From: Edward T. Sullivan <sully>
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 17:20:11 -0400 (EDT)

Everyone who has chimed in on the Holocaust discussion is familiar with Number the Stars but I'm wondering if anyone knows Lisa's War by Carol Matas. It, too, is about the Danish resistance rescuing Jews. A review in The New York Times years ago compared the two novels and called Lisa's War a "much more powerful book." I agree with that assessment. I think one element that makes Lisa's War more powerful is the fact that the story is told from the perspective of a Jew. In Number the Stars, Lowry filters the experience through Annemarie, a Christian. That narrative distancing lessens the emotional impact of the story. Experiencing the story through a Jewish protagonist gives Lisa's War more of a sense of immediacy and makes the story more compelling for the reader.

Unfortunately, it looks as though Lisa's War no longer available. It was listed as "out of print" or "out of stock indefinitely" in the book distributors I checked. Used copies are available through amazon.com. Matas is a Canadian author and, although Simon & Schuster has published most of her Holocaust books in the U.S., I don't think they have gotten the attention they deserve.

If you have not read Lisa's War, I encourage you to find a copy and compare it to Number the Stars.

Ed Sullivan, M.S.L.S. 103 Oneida Lane Oak Ridge, TN, 37830

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"
                  -John Lennon-
Received on Sat 22 Apr 2006 04:20:11 PM CDT