‘The Berlin Shadow’ on Zoom

Jonathan Lichtenstein & Samuel Fisher in Conversation

Thursday 6th August 7.30pm

Book order form on right –>

About the Book

  ‘A formally audacious and deeply moving memoir in three timeframes that confronts the defining trauma of the twentieth century, and its effects on a father and son.’

In 1939, Jonathan Lichtenstein’s father Hans escaped Nazi-occupied Berlin as a child refugee on the Kindertransport. Almost every member of his family died after Kristallnacht, and, arriving in England to make his way in the world alone, Hans turned his back on his German Jewish culture.

Growing up in post-war rural Wales where the conflict was never spoken of, Jonathan and his siblings were at a loss to understand their father’s relentless drive and sometimes eccentric behaviour. As Hans enters old age, he and Jonathan set out to retrace his journey back to Berlin. Published to coincide with the eightieth anniversary, this is a highly compelling account of a father and son’s attempt to emerge from the shadows of history.

For readers who enjoyed Philippe Sands’ East West Street, The Berlin Shadow is a beautiful memoir about time, trauma and family.’

Publisher’s Synopsis

About the Author

Jonathan Lichtenstein

Jonathan Lichtenstein is a Professor of Drama in the Department Of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies at the University of Essex.

Lichtenstein’s play, ‘The Pull of Negative Gravity’  won an Edinburgh Fringe First for, ‘innovation and outstanding new stage writing’. It transferred from the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh to Off Broadway- New York (59E59) and has had productions in Germany, Australia and Florida. His play, ‘Memory , by Theatr Clwyd Cymru also transferred to New York, (59E59)  with further productions in London , Cardiff, and Chicago. His play ‘Darkness’ performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2011.

He has had two attachments at  the National Theatre where he developed the play, ‘ Rig 83’ as well as commissions from The Sherman Theatre, the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and Theatr Clwyd in Wales.

His book,  ‘The Berlin Shadow- Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport’ , will be published in August 2020 by Scribner.  (Simon and Schuster) in the UK,  Little, Brown in the U.S.and Suhrkamp in Germany.  It is currently being translated into Italian, German, Dutch and Danish. He was the writer on , ‘Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer‘ where he worked with the dancer Shane Shambhu.

About Samuel Fisher

Samuel Fisher

Author Samuel Fisher’s debut novel The Chameleon was shortlisted for the Collyer Bristow Prizes in 2019, shortlisted for The Betty Trask Prize and Awards, and longlisted for The 2019 Desmond Elliott Prize.

Samuel Fisher is a bookseller at Burley Fisher Books, an independent bookshop in East London, and director of independent publisher Peninsula Press.