Finding Edith

"Finding Edith is a painful book to read—and it should be. In great detail and with unequaled precision, Edith Mayer Cord describes her experience hiding in German-occupied and German-Allied so-called Vichy France as a young girl, and her unrelenting efforts to both get an education and avoid capture. One marvels at her discipline and the courage born of necessity. One also is horrified by the many who exploited her dire situation and impressed by the few who came to her aid. She is brutally honest about her relationship with her difficult mother, who was shattered by the loss of her husband and her son, and by her conditions of dire poverty. One cannot fail to be impressed by the journey that Edith traveled to find herself and create a productive life after so much suffering. I know of few books as candid in explaining the price that was paid for survival." —Michael Berenbaum, Professor of Jewish Studies, Director of the Sigi Ziering Institute: American Jewish University

"Through the interweaving story—the odyssey—of the author’s and her family’s personal experiences, readers learn about the events, the ascent of anti-Semitism that culminated in the death camps, the mass killings of what was termed the Final Solution. There is also mention of some little-known historical information, such as that Italian fascists laid claim to what is now Ethiopia; that Hitler admired Genghis Khan; and the events of the Evian Conference and the Wannsee Conference. Readers learn of the resourcefulness of the author’s parents in the face of life-threatening situations, as well as the lessons learned through the experiences of a child and young person during the Holocaust. These lessons Edith Cord carried into her remarkable adult life—survival of painful events and personal losses; assimilation is not enough to grant you safety; resourcefulness and adaptability are the most valuable tools; acquire skills be to able to support yourself; be active on behalf of civil rights and democracy. It is indeed an odyssey of personal growth." —Stefanie Seltzer, President: World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust and Descendants

"Edith Cord’s masterfully crafted portrayal of surviving the Nazis through flight and hiding, as well as the rich and fulfilling life she created in the decades after, serves as an extraordinary example of an individual’s will to overcome. In a broader sense, Finding Edith also depicts the arc of the refugee experience during the Holocaust and presents a case study of the immense difficulties and trials of hiding under such circumstances. Cord’s honest rendering shares a deeply human story, illuminating human flaws and human strengths, and sheds light on the particular texture of the female experience." —Elizabeth Anthony, Historian: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

"What most impressed me in this book was the day-to¬day detail we learn as Edith, her mother, father, and older brother work to survive in Austria, Italy, and France while they stay one step ahead of the Nazis— until they don't. Edith has lived her life and written this book with grace and courage. I think you'll enjoy meeting her in these pages. I highly recommend this interesting and illuminating memoir. " —Mensa Bulletin