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The Eighth-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging
Some people will tell you that world-class fame is better than living to a contented old age. Other people disagree. One of those other people might possibly be the protagonist of The Eighth-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging by Harry Turtledove, master of the counterfactual.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2014
2 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
569 books1,987 followersDr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 16, 2019
Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
It has a pedestrian title, but this short story is anything but. As usual for Harry Turtledove, it’s alternative history; as not so usual for him, it’s a subtle, understated tale. The plot of this story is … well, exactly what the title would indicate. A class of thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds visits 84 year old Mrs. Anne Berkowitz in a California old folks home, to hear her tell her story about her experiences in WWII.
The story begins with small details, focusing on the daily pains and difficulties of growing old (“As she always did, she marveled at the little old lady who peered back at her from the mirror. How did that happen? How did time get to be so cruel?”), but picks up pace once Mr. Hauser’s middle grade history class arrives and Mrs. Berkowitz begins telling her story.
An unusually quiet and poignant story by Harry Turtledove with a moving twist to it.
I strongly advise not reading any other GR reviews (except karen's; hers is safe) because so many of them have a major spoiler. Trust me, just go read it. It'll only take about 15 minutes, and it's worth your time. Here's the link: https://www.tor.com/2014/01/08/the-ei...
It has a pedestrian title, but this short story is anything but. As usual for Harry Turtledove, it’s alternative history; as not so usual for him, it’s a subtle, understated tale. The plot of this story is … well, exactly what the title would indicate. A class of thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds visits 84 year old Mrs. Anne Berkowitz in a California old folks home, to hear her tell her story about her experiences in WWII.
The story begins with small details, focusing on the daily pains and difficulties of growing old (“As she always did, she marveled at the little old lady who peered back at her from the mirror. How did that happen? How did time get to be so cruel?”), but picks up pace once Mr. Hauser’s middle grade history class arrives and Mrs. Berkowitz begins telling her story.
An unusually quiet and poignant story by Harry Turtledove with a moving twist to it.
I strongly advise not reading any other GR reviews (except karen's; hers is safe) because so many of them have a major spoiler. Trust me, just go read it. It'll only take about 15 minutes, and it's worth your time. Here's the link: https://www.tor.com/2014/01/08/the-ei...
August 4, 2021
A garden stretched between her residence block and the dining hall. The same warm, bright, San Fernando Valley sunshine that had woken her poured down on it. A scrub jay in a pale-leaved olive tree screeched at her: “Jeep! Jeep! Jeep!” Anne smiled. The bird figured the garden belonged to it.
i'm glad i finally got around to reading this one. (so i guess there's a silver lining to tor not putting up any new free shorts?? any info on that situation would be greatly appreciated.) but not only does this story redeem harry turtledove in my estimation, teaching me that he's only bad at writing things that are supervolcano-related, but also this book page gives me a perfect deflection opportunity, because this year, any time i get some creature whining at me about "spoilers" in any one of my reviews, none of which are actually spoilers, i will just direct them to this page, where nearly every single review of this story spills its beans. thank you so very much, various reviewers. they will be your whiny creatures now!
read it for yourself here (the story, not the spilled beans. iiiii'm giving away nothing):
https://www.tor.com/2014/01/08/the-ei...
but if you are interested, here are reviews of his supervolcano stinkers.
one - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and
two - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
i never did read the third one
come to my blog!
April 9, 2018
An interesting piece on human character through history and the distance a person has from a lack of personal experience.
March 9, 2023
Cute. Very cute.
I kinda suspected the ending (and I think that had I read the book, I would've picked up on the clues much earlier than I did).
I kinda suspected the ending (and I think that had I read the book, I would've picked up on the clues much earlier than I did).
November 28, 2019
Not bad, but I figured out the twist early on and it didn’t do much for me. Nice thought, but ended up depressing, as reality was less kind. 3 solid stars.
