Written in Memory: Portraits of the Holocaust [Paperback]

Jeffrey Wolin (Photographer), Charles Stainback (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997

Published to coincide with a major exhibit at the International Center of Photography in New York, Written in Memory is artist Jeff Wolin's unique tribute to the spirit and courage of those who survived the Holocaust. In these penetrating portraits, words of Holocaust survivors are imprinted directly on the images, like numbers tattooed on forearms and pain etched forever in the memory. Faded snapshots of the survivors from decades ago reinforce the idea of remembrance and the power that photographs carry. The women and men pictured here have reached back into a dark place in order to bring an overwhelming and horrific piece of history down to human scale. These images, as well as the stories written on them, are intimate, disturbing, and profoundly moving.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As the survivors of the Holocaust dwindle rapidly in number, those who can are increasingly making their voices heard--determined to tell their story to a new generation. Jeffrey Wolin has produced a unique tribute to the spirit and courage of those who lived through--and outlived--the horrors of that era. His stark black and white portraits of European Jews in the twilight of their lives are contrasted with snapshots of them in their youth. Like the numbers tattooed on their forearms, like the pain forever etched in their collective consciousness, the chilling stories of the survivors--largely in their own words--are directly imprinted on the images. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Wolin (photography and director of the Sch. of Fine Arts, Indiana Univ.) has collected his photographs of Holocaust survivors into a volume to be published in connection with an exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York. In some cases, the photograph is accompanied by written narrative describing the life of the survivor. A sensitive touch is the inclusion of snapshots of the survivor from earlier, pre-Holocaust years. These snapshots show young, innocent faces not yet ravaged by abuse and terror even as they reinforce the ideas of continuity and remembrance. A moving volume; appropriate for popular collections.?Mark Weber, Kent State Univ. Lib., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811813665
• ISBN-13: 978-0811813662
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,345,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, August 25, 1999

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[e-mail] (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Written in Memory: Portraits of the Holocaust (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful collection of essays from survivors of the Holocaust. Not only do the essays offer the reader a story of survival, the photos sucessfully capture the survivors feelings as they share the detail of the most nefarious human activity ever known. I was equally moved by the gentleman on the cover, Mr. Miso "Mike" Vogel who is a very close friend of mine as well as his wife who is also featured in the book.

Wolin is to be commended for a job that was very well done!