Chris Bohjalian
Skeletons at the Feast was uncomfortable to read because of the unrelenting horror and suffering the characters endured. Readers commented that the focus on members of a wealthy German family who abandon their estate and attempt to reach the British and American lines created another dimension to what is the standard American side of the war. The range of characters, including a Scottish prisoner of war and a young Jewish man in disguise, adds to the complexity of the story and compounds the moral dilemmas that arise throughout the book.
The descriptions of time and place were very well done. Readers said that this story must be told so the truth of the Holocaust is realized and never forgotten. A question was asked, how could the German people live with themselves after the truth is revealed and denial is no longer possible? This led to a discussion of what does any government tell their people about what is going on in the country and the world at large. How complicit are citizens in events affecting the population and how can they be informed about them? What is the moral obligation of people to support their government?
Readers were surprised by the sympathy they felt for the ordinary German people portrayed by the author, and were moved by the way that people from such different backgrounds were able to band together on their journey and form a kind of family. The conclusion of the book was sad but not unexpected, and
readers were left with hope for survivors' new lives, perhaps in Israel.
The evening ended with a spirited discussion about the emotions generated about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the Boston Marathon bombing on Patriots' Day 2013, and then a surprise phone call at the very end of the night from author Chris Bohjalian, who said he would read today's blog post!
This is second book by author Chris Bohjalian that has been selected by a Holmes Book Club. The Afternoon Readers discussed The Night Strangers last October.
