Mark A. Prelas's Blog

A thought-provoking read!

I highly recommend Michael Hickins' blog post. He cleverly blends many important issues which plague mankind into one very powerful message about silence and complacency in the face of an oncoming storm. I particularly appreciated how it incorporated two topics dear to my heart: the consequences of climate change and the preservation of Holocaust stories. I am an environmentalist plus the child of slave laborers and World War II refugees (described in my book In the Time of Madmen). We must be vigilant because misinformation is a common tool for obfuscation and control. It is effectively used by both climate change deniers and extremists.

I also highly recommend Michael's book The Silk Factory. The book's publisher, Amsterdam Publishers, is a gem which has developed an important collection of Holocaust stories. A crucial way to combat misinformation is to preserve history through firsthand accounts. However, just preserving the accounts of survival during the Holocaust alone doesn't tell the full story. As refugees, the survivors also suffered through lifelong difficulties from the physiological trauma caused by the war and from forms of extremism (e.g., xenophobia and antisemitism) in the countries in which they settled. Amsterdam Publishers preserves these stories through the survivors and their descendants.

https://michaelmissing.wordpress.com/...

https://amsterdampublishers.com/

https://www.markprelas.com/blog

Looking forward to Julie Brill's new book!

I was excited to learn that Amsterdam Publishers will publish a new book by Julie Brill about her Serbian family's experience during the Holocaust. This is one of a handful of books on the topic. You can follow the Julie on her website juliebrill.com.

Check out Book Traders

You can now get a copy of In the Time of Madmen at Book Traders in Spokane WA, 907 W Garland Ave . https://m.facebook.com/booksrockmysoc...

Check out my blog!

I wondered how my parents endured their lives as slave laborers in Germany during WW II. That is what motivated me to write In the Time of Madmen. Sometimes you can surprise yourself even in a small way. The human spirt can be a powerful tool to survive the impossible.
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I received a Book Excellence Award!

I am incredibly excited to announce that I have been recognized as a Book Excellence Award Finalist for my book, In the Time of Madmen in the Biography Category.

Out of thousands of books that were entered into the Book Excellence Awards competition, my book was selected for its high quality writing, design and overall market appeal.

To view my complete award listing, you can visit: .

The book was released in 2022 and is about a slave laborer during World War II.

The book is perfect for history buffs and true stories aficionados.

You can get a copy for yourself at Amazon or Barns and Noble.

Tribute to Aunt Inga 12/11/22

As I reflect on the passing of a cherished relative, I contemplate what was most significant to me. My ninety-eight-year-old Aunt Inga died on December 11, 2022. She was the last of my family who survived World War II. Her story was intertwined with my mom's as a slave laborer described in my book "In the Time of Madmen". Within this vast universe in which life ebbs and flows in its chaotic black sea, it struck me that its tide seems to crystalize on the date 12/11 and the implications that it has for my family. The death of my father and my son's anoxic brain injury due to a senseless mechanical defect both occurred on 12/11. After a twelve-and-a-half-year struggle with his disability, my son perished on the 11th day of the month June because of covid-19. These are the memories that haunt me as the days grow shorter and winter's cold breath beckons.