Philippe Grimbert

Sympathetic resonance occurs when an object such as a violin produces a single note or a tone. Depending on its frequency, nearby objects may vibrate because they share that frequency (or a closely similar one). Thus, a string may cause other strings to vibrate and produce tones. An organ can cause windows or other glass to vibrate “sympathetically.” Even to shatter. And so it is with great books: they produce “tones”—thoughts, ideas, feelings—that resonate with the reader—with my past, my values, my thoughts. By the end of this book (and several times before), I was in tears. The writing (I presume), and certainly the translation, is measured, terse, and haunting. Grimbert’s language is understated, lyrical, nostalgic, and builds an undercurrent of disquiet that eventually leads to an emotional shattering of sorts. It is the more powerful for being largely autobiographical. The story is told (in retrospect) of the narrator’s youth in occupied France during WWII. Philippe is the fragile child of athletic and beautiful parents, a child who has always felt that he didn't fit in and that he was a disappointment. As he learns his family’s secrets, he begins to understand the critical, essential story of where he came from and who he is...and what came before him; his discoveries replace the stories and history he has constructed for himself because he learns that the past is infinitely more complex than he had imagined. I found the book wistful and bittersweet and exquisitely told. What is true and what is fiction is impossible to discern and, ultimately, irrelevant. The book, titled Un Secret in France and in England was inexplicably retitled “Memory” by its US publishers. The author’s title is far more apt. The book won the 2004 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens and was apparently an extraordinary best-seller throughout Europe; it is easy to see why. It was later made into a highly successful film; the New York Times’s review includes a description of the film that I believe is equally true about the book: “the film endows them, and everyone around them, with a dense and exquisite humanity, so that their story is freed from the pressure of making a point or teaching a lesson.” Under 150 pages, it is gem-like: polished, reflective, priceless...and shattering. I can only hope that it resonates with you and for you.… (more)

I normally avoid books about World War 2 as they are so sad, but this book intrigued me. It is so powerful, so emotional, and yes, so sad. This is a fictionalized version of true events the author lived with - the knowledge that at one time he had a brother killed in a concentration camp in Germany, a secret his parents never told him but which he discovered anyway. He grew up thinking things that were not true, things hidden from him out of love and protection.

Wow, this book was sad and powerful.… (more)