of the collection is best expressed by a German word that has no precise English equivalent--Sehnsucht. Her journey through this space takes place across three dimensions of experience. The first is heritage, as the discovery of a forgotten (or suppressed) Jewish ancestor
propels her into an examination of her childhood and the embrace of a new identity and faith. The second dimension is geographic, as she negotiates a nomadic life that crosses continents, cultures, and languages. This is her personal time in the wilderness, a time
she recognizes may never be ended. The third dimension is the most intimate, as she describes her experience as a woman on her own in the world, traversing the promise and perils of relationships, her unfulfilled desire for a family: "I lost two children before I knew
if they were sons or daughters. / I lost my love on the first day of the seventh month. / I lost my laughter in the year that followed."
But even if the laughter was lost, her language and her longing remain, and fill these pages with unforgettable emotion. With Sehnsucht.
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