THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC.
[New York]: Viking Kestrel, [1988]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. "Hannah, 13, finds the annual Seder—which calls up her grandfather's memories of the death camp he and his sister Eva survived—tedious, the facts distant and unreal. Chosen to perform the ritual of opening the door to Elijah, she finds herself in rural Poland in 1942, as Chaya (life), the heroic girl whose Hebrew name she bears. There, she shares the experiences of villagers who are interrupted during a wedding, transported in a grueling four-day train journey, and delivered to a camp where the commandant routinely chooses victims for the gas chambers. At the camp another girl, the indomitable Rivka, teaches her how to survive, and she learns an unforgettable lesson: some must live, at whatever cost, to bear witness. Symbolic details—such as the role memory plays in Hannah's response to her experiences—are meticulously worked out. A triumphantly moving book." - Kirkus Review September 15, 1988. Made into a television movie 1999 starring Kirsten Dunst. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket. Review leaf laid in. (33999). Item #33999
Price: $250.00