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January 9, 2022“We had to wear yellow stars on our clothes, with Jood on them. That’s Jew in Dutch,” Anne said. “We couldn’t use trams. We had to give up our bicycles. We weren’t allowed to ride in cars. We had to shop late in the afternoon, when there was next to nothing left to buy. We couldn’t even visit Christians in their houses or apartments. We couldn’t go out at all from eight at night to six in the morning. We had to go to only Jewish schools and Jewish barbers and Jewish beauty parlors. We couldn’t use public swimming pools or tennis courts or sports fields or—well, anything.”
This story is an alternate WWII history tale that hit me like a punch. It's such an important read. Let us never forget the past. Let us never forget what was done to innocent people who deserved life. But this story does something beautiful - rather than painting a grim future, this gives us such a lovely change to the past. In the best, most heartbreaking way. It follows an elderly woman recounting to school kids about how she and her family survived. And the twist will make you cry. I know I did.
This is one of those stories you really wish was real (and perhaps a heartbreaking side-effect of alternative history - all the things that should have been). You know that feeling of joy you get when you reach the end of Inglourious Basterds and just start cheering? It's that sort of closure.
This story is an alternate WWII history tale that hit me like a punch. It's such an important read. Let us never forget the past. Let us never forget what was done to innocent people who deserved life. But this story does something beautiful - rather than painting a grim future, this gives us such a lovely change to the past. In the best, most heartbreaking way. It follows an elderly woman recounting to school kids about how she and her family survived. And the twist will make you cry. I know I did.
This is one of those stories you really wish was real (and perhaps a heartbreaking side-effect of alternative history - all the things that should have been). You know that feeling of joy you get when you reach the end of Inglourious Basterds and just start cheering? It's that sort of closure.
January 10, 2014
The publisher calls Harry Turtledove, "the master of the counterfactual". I always thought he specialized in alternative history, but I like that label.
For all that The Diary of Anne Frank left indelible marks on so many of us, can anybody say the world would not have been a better place if she'd survived the war?
February 24, 2014
Really cool. A well-conceived and written contemporary tale bringing the experience of Jews under the Nazis into today.
If I tell you the spoiler, it's . . . well, it'll spoil the story. I'm telling you too much by telling you there is a spoiler.
Read and enjoy. It's only 17 pages.
If I tell you the spoiler, it's . . . well, it'll spoil the story. I'm telling you too much by telling you there is a spoiler.
Read and enjoy. It's only 17 pages.
November 3, 2022
I have read this short story around half a dozen times now and while I obviously know the twist, it still hits each and every time.
September 26, 2014
I haven't read Harry Turtledove before, his books don't tend to appeal to me. However the title to this short story drew me in on the Tor.com blog which I obsessively follow plus Anne Frank has always been of a certain interest to me. Then the concept grabbed me.
Its always a tragic thing when a child dies--whether its from something as horrific as WWII and the surrounding insanity therein or an illness, people tend to react more strongly to a child. Add in Anne's diary, which at the time it was originally published was one of the few widely spread accountings of what the victims went through, well its natural that speculation would occur. What would Anne have been like if she had survived? Where would she have gone? Who would she have become?
Turtledove answers that question in a quiet, pragmatic way. Turtledove's Anne Frank went on to lead a traditional enough life--she was just one of hundreds of thousands trying to recover after their ordeals. Trying to rebuild a life almost taken from her. She had her ups as well as downs. Saw some marvelous things and tried her best to put the past behind her.
She writes, sometimes thinks of that diary left behind all those years ago and wonders just how dramatic she must have come off in that book (and how badly she painted the other inhabitants of that attic). If it was ever found and how it would have been received. Now elderly she thinks back on her life and realizes it was a good one. And when these history classes come by to ask their questions and poke at her past ordeals she answers their questions with only a little discomfort. How could these bright-eyed kids barely a fifth of her age understand?
Turtledove tells this Anne's story simply and without fuss or grandeur. The might have beens and the could have beens, the life of the real Anne Frank doesn't hover over this Anne. She survived and she thanks her stars that she did and that's all there is to it. She lived a life better then most, full of love and adventure, and for her that was enough.
