Dan Jacobson, a novelist, short story writer, critic, and essayist, initially focused on South African themes in his early works. His later output became more varied, encompassing fantasy, fictionalized historical accounts, memoirs, critical essays, and travel writing. Jacobson's writing is marked by a profound exploration of human psychology and societal issues, often infused with irony and intellectual acuity. His oeuvre delves into themes of identity, memory, and cultural encounters, maintaining a distinctive narrative power and linguistic precision.
The memoir explores the aftermath of Rabbi Heshel Melamed's death, which allowed his family to escape Lithuania. His grandson's journey to the country post-Communism serves as a reflection on the interplay of secularism, religion, and familial ties. Through his personal narrative, he engages with the shadows of history while seeking moments of light and understanding, creating a philosophical tableau that intertwines past and present.
Celia Dinan died some two hundred years ago – back in the twenty-first century. As her life is rediscovered it becomes apparent that she is the author of a powerful and passionate tale – a tale which only she could have written but which 'everywoman' will painfully acknowledge as her own.