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Title: The Invisible Wall
Author: Harry Bernstein
Narrator: Sam Kelly
Format: Unabridged
Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
Language: English
Release date: 02-21-11
Publisher: Random House Audio Books
Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs
Publisher's Summary:
Harry Bernstein was born into a world of hardship and suffering in a northern mill town, in the shadow of the First World War.
His brutish father spends what little he earns at the tailoring shop on drink, while his devoted mother survives on her dreams that new shoes might secure Harrys admission to a fancy school, that her daughter might marry well, and that one day they might all escape this grinding poverty for the paradise of America.
But as the years go by, life for the Bernsteins on their narrow cobbled street remains a daily struggle to make ends meet. For young Harry though, most distressing are his fears for his adored elder sister Lily, who is risking all by pursuing a forbidden love
Members Reviews:
Fantastic look into life in pre WW I England.
What a wonderful story/memoir. Set in Northern England just after the turn of the 20th century, Harry Bernstein recounts his childhood with amazing clarity. The "Invisible wall" relates to a religious divide running right down the street of his childhood. Christians on one side, Jews on the other. Never the twain shall meet.
At that time in history, England had opened its arms to the European Jews escaping persecution. Though the Government accepted those fleeing, it seems the populace didn't. So rose the invisible walls. Such is the divisive nature of religion.
Harry recounts the divides that separated people that lived within feet of each other. He tells of the torment he and his siblings faced daily from the Christian kids. The opportunities for Christians were not there for the Jews and so on and so on...
The two sides come together briefly from time to time. Tragedy united the two sides as families lost sons in WW I. Sometimes the wall came down and humanity won but, inevitably, the wall went back up.
Harry's older sister did the unthinkable and married a lad from the other side of the street. The wall got higher but eventually came back down. Harry then leaves England for America and the book ends.
A short Epilogue has Harry and his wife returning to the street some 40 yrs later and this puts a fitting end to a very engaging memoir.
Summary: Highly engaging and thought provoking memoir about Northern England at the turn of the 20th century. Nothing too clever, nothing too fancy just straightforward, enjoyable reading. Highly recommended.
Amazing Feat of Memory and Exploration of Human Nature in Stressful Circumstances
Not truly literary writing, but an amazing feat of memory for a 93-year-old author and good insights into human nature and the corrupting effects of religious obsevance (though author wouldn't put it that way). Certainly succeeds in immersing the reader in the setting.
Vividly brings back a bygone era
Christians on one side of the street, Jews on the other. Separate but equally poor, impoverished, superstitious & afraid of each other. False starts towards reconciliation, then an interfaith baby gives rise to a joint celebration.. Bleak lives all around, interspersed with moments of joy & agonizing sadness. Emotions run the gamut in this World War I remembrance
Wonderful read
This is one of the best, most endearing books I have ever read. The characters seemed to be alive on the pages, it was so easy to become a part of the neighborhood. The fact that it was written from a young boys perspective was an enormous boost to the story.
