Jet Lag by Ann Birstein

Book specifications

• Language: English
• Genre: non-fiction, travelogue
• Size: 78 pages
• Format (I used): Kindle
• Price: $1.99
• How I got to know of this book: http://sonalisbookclub.com/

What this book is about

Writer's experience of a group Europe trip to get a closer view of Life (or death to be more accurate) of Jews during the Nazi rule. This is a true account of events written in a style of travel-journal.

Why I picked this one 

Since I moved to Berlin,  my interest in to the history of the place increased. More so because every day I go to work which is across the street to one of the most withstanding reminder of it -- the Berlin Wall. Also, every touristy place I go in or around has something Jew all the time.

But it always felt too much to go through that painful accounts of the events. I read The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank few years back, but it didn't have the account of holocaust events. And this time I wanted to know about them but I do not want to know too much.

In this quest, every title I came across felt too heavy so I kept skipping them until this one. Mainly because it is from the same angle as I wish to be -- a touristy angle.

My feelings during the reading

The feeling of horror of what a human being can endure and impose on others. For the two days in which I completed this, I felt I practiced more endurance in my day to day activities, like when I felt tired of walking I thought I can definitely complete this, there were people on this very land who had to walk across cities and that too all starved. When I felt hungry with no shops of choice around, the scene of people eating the grass because they were starved kept flashing before my eyes. I never felt it is too crowded in s-bahn now, since my mind kept recalling the scene of people stuffed into trains and that too for the destination 'death', it felt comforting now that my journey will end in 5 minutes and I will reach a nice workplace. It was a weird kind of motivation to me, the kind I've never felt before.

I also realized that how ignorant we become as a tourist and definitely learned a thing or two to be more careful about. Definitely one might now know a lot about the history of place and sentiments of the place around, but it is good to skim through a few blogs before travel or at least be patient through the trip by not over-reacting to the monuments and the memorials.

My feelings after the reading

The first feeling that came to me once I finished this was, what will be the hell like, if this all happened on earth by humans to humans. I felt at loss of imagination.

I felt accomplished, since now I had a 'little' more closer look at the sufferings of the people but without overwhelming details. I could continue sleeping well at nights, but since there were enough details I could see the Jewish memorials  in a different light now. In a gist, This has a perfect blend of historical events and the current sentiments around it. Also, it is perfect length. Before starting, 78 pages felt too less for this, but at the end it felt just the right. Mostly because some of the scenes it creates were too heavy in emotions and will linger with you for long. Definitely, you do not need too many of them. Also, you do not want it to be mixed with too many reactions of the people of today that they loose the intensity of the events. Hence, a perfect mix of both!

Characters from this book that will stay with me

• Uri - I will just say I would be too happy to have such a good guide in some of my trip
• Rachyl - I learned from her when not to use your too practical or vocal self. A specific scene that kept coming in this regard is: the group was in one location where Jews were kept and were talking of the miseries of the time. Rita was explaining how they were to use the toilets for a minute and half only to which she added it was a good thing that they didn't have any under-wears to take time. To this Rachyl added, and the toilet papers! True and practical but felt not required and insensitive.
• Max and Rita - I will just remember them.

Quote I will carry from this book

...there is always a joke...