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Dual Identities
Living in Meier's Shadow
Pub Date
Apr 28 2026
| Archive Date
Apr 28 2026
Description
"[A] beautifully rendered and deeply personal narrative." -Peter Salovey, president emeritus, Yale University
A Faux Photo. A Heavy Burden. Two Lives, Forever Intertwined.
"You hear nothing!" his mother shouts. But like many young children of Holocaust survivors, Arthur hears too much. And his mother, Sally Finkelstein Horwitz, has a lot to say. About heroism and horror. Resilience and remorse. Antisemitism and spineless American Jews.
Hiding in closets or a bathtub, Arthur absorbs the tales she shares with friends and other survivors. One day, seeking to swipe a few bucks, Arthur discovers an iconic Holocaust image of a terrified boy tucked in among the other photos in the sleeves of his mother's wallet. "Who's this?" he demands to know. She insists it's her little brother Meier, who was murdered by the Nazis. But Arthur knows it isn't. The photo further cements his growing understanding that he's been saddled with the responsibility of living two lives-his and the one Meier never had. It's a burden that will shape Arthur's life, family, and media career.
Dual Identities: Living in Meier's Shadow removes filters previously inhibiting children of survivors from sharing their own unvarnished growing-up-in-America stories while providing new insights on the impact of intergenerational trauma and the path to coping, healing, reconciliation, and remembrance.
"[A] beautifully rendered and deeply personal narrative." -Peter Salovey, president emeritus, Yale UniversityA Faux Photo. A Heavy Burden. Two Lives, Forever Intertwined."You hear nothing!" his...
Description
"[A] beautifully rendered and deeply personal narrative." -Peter Salovey, president emeritus, Yale University
A Faux Photo. A Heavy Burden. Two Lives, Forever Intertwined.
"You hear nothing!" his mother shouts. But like many young children of Holocaust survivors, Arthur hears too much. And his mother, Sally Finkelstein Horwitz, has a lot to say. About heroism and horror. Resilience and remorse. Antisemitism and spineless American Jews.
Hiding in closets or a bathtub, Arthur absorbs the tales she shares with friends and other survivors. One day, seeking to swipe a few bucks, Arthur discovers an iconic Holocaust image of a terrified boy tucked in among the other photos in the sleeves of his mother's wallet. "Who's this?" he demands to know. She insists it's her little brother Meier, who was murdered by the Nazis. But Arthur knows it isn't. The photo further cements his growing understanding that he's been saddled with the responsibility of living two lives-his and the one Meier never had. It's a burden that will shape Arthur's life, family, and media career.
Dual Identities: Living in Meier's Shadow removes filters previously inhibiting children of survivors from sharing their own unvarnished growing-up-in-America stories while providing new insights on the impact of intergenerational trauma and the path to coping, healing, reconciliation, and remembrance.
A Note From the Publisher
Arthur Myron Horwitz is a nationally respected journalist, publisher, and civic leader whose career was recognized with his enshrinement in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, the establishment of the Arthur M. Horwitz Collection at the University of Michigan, and the awarding of publisher emeritus status for the Detroit Jewish News, where he served as publisher and executive editor for more than thirty years. The child of a Holocaust survivor mother and an American-born father, Arthur has shared his "dual identities" story with thousands of students during their visits to the Zekelman Holocaust Center. Arthur's writing has appeared in secular and ethnic publications and academic journals. He is a frequent panelist on affiliate news programs of ABC, NBC, PBS, and NPR. Arthur is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and the Yale School of Management.
Arthur Myron Horwitz is a nationally respected journalist, publisher, and civic leader whose career was recognized with his enshrinement in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, the establishment of...
A Note From the Publisher
Arthur Myron Horwitz is a nationally respected journalist, publisher, and civic leader whose career was recognized with his enshrinement in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, the establishment of the Arthur M. Horwitz Collection at the University of Michigan, and the awarding of publisher emeritus status for the Detroit Jewish News, where he served as publisher and executive editor for more than thirty years. The child of a Holocaust survivor mother and an American-born father, Arthur has shared his "dual identities" story with thousands of students during their visits to the Zekelman Holocaust Center. Arthur's writing has appeared in secular and ethnic publications and academic journals. He is a frequent panelist on affiliate news programs of ABC, NBC, PBS, and NPR. Arthur is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and the Yale School of Management.
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Paperback |
| ISBN |
9798897470778 |
| PRICE |
$21.95 (USD)
|
| PAGES |
274
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader
(PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App
(PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)
Additional Information
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Paperback |
| ISBN |
9798897470778 |
| PRICE |
$21.95 (USD)
|
| PAGES |
274
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader
(PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App
(PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)
Average rating from 2 members
Featured Reviews
Sarra H, Educator
4 stars
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4 stars
This book had "dual identities" of its own. On one hand, I felt as though I was curled up on the rug hearing a great story told by a phenomenal story teller. On the other, I was drawn into an emotional roller coaster, wishing I could step off and take a breather. Arthur Horwitz details the unique story of a child of a Holocaust survivor. How does the next generation honor the trauma of the Holocaust without allowing it to hinder their own life? It was both an amazing human interest story and a loving and intimate memorial to the author's Jewish heritage and survivor mother.
4 stars
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Heidi A, Librarian
5 stars
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This was a lovely memoir. As society becomes more distant from the events of the Holocaust, it is important to root it in the current culture. The stories of the descendants of the survivors matter.
5 stars
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