The Takeaway Men
by Meryl Ain
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sparkpress
Release date: August 4, 2020
Synopsis
With the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows. As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts, and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents and children in mid-twentieth-century America.
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Guest Post
TWINS AS CHARACTERS
People often ask me why I chose to have twins as two of the main characters in my novel, The Takeaway Men. And also, since I am not a twin myself, how did I get into their heads?
The fraternal twin girls in my novel, Bronka and JoJo, come to New York with their parents from a Displaced Persons Camp in Europe in 1951. They are three-and-a-half years old when they arrive. Both of their parents carry with them not only their rucksacks, but also the baggage of the Holocaust and war-torn and post-war Poland. I wanted to show two sisters who shared the same environment, but had varying reactions to what they experienced. Since I was writing about children of survivors, I thought it was important to show that they were not all alike– even in the same family.
My research indicated that these children, “The Second Generation” (2G of Holocaust survivors) had a broad range of emotions and reactions to what they saw, heard, and experienced in their homes. Making them the same age and sex highlighted both the similarities and the differences. So, although the twins were dressed in matching outfits, they didn’t necessarily always see the world the same way. Bronka is very literal, so when JoJo is intrigued with a Tiny Tears doll that “sheds real tears,” Bronka is critical, saying it is a fake. When they have to duck under their desks as part of a take-cover drill, Bronka is sure a bomb is going to hit them. JoJo holds her hand and tries to comfort her, saying it is just a practice drill. As the more intense of the two, Bronka takes their father’s mood swings much more seriously than her twin.
As a first child myself, my intensive experience with twins began the day I met my husband, Stewart. His identical twin brother, Howard was actually my blind date on that occasion but by the time the night was over, Stewart had maneuvered a switch. Ever since that night, I have been watching and witnessing what makes the brothers alike and what makes them very different. It has been a long time. Stewart and I have raised three sons and have six grandchildren. Howard has two sons and five grandchildren. While Stewart has been my live-in expert on the subject, Abigail Pogrebin’s book, One and the Same, helped me better understand female twins. And Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush’s book, Sisters First, gave me valuable insight into fraternal twin girls. In addition, I also spoke with several twin sisters.
To make my depiction of these Second Generation twins accurate, I also did a tremendous amount of research on the subject, including reading numerous books and conversations with children of Holocaust survivors. I’m relieved and gratified that both my twin husband and my friends, who are 2Gs, said the book resonated with them and I “got it right.”
About the Author
Meryl Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications. The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol, the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband, Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren.
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Giveaway
Win 1 of 5 print copies of THE TAKEAWAY MEN or $25 Amazon Gift Card (USA only) (6 winners) (ends Aug 17)