Its always a tragic thing when a child dies--whether its from something as horrific as WWII and the surrounding insanity therein or an illness, people tend to react more strongly to a child. Add in Anne's diary, which at the time it was originally published was one of the few widely spread accountings of what the victims went through, well its natural that speculation would occur. What would Anne have been like if she had survived? Where would she have gone? Who would she have become?
Turtledove answers that question in a quiet, pragmatic way. Turtledove's Anne Frank went on to lead a traditional enough life--she was just one of hundreds of thousands trying to recover after their ordeals. Trying to rebuild a life almost taken from her. She had her ups as well as downs. Saw some marvelous things and tried her best to put the past behind her.
She writes, sometimes thinks of that diary left behind all those years ago and wonders just how dramatic she must have come off in that book (and how badly she painted the other inhabitants of that attic). If it was ever found and how it would have been received. Now elderly she thinks back on her life and realizes it was a good one. And when these history classes come by to ask their questions and poke at her past ordeals she answers their questions with only a little discomfort. How could these bright-eyed kids barely a fifth of her age understand?
Turtledove tells this Anne's story simply and without fuss or grandeur. The might have beens and the could have beens, the life of the real Anne Frank doesn't hover over this Anne. She survived and she thanks her stars that she did and that's all there is to it. She lived a life better then most, full of love and adventure, and for her that was enough.
August 11, 2020
Contar uma história alternativa é uma arte hoje dominada por poucos. Infelizmente pouco conhecido no Brasil, Harry Turtledove é uma lenda e um mestre na arte de brincar com o "e se...". Profundo pesquisador, ele consegue tanto realizar grandes mudanças históricas escrevendo obras geniais como o Agents of Byzantium como mexer em detalhes bem pequenos como o presente neste conto. Vou entregar só um detalhe sobre esta história porque do contrário será impossível eu comentar a respeito dela. Sim, a protagonista desta história é Anne Frank. Ele deixa claro no começo da história. O que torna o conto atrativo são as pequenas mudanças que ele faz na vida da personagem que tornam ela diferente em um mundo igual ao nosso. Se Turtledove já mudou mundos inteiros em suas histórias, aqui ele muda a história apenas de uma pessoa. Tudo que gira ao redor dela é real.
A narrativa é contada de uma maneira calma e compassada. Turtledove nos mostra os sentimentos que estão no coração da protagonista. É uma narrativa em terceira pessoa, mas próxima de Anne. Melancólica e solitária, nossa personagem vaga pelos corredores de um asilo onde seus vizinhos são pessoas que já perderam sua sanidade há tempos. Já sem parentes próximos, Anne percebe na visita de uma turma do oitavo ano uma fuga de uma vida sem grandes objetivos. Um momento em que ela pode ser uma estrela em um palco central. Em que ela pode ter um pouco de importância.
Para quem está acostumado com as narrativas mais militares de Turtledove, é pego de surpresa com o quanto o autor consegue ser delicado e sutil em sua escrita. Ele consegue manter o interesse do leitor com um ritmo constante demarcado pelos sentimentos da personagem. Em dado momento ela está mais agitada lembrando-se de acontecimentos marcantes enquanto em outros está mais reflexiva tentando repensar decisões e escolhas do passado. Mesmo o conto não me empolgando completamente, não posso não elogiar a qualidade da escrita do autor.
A narrativa é contada de uma maneira calma e compassada. Turtledove nos mostra os sentimentos que estão no coração da protagonista. É uma narrativa em terceira pessoa, mas próxima de Anne. Melancólica e solitária, nossa personagem vaga pelos corredores de um asilo onde seus vizinhos são pessoas que já perderam sua sanidade há tempos. Já sem parentes próximos, Anne percebe na visita de uma turma do oitavo ano uma fuga de uma vida sem grandes objetivos. Um momento em que ela pode ser uma estrela em um palco central. Em que ela pode ter um pouco de importância.
