Historical
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Set against the haunting landscapes of the Łódź Ghetto—Poland’s second largest—and Chelmno nad Nerem, the first Nazi extermination camp, Chicken Soup with Tears explores the brutal realities of life and death in the dark shadow of Auschwitz. Amid rising global anti-Semitism, it offers a timely reminder of the unique suffering endured by the Jewish people.
Told through two separate yet parallel narratives, the story examines a world where cruelty and isolation are met with resilience, sacrifice, and rare moments of kindness.
Zenon, a disillusioned teacher, sees himself as a prisoner of a corrupt society. Unfulfilled and aimless, he yearns for escape, though is uncertain as to the remedy. A chance encounter with Mendel, an enigmatic colleague, sparks a journey of self-discovery and revelation.
Mendel’s past is one of profound suffering. A survivor of a Belgian concentration camp, the Łódź Ghetto, and finally Chelmno, he has endured a world committed to his demise. Yet amid that darkness, he discovers flickers of humanity that reshape his world view.
As their lives intersect, Chicken Soup with Tears confronts memory, moral awakening, and the enduring force of compassion in the shadow of barbarism.
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
Alan Walters manages to interweave powerfully the stories of two present-day conflicted teacher colleagues who share a history of pain and tumult in their lives. The backcloth to their narrative is the Holocaust. Their respective stories shine a light on the insidious antisemitism prevalent throughout the ages, which is embedded across many cultures. Zenon initially finds despair, but ultimately hope, in his quest to trace his ancestors and bring purpose to his life. Mendel symbolises the resilience of the Jewish fraternity as he returns home after many near-death experiences. This emotional rollercoaster of a story is clearly well written, well researched, and compelling on many levels.
In "Chicken Soup with Tears", author Alan Walters compellingly combines two contrasting individual odysseys. In the first, Zenon, a disillusioned school teacher, crosses contemporary Europe in search of his true origins. In the second, we step back in time to accompany the unfortunate Mendel as he experiences the unbridled horrors of the Holocaust. Mr Walters skillfully guides us through these intertwining journeys to a surprising destination. As we accompany Mendel, we are not spared any of the ghastly realities of 1940s Europe. Yet Mr Walters masterfully contrasts these with moments of humour, warmth and compassion to great effect. Zenon's adventures follow clues, coincidences and chance encounters on the road to self discovery. This is a novel that will stay with the reader long after the final page has been turned.
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