effect of this moment on Edie’s life.
- Several times throughout the book, Dr. Eger offers instances in
which SS officers were kind to her and helped save her life—notably
o n pages 49 and 57 . Why do you think she shares these positive
glimpses of generally cruel treatment? How do they shape your
understanding of her experience in the camps? - So oen when we learn about the Holocaust—in ĕction, nonĕction,
movies, museums—the focus is on the horrors of the internment
camps. Rarely do we hear about the aermath as ravaged families and
traumatized victims tried to rebuild their lives in a climate that
remained anti-Semitic and hostile, even in America. What did you
learn from Dr. Eger’s memories of life aer liberation? What was
surprising to you? - How does Dr. Eger’s relationship with Eric compare to her
relationship with Béla? How was each relationship uniquely essential
for her survival? What needs did each relationship fulfill? - What roles do fear and shame play in Dr. Eger’s life, both past and
present? How does she describe the constant presence of shame and
fear? How do these emotions contour her life aer liberation? As a
psychologist, how does Dr. Eger recommend dealing with fear? With
shame? - Why do you think Dr. Eger feels she is protecting her children by
hiding her past from them? What might you have done in her
situation? - On page 135, Dr. Eger writes that she objects to classifying post-