“On Burning Ground: A Son’s Memoir” (St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan) is a true narrative of radical masquerade: the story of how at the height of World War II a fair-haired rabbinical student assumed the identities of a Catholic and, more strategically, of a Muslim, to survive racial genocide. In effect, it is a journey to the end of night capturing the visceral danger and spiraling suspense of a young man alone in the world, bereft of any structure of support, outwitting his destiny.

This is a tale of a wartime chameleon, a man of multiple masks, who survived by ingenuity, daring, and deft maneuver. In a desperate gamble at life, a parochial student at one of Poland’s pre-eminent rabbinical academies used his many false “selves”–especially his assumed Muslim identity, which gave him cover for his circumcision–to fake his way into the belly of the beast, the dreaded Waffen-SS, the inner core of the Nazi killing machine, in order to survive certain death.

A story of total and terrifying self-reinvention, it demonstrates the multiple arts of passing: psychological daring, sartorial strategy (he had to look the part) and linguistic mastery (he had to sound the part) to stay alive. By necessity, it touches upon such issues as existential choice and dread, moral anguish and ambiguity, as well as the ever-tormenting question of means and ends, questions to animate intense educational, psychological and ethical discussion. After the war, Joseph Skakun returned to Judaism in a fog of anguish in Paris and then in New York, where he lived amid a supernova of memory and penance. Michael Skakun become his witness as his father recounted his death-defying story to him. See (www.onburningground.com)

On Burning Ground – A Son’s Memoir

#onburningground #sonsmemoir #truestory #michaelskakun #catholic #muslim #genocide #danger #support #nazi #josephskakun #judaism #education #ethical #memory #witness #father

The post ON BURNING GROUND : A SON MEMOIR’S – STRANGER-THAN-FICTION WAR THRILLER by MICHAEL SKAKUN appeared first on Good News!.

A Message from Our Vice President,
Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura

Dear Friend –

I arrived in America in 1962, a young Japanese woman intent on a career in music. In the six decades since, I have overcome prejudice through Courage and Compassion to have triumphed in three fields – international Impresario, oriental medical doctor, and philanthropist.

My memoirs, my lessons learned, are now available in print in Amazon – two volumes with images and narratives of my years of experiences. I HUMBLY REQUEST YOU JOIN MY “LAUNCH TEAM.” I request you jot down a short review for use in marketing my story around the world.

The title of book is Journey of Courage and Compassion by Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, PhD. It has two volumes. The book volume I is already live sale in www.amazon.com. You need to search my book title and author’s name in Amazon. Please download eBook (digital version) instantly at $2.99 and I will reimburse you. You can also write a review at same place. I am in a final process of completing volume II to go live sale within a week.

I hope to share with you my experiences with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Leonard Bernstein, Mother Teresa, Pavarotti, Princess Grace, etc. My life has been an interesting journey. I hope my experience will encourage the next generation to find their own.

With gratitude and compassion,

Dr Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura
Gaia Holistic Inc.
212-799-9711
gaiaholistic.com

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The post A Message from Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura appeared first on Good News!.