Customer Reviews

Out of the Shadows: A Photographic Portrait of Jewish Life in Central Europe Since the Holocaust

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This is a sensational book of photography. Why? Edward Serotta, the photographer, displayed the life of Jews after the Holocaust in an interesting and unique way. Buy looking at these pictures, Serotta tells the story of the lives of people from Bulgaria to Romania. By looking at the book, one gets the feeling that the culture and religion of the Jewish people in Central Europe remains and flourishes. However, it still seems as though the marking of the Holocaust hangs around the lives of people who live in Europe. In addition, Edward Serotta gives a substanial amount of information about what he encountered when he explored the countries. All of his writing is to the point and is intruiging to read. Overall, I feel anyone who wants to get a good idea of live after the war in Europe must read this book.

The uninhibited Chanukah dance that graces the cover of Serrotta's "picture book" invites you to sit down and spend the rest of the evening in the world he discovered. While some of the information is since outdated -- synagogues have been rebuilt, Jews from Russia moving westward changing the landscape -- you still taste the life he found behind the Iron Curtain.

If you are Jewish, this book reminds you that there is always hope, that the shtetl gave us great literature and tremendous inner strength.

If you are not Jewish, you will still revel in the stubborn life that hung in there through awfully dark days, preserving tradition against all odds.

Edward Serrotta's lens makes magic.