Light and Shadow
- 392 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Herz Bergner Book order
Herz Bergner, an acclaimed Yiddish writer, explored the challenges of Jewish integration and the preservation of tradition through his compelling prose. His narratives, often set in both Warsaw and Melbourne, realistically depict the immigrant experience, delving into the complexities of adapting to a new life while holding onto cultural heritage. Bergner's distinctive voice and insightful portrayals of the human condition resonated globally, marking him as a significant voice in international Yiddish literature.
- 2021
- 2016
Between Sky & Sea
- 240 pages
- 9 hours of reading
A group of Jewish refugees are thrown together on board a dilapidated freighter charting a course for Australia. Fleeing terrible scenes of destruction in Europe, they are bound by a deep sense of loss and the uncertainty of their fate. As the ship lists, inner conflicts burst to the surface and romance, revenge, guilt and desperation fill the craft. There's poignancy, drama and an abiding strength of humanity as the passengers' lives play out in this unbearable hinterland between sky and sea. Now, seventy years since its publication in 1946, Between Sky & Sea cements its place as a major Australian major work of diaspora fiction. Arnold Zable's introduction highlights the chilling parallels between Bergner's tale and the sinking of the SIEV X off the Australian coast, giving the reader pause to reflect on the continuing plight of asylum seekers throughout history and across the globe.