I found this a really gripping combination of family memoir and a sweeping account of the turbulent history of left-wing Russian Jewry and the Bund, from the beginnings of the 20th century in Russia to the safe harbour of London and up to the present day. It’s a fascinating story. Through the lives and struggles of one family, his own, Mark Mazower explores the destiny of so many other individuals and families caught up in cataclysmic events. When he started his research, he had no idea about what he would discover. Silence, evasions, secrets – from pre-Revolutionary Russia to Stalingrad, the Vilna Ghetto to occupied Paris, from Franco’s Spain to the ranks of the Wehrmacht, all are part of the family’s history. Using his father’s diaries and conversations as his starting point, Mazower uncovers his family’s past and the trail takes him in many unexpected directions. An absorbing and compelling read.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Since I did not finish it, I do not intend to publish a review.