil
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Aug 17, 2010
Ashley
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I am fascinated by all acts of depravity done to humans by humans. The Holocaust, then, is one of those subjects I can never stray far from. However, I have never read a book that focused on the effect of the Holocaust on the next generation.
While the psychology student in me was very interested in the effects that were being shown, the drama-hating part of me was very disturbed. I was both fascinated and angered that so many family members could treat each other so terribly and then More...
While the psychology student in me was very interested in the effects that were being shown, the drama-hating part of me was very disturbed. I was both fascinated and angered that so many family members could treat each other so terribly and then More...
May 11, 2010
Abi
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An interesting story about a family's present in light of it's matriarch's past. A particularly good read for anyone interested in the loyalties and strains of parent-child relationships or the ongoing effects of the Holocaust.
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Jun 24, 2010
Amy
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Sad, but a good read. A good reminder of how our experiences shape us - both for better or worse. The biggest lesson for me was to do what it takes to not pass on my baggage to my children.
Jun 27, 2010
Reading
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read this review and others at http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/201...
Nov 01, 2010
Sharyla
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Sep 12, 2010
Marsha
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I'm not sure why but I found this book hard to put done while at the same time feeling like I was invading the private world of one disfunctional family. A good moral to this story is the old adage that money trumps family relationships. The historical context the WWII was interestingly portrayed. I would recommend this book.
May 20, 2010
Jeannette
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I wrote it, but have to admit . . . I love it.
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