Para quem está acostumado com as narrativas mais militares de Turtledove, é pego de surpresa com o quanto o autor consegue ser delicado e sutil em sua escrita. Ele consegue manter o interesse do leitor com um ritmo constante demarcado pelos sentimentos da personagem. Em dado momento ela está mais agitada lembrando-se de acontecimentos marcantes enquanto em outros está mais reflexiva tentando repensar decisões e escolhas do passado. Mesmo o conto não me empolgando completamente, não posso não elogiar a qualidade da escrita do autor.
November 26, 2019
Sometimes the lives of ordinary people are the most interesting ones of all.
At first glance, this world was very similar to our own. The differences between them were important, though, and they did give important hints about the science fiction elements of the plot. I was fascinated by this alternate version of history and how a small tweak to the flow of time could have such big impacts on the lives of certain people.
It would have been nice to have a bit more information about why history played out differently in this world than it did in our own. Everything after that small change was described beautifully, but the reasons why the change happened in the first place weren’t given the same treatment. I would have liked to have a few words added to explain what happened there, but this is a minor criticism of something I absolutely loved otherwise.
Anne’s character development was wonderful. She’d reached a point in her life when she had plenty of time to reflect on everything that happened to her over the last eighty years. Her personality had clearly been shaped by those experiences, so it was interesting to see how events from many years ago were still echoing through to the present day. Some memories never fade no matter how much time passes.
The Eight-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging is a must- read for anyone who loves to imagine how history might have turned out differently if one little thing had been changed at the right moment.
At first glance, this world was very similar to our own. The differences between them were important, though, and they did give important hints about the science fiction elements of the plot. I was fascinated by this alternate version of history and how a small tweak to the flow of time could have such big impacts on the lives of certain people.
It would have been nice to have a bit more information about why history played out differently in this world than it did in our own. Everything after that small change was described beautifully, but the reasons why the change happened in the first place weren’t given the same treatment. I would have liked to have a few words added to explain what happened there, but this is a minor criticism of something I absolutely loved otherwise.
Anne’s character development was wonderful. She’d reached a point in her life when she had plenty of time to reflect on everything that happened to her over the last eighty years. Her personality had clearly been shaped by those experiences, so it was interesting to see how events from many years ago were still echoing through to the present day. Some memories never fade no matter how much time passes.
The Eight-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging is a must- read for anyone who loves to imagine how history might have turned out differently if one little thing had been changed at the right moment.
January 7, 2021
This short story is just an interview with an elderly Holocaust survivor called Anne by a bunch of schoolkids. This is a fairly common sort of thing in real life - elderly Holocaust survivors describing their lives to a future audience. You can find lots of documentaries that do that (check out Shoah). As such there's not really a lot you can't find elsewhere. In fact all of it you can find in great detail elsewhere because...
The old lady is Anne Frank.
Yeah, Harry Turtledove's primarily an alternate history writer. So this is his way of exploring what sort of life Anne would have lived had she survived. As I said before, the interviewing of elderly Holocaust survivors is common so this is all that gives it a unique edge. Anne seems to have lived quite a full life after leaving the Netherlands and emigrating to the United States. And more interestingly, she has a very different view when looking back on her childhood than we see in her diary. There's not really a lot more to say about this story. Either you'll find it interesting or you won't, and it's a brief time investment either way.
The old lady is Anne Frank.
Yeah, Harry Turtledove's primarily an alternate history writer. So this is his way of exploring what sort of life Anne would have lived had she survived. As I said before, the interviewing of elderly Holocaust survivors is common so this is all that gives it a unique edge. Anne seems to have lived quite a full life after leaving the Netherlands and emigrating to the United States. And more interestingly, she has a very different view when looking back on her childhood than we see in her diary. There's not really a lot more to say about this story. Either you'll find it interesting or you won't, and it's a brief time investment either way.
November 26, 2019
Que bella historia. Al principio quedé encantada con la forma pragmática y resignada de la protagonista. Un retrato cotidiano y familiar que permite entender, aunque sea por afuerita, que envejecer es más que las cosas que puedes o no puedes hacer, sino toda una realidad que incluye el acumulado de tus experiencias.
