Teaching Holocaust Literature

Teaching Holocaust Literature is comprised of eleven essays in which noted Holocaust educators discuss how they have successfully taught short stories, poetry, novels, drama, and memoirs to their students at the secondary level. The book provides in-depth discussions on how to teach various pieces of Holocaust literature in a pedagogically and historically sound manner. Among many literary works discussed in this book are Hans Peter Richter's "Friedrich," Dan Pagis', "Written in Pencil in the Sealed Railway Car," Yevgeny Yevtushenko's "Babi Yar," Ida Fink's "The Key Game" and "Crazy," and Elie Wiesel's Night.Michael Berenbaum; Ida E. King Distinguished Visitor Professor of Holocaust Studies, Richard Stockton College and Former Director of Research at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: "Anyone depressed by the state of American education today would be well-advised to read Teaching Holocaust Literature, edited by Samuel Totten, a series of essays by teachers of Holocaust literature. The work literally glistens with insight as it wrestles with how to communicate the awesomeness of the Holocaust to secondary level students. Its pages are filled with the wisdom of experienced teachers, who display a mastery of the material as well as keen pedagogical skills. More fascinating are the comments of the students who demonstrate not only the information they know, but the sensitivity to process it and incorporate it into their very being. Teaching Holocaust Literature is a lesson in how much can be taught when exciting teachers share important, though difficult, material with students whom they prepare well for a journey of significance."Samuel Totten is currently professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Prior to entering academia, he was an English and social studies teacher in Australia, Israel, California, and at the U.S. House of Representatives Page School in Washington, D.C. Totten is also co-editor of Teaching and Studying the Holocaust, published by Allyn & Bacon.Totten, Samuel is the author of 'Teaching Holocaust Literature', published 2000 under ISBN 9780205274024 and ISBN 0205274021.