A Life of the Twentieth Century by Irene Even

I firmly believe that we should never criticise others until we have a walked in their shoes. Do you recall that saying?

Born into a free and democratic Country in the twentieth Century I can not imagine what life was like as Europe was drawn into another war. I can not imagine waking up, living and going to bed scared, hungry and living all the time wondering who it is safe to trust. Neither can I imagine making decisions, that when it became clear they were the wrong ones, being forced to endure life with those poor choices, made out of desperation.

As I read this book which is a true account of the author's life, although the names have been changed and the book is written in the third person, I was often in awe of how the author managed to live with those decisions. How did she keep her emotions in check as she grieved for her parents and the loss of her free existence?

I get a sense that the book has been toned down from the horrors that she would have observed. The patience that was exhibited to her husband is overwhelming and I am quite sure he deserved none of it. The decisions to move to Canada and to go into teaching, to follow her dreams.

Having got to the end of the book I wasn't sure I could compose a coherent review. I am a reflector and felt that I needed to think about the book after I had read it. None of us can truly imagine how the author's life was. In fact we can not be sure that this book encapsulates her life entirely, only what she chose to share with the readers.

Overall I enjoyed the book, I loved how the characters evolved and I felt that they had been bought to life, so that I cared and felt a variety of emotions with them all.

To see what others thought about the book be sure to visit the other book tour participants

March 2 - Working Mommy Journal - review / giveaway
March 2 - Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author - book spotlight / giveaway
March 3 - Deal Sharing Aunt - book spotlight
March 3 - Celticlady's Reviews - book spotlight
March 3 - Girl With Camera - review / giveaway
March 4 - Keenly Kristin - review / giveaway
March 4 - Bound 4 Escape - review
March 5 - Life as Leels - review
March 5 - The Things We Read - review
March 5 - A Universe in Words - book spotlight
March 6 - A Soccer Mom's Book Blog - review / giveaway
March 6 - Green and Glassie - review / author interview / giveaway
March 9 - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / giveaway
March 9 - Booknerd - review
March 10 - Readers' Muse - review
March 10 - Nighttime Reading Center - review / author interview / giveaway
March 11 - The World As I See It - review / giveaway
March 11 - View From the Birdhouse - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
March 12 - Confessions of a Reader - author interview
March 12 - Luxury Reading - review / author interview / giveaway
March 13 - Unshelfish - review / giveaway
March 13 - Library of Clean Reads - review

​March 13 

- Historical Tapestry - review / author interview

A Life of the Twentieth Century is available from Amazon

Interview with Irene Even, author of A Life of the Twentieth Century

Today Historical Tapestry brings to you an author interview from Irene Even.

A Life of the Twentieth Century is written in the third person and fictional names, but all events and places are true. This is Irene's life story.

1) Why did you decide to write a memoir?

The writing of my memoir wasn't so much a decision but a natural follow up to a life that needed a rational interpretation of all that I have lived through.

2) Was it difficult to remember some of the painful incidents of your childhood when writing the book?

My painful memories were hidden so deep inside of me that most of the time I was not aware of them. It wasn't until I sat in front of the computer that those hidden memories appeared to me on the screen as if ​it​ was a new revelation.

3) Would you consider your book inspirational?

I think that this book is inspirational on so many level​s​ as it points out that no matter what, you always have a choice. It is so easy to slip into the role of the victim, thereby remaining​ a victim. As I look at Aya the way she carries on under all circumstances, I see a very inspirational person​

4) How did you write your book? Did you first jot down all your ​memories​ or did you just decide to write and see what came of it?

The writing of my memoir was the most amazing experience ​for​ me because I had​ never ​known​ what I was going to write about once I set out to do it​. I never kept a diary or made notes; I just sat down in front of the computer and the story ended up​ writing itself, while I was only the facilitator as I worked the key board.

5) Why do you want people to read your story?

When I first wrote my story I didn't have readers in my mind, but now that the story is written I would like people to read it because it is a true and incredible story, even to me​.

6) Writing about past events and family members may cause hurt feelings. Did you worry about what your children would think when you wrote you​r story?

At first I didn't think of anything, because it wasn't clear to me exactly what I was going to write about. However, once the story was told it did occur to me how my children might​ react to it. But when the book was written showed it to them and it was okay.​

7) How long did it take you to write your memoir?

It took me about 4 years

Book Synopsis:

A Life of the Twentieth Century is the story of Aya, who lived through the loss of her parents before the age of 3. At the age of twelve she was sent to a boarding school in Budapest, that closed after one year, because the Nazi army marched into the city.

Aya was left totally alone to face the Nazi occupation, and to experience all the horrors of the war. She faced many life threatening situations, such as prison, bombardment or even the possibility of being executed on the spot, without really comprehending the gravity of it all.

The end of the war was supposed to mean liberation, the return of hope and freedom for most people, however it didn't happen for Aya, who was part of a youth group on her way to Palestine. The destination of this youth group was to reach Italy and the Jewish Brigade. They crossed the Alps on foot from Austria to reach Italy.

As they reached their destination Aya met a soldier from the Jewish Brigade, who was supposed to be her Hero, her Saviour, but turned out to be the devil incarnate. From day one, this soldier of the Jewish brigade took control of Aya's life when she was only 15 years old.

After divorce, destitute and once again alone, she had no direction and almost no hope, when from deep inside her a small voice said; go back to school. It took all her courage to apply to university, where she was accepted and after 5 year was granted a B.A. and a Diploma of Teaching. She spent the rest of her life teaching, and as she contemplated her life she said to herself that if she had had all the choices in the world, she would have chosen teaching.

Author's Bio:

Irene Even was born in Hungary. As a child she lived through the Second World War, using false papers to survive. After the war, she immigrated to Palestine, lived in a Kibbutz, then later married and immigrated to Canada with her family. She returned to Israel to teach English and remained there for twenty-two years. Having written her memoir, A Life of the Twentieth Century, she now lives in retirement in Montreal.

A life of the Twentieth Century is available from Amazon

A review of the book will be published tomorrow.

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Image of author courtesy of Debra who blogs at Girl With Camera