Cuando entendí el plot twist, parte de mi se alegró pero también dolió mucho. Esta historia no existiría si no fuera por la injusticia misma que hace que seamos capaces de entenderla. Y el hecho de que seamos capaces de entender, en una sola oración, habla mucho de que a veces las personas tienen más significado por lo que pudieron ser. Me gustaría pensar que podemos empezar a preocuparnos por las personas que son actualmente, sin tener que esperar a que se conviertan en recuerdos que generen historias hipotéticas.
Cuando entendí el plot twist, parte de mi se alegró pero también dolió mucho. Esta historia no existiría si no fuera por la injusticia misma que hace que seamos capaces de entenderla. Y el hecho de que seamos capaces de entender, en una sola oración, habla mucho de que a veces las personas tienen más significado por lo que pudieron ser. Me gustaría pensar que podemos empezar a preocuparnos por las personas que son actualmente, sin tener que esperar a que se conviertan en recuerdos que generen historias hipotéticas.
January 7, 2018
This was my first taste of anything by Turtledove, and I'm thoroughly impressed. It wasn't until I had finished reading this short story that I realized what the "alternative history" was about. I won't spoil it for you, but perhaps you'll pick up on it quicker than I did.
Anne Berkowitz is a resident at The Hebrew Home for the Aging. Just as the title says, she speaks to a class of eighth grade students about her experiences during and after the Holocaust.
This was a wonderful short story that captivated me, and I find even more intriguing now that I have had a chance to sleep and think on it.
Anne Berkowitz is a resident at The Hebrew Home for the Aging. Just as the title says, she speaks to a class of eighth grade students about her experiences during and after the Holocaust.
This was a wonderful short story that captivated me, and I find even more intriguing now that I have had a chance to sleep and think on it.
January 7, 2018
A quiet little alternative history.
Avoid reviews -- they tend to have spoilers.
Avoid reviews -- they tend to have spoilers.
January 9, 2018
Enjoyable, if uninspired, short story.
December 14, 2019
A nice exercise in alternative history. A novella, not super long, it shows Anne Frank if she had survived. Well-written, a fun read, not exactly surprising in any way.
December 27, 2021
What-if Anne Frank had lived to the age of an old lady with kids, and grandkids, and even a great-grand kid? What-if... a beautiful story.
May 3, 2022
Nice sentimental little story, about Anne Frank had she survived World War II.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2016
Turtledove's story of the Holocaust
H.T. excels at alternate history. This tale of the holocaust recounts a better life for one 'survivor-that-should-have-been.' The tail is bittersweet because you cannot read it without thinking "what might've been". To fully enjoy the story, you need to know some of the events and people that are referred to in it. This may be one of the best excuses to use Wikipedia or a Google search you will ever have. H.T. does not spoonfeed you an easy idea or 100% happy ending. Some of the 'real' history he recounts though was also unknown to me. Well worth a read.
H.T. excels at alternate history. This tale of the holocaust recounts a better life for one 'survivor-that-should-have-been.' The tail is bittersweet because you cannot read it without thinking "what might've been". To fully enjoy the story, you need to know some of the events and people that are referred to in it. This may be one of the best excuses to use Wikipedia or a Google search you will ever have. H.T. does not spoonfeed you an easy idea or 100% happy ending. Some of the 'real' history he recounts though was also unknown to me. Well worth a read.
June 28, 2016
A brief look at a world where there was a small difference in how the Holocaust turned out. It was not earth shattering for everyone in the world, but Turtledove gives readers a touching and introspective piece to ponder.
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January 8, 2014It didn't really feel like a remarkable story while I was reading it, and then I realized that I had goosebumps so hard the hair on the back of my neck was standing up. So there's that.
June 12, 2017
Nice alternate history tale depicting Anne Frank as a survivor of the war.
January 13, 2014
I didn't get it until I read the comments.
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July 26, 20163.5 stars
January 25, 2014
A beautifully written alternate history. If only she had lived long enough to have had a chance at this life - or any other alternative.
February 17, 2015
Sweet, and quiet, and hits its mark so neatly and softly you don't even notice what it's really about until after you finish.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews