A Wolf in the Attic: The Legacy of a Hidden Child of the Holocaust

by Sophia Richman

Book Overview

A Wolf in the Attic: Even though she was only two, the little girl knew she must never go into the attic. Strange noises came from there. Mama said there was a wolf upstairs, a hungry, dangerous wolf . . . but the truth was far more dangerous than that. Much too dangerous to tell a Jewish child marked for death. One cannot mourn what one doesn't acknowledge, and one cannot heal if one does not mourn . . . A Wolf in...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789015501
• ISBN13: 9780789015501
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 324 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

psychoanalytically-informed Holocaust/coming-of-age memoir

"Memoirs, the signature literary form of the 21st century, speak to us privately of the most intimate aspects of life. The fact that Sophia Richman is a child survivor of the Holocaust as well as a psychoanalyst and applies both of these vantage points to her life narrative, takes this memoir into new territory. She writes of the realms of childhood, adolescence and adulthood through the prism of someone whose very existence once depended on keeping a secret. This is an engaging and very special book in the memoir literature and one that will inspire readers as well as writers who have difficulty formulating and then articulating their own story."

A Different and Vital Perspective

I thought the book was excellent! I have read dozens of books about the Holocaust and this document certainly offers a different and vital perspective that has not previously been covered in the literature. As you progress through the book, it is quite clear that the after-effects for Holocaust survivors are persistent and nagging, and greatly affect them for the rest of their lives. Sophia Richman's experience demonstrates that tragic events that surround young children can stalk in their minds like "A Wolf in the Attic".

A Unique Perspective on the Holocaust

"A Wolf in the Attic", a memoir by Dr. Sophia Richman adds a valuable perspective to the literature of the Holocaust. Dr. Richman was a hidden child in Poland who survived to tell her story of what it meant to transcend such an ordeal and then go on to try to strive for and fit in with normal life. This work is a unique exposition of a journey to overcome a traumatic past and to engage fully in life under renewed circumstances yet with the past just under the surface. The process of coming to terms with this dicotomy is at the heart of the work and is very moving. Dr. Richman has created a compelling narrative which reveals the two faceted experience of a life of achievement and momentum amidst unconscious symbols of tragedy. The fact that the author was successful in so many ways in overcoming her trauma is an inspiration. Her story is a special one amongst Holocaust memoirs. Dr. Richman's work is highly recommended for its humanity, complexity and poignancy.