Roger Cohen Knihy

HISTORY. It has taken me a long time to piece all this together. Memories come not like heavy rain but the drops falling from leaves after it. There were elements missing. At last I knew I would not be whole until I found them...June Cohen was born on Human Street in 1929. Her street ran through the centre of Krugersdorp, a mining town near Johannesburg where June's father, Laurie, a doctor, and his wife of Lithuanian Jewish heritage, had decided to establish themselves thirty years on from the family's crossing to South Africa. June was named after the month she was born in. In the wake of his mother's death, New York Times columnist Roger Cohen embarks on a compassionate and sensitive portrait of the journeys made by both his maternal and paternal family, exploring the stories that have filtered through to him since childhood

The memoir delves into the poignant legacy of a Jewish family, tracing their journey from 19th-century Lithuania through various global displacements, including apartheid-era South Africa, England, the U.S., and Israel. Central to the narrative is the author's relationship with his mother, whose struggles with depression reflect the complexities of their shared heritage. This intimate account explores themes of belonging, identity, and memory, offering a sweeping and heartfelt chronicle of resilience and love across generations.

The narrative intricately intertwines the history of Yugoslavia with the personal experiences of four families during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995. Roger Cohen captures the complexities of conflict and its impact on ordinary lives, offering a poignant exploration of resilience and the human spirit amid turmoil. Through these intertwined stories, the book sheds light on the broader historical context while emphasizing the personal tragedies and struggles faced by those caught in the war's grip.

This collection features the best columns by Roger Cohen from the New York Times, accompanied by insightful commentary reflecting on the years during which they were penned. The work captures Cohen's unique perspective on significant events and societal issues, offering readers a blend of journalism and personal reflection.

In February of 1945, 350 American POWs, selected because they were Jews, thought to resemble Jews or simply by malicious caprice, were transported by cattle car to Berga, a concentration camp in eastern Germany. Here, the soldiers were worked to death, starved and brutalized; more than twenty percent died from this horrific treatment.This is one of the last untold stories of World War II, and Roger Cohen re-creates it in all its blistering detail. Ground down by the crumbling Nazi war machine, the men prayed for salvation from the Allied troops, yet even after their liberation, their story was nearly forgotten. There was no aggressive prosecution of the commandants of the camp and the POWs received no particular recognition for their sacrifices. Cohen tells their story at last, in a stirring tale of bravery and depredation that is essential for any reader of World War II history.