Holocaust Survivor, Pianist and Kafka Friend

Long surviving, Alice Herz-Sommer, tells her story.

Desnos: Holocaust

When I think of Desnos, I think of the beauty of his dislocated syntax. I think of possibility, freedom, a horse running free.

Holocaust Series

After more than three years of neglect it is time for me to return to the Holocaust series. I found Westerbork and have Geboren in my office, but the the others are more a product of my mind than my paint.

Long over-due!


Geboren: born

Life is Beautiful

It's been eons since I regularly went to the movies, so now I have been renting about 3 to 5 films at a time; trying to space them out and absorb their theme and plot lines. Some of it for the sheer enjoyment others to inspire me to write (again).

One of the last batch I rented included "Life is Beautiful," a film that won many awards and received great acclaim.

It is a stunningly beautiful film, more so for the sensitivity that Bertolini brought to his characters than the visuals. However, during the last few scenes, knowing full well that the protagonist would not survive, I felt this heart-wrenching loss so much so that I could barely watch. Oh, if those of us that fail to see how life is beautiful, it is painful.