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The Eighth-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging
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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 ...more
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights ...more
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Jan 06, 2018
Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ by:
karen
Shelves:
tor-tor-tor,
the-shorts
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 ...more
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 ...more
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 ...more
An interesting piece on human character through history and the distance a person has from a lack of personal experience.
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).
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.
“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
...more
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?
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.
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 ...more
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 ...more
If you're unfamiliar with Harry Turtledove, it's worth knowing that he makes his bread-and-butter with Alternate History. I won't spoil anything about the story, but this short work explores the ramifications of a single change in a lovely and sweet way.
Nov 26, 2019
Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
science-fiction-fantasy
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 ...more
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 ...more
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. ...more
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. ...more
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 ...more
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 ...more
Enjoyable, if uninspired, short story. (view spoiler)
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.
A quiet little alternative history.
Avoid reviews -- they tend to have spoilers.
Avoid reviews -- they tend to have spoilers.
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 ...more
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 ...more
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.
Nice alternate history tale depicting Anne Frank as a survivor of the war.
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.
A beautifully written alternate history. If only she had lived long enough to have had a chance at this life - or any other alternative.
It 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.
I didn't get it until I read the comments. (view spoiler)
3.5 stars
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Dr 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 ...more
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 ...more
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