Compelling, moving and societally relevant.
The Waiting Room
Leah Kaminsky
Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Vintage Australia
ISBN: 9780857986221
Description:
Compelling, moving and memorable. Graeme Simsion. The Waiting Room captures the sights, sounds, accents and animosities of a country overflowing with stories. Dina is a family doctor living in the melting-pot city of Haifa, Israel. Born in Australia in a Jewish enclave of Melbourne to Holocaust survivors, Dina left behind a childhood marred by misery and the tragedies of the past to build a new life for herself in the Promised Land. After starting a family of her own, she finds her life falling apart beneath the demands of her eccentric patients, a marriage starting to fray, the ever-present threat of terrorist attack and the ghost of her mother, haunting her with memories that Dina would prefer to leave on the other side of the world. Leah Kaminsky plumbs the depths of her characters’ memories, both the sweet and the heart-wrenching, reaching back in a single climactic day through six decades and across three continents to uncover a truth that could save Dina’s sanity – and her life.
My View:
Compelling, moving and societally relevant.
“Dina wasn’t there to see the ashes when the war ended, but she was born into a smoky after haze. She had never known war, but its tendrils gripped her from a young age, as she tried to make up for everyone her mother had lost. She had to be a good girl: fill her mother’s sadness with love.” In this instance Leah Kaminsky is specifically discussing the legacy of the Holocaust and the effects on the Jewish survivors, and in particular Survivors Guilt; she could however be talking about any people living in crisis, living with conflict, living in refugee camps, living with war or the survivors of war, in any region of our modern world. The effects of war and conflict are far reaching and disturbing, and time does little to ease the pain and burden of such actions.
Beautifully written, poignant, lyrical; “‘the dead were the lucky ones, you know.’ Her mother smoothes a few strands of hair back from her forehead. ‘After we were liberated, there was silence for a while.’ Dina imagines a soft sighing seeping up from the earth, melting into windless air. The murmuring of the dead. Their voices becoming a steady whisper that followed her mother everywhere.” Such sadness is articulately conveyed.
This narrative is intelligently written, haunting, evocative, explosive …unforgettable. There are lessons for us all to learn, for our politicians to hear and to note.
Reading, Writing and Riesling 
What a fascinating Holocaust topic to explore, Carol. There’ve been a lot of novels and non-fictions books about the Holocaust, but the impact on survivors, and survor’s guilt are important topics that I don’t think always get the ‘press’ they should. This sounds interesting!
Margot I was very impressed with this very intelligent and emotion filled book – based in the present influenced by the past .
Carol, I’m thrilled my novel spoke to you so profoundly. And, as you say, the message is truly a universal one. I have had so many people come up to me at events telling me the theme of trans-generational transfer of trauma resonates with them – Baha’i’s, Syrian refugees, the children of Somali victims of war, the sons and daughters of Nazi sympathisers. We need to find what binds us, not what divides us. Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm. Leah
Leah – you are very welcome – I really enjoyed your thought provoking writing.
And perhaps add the victims of domestic/family violence…
Absolutely! I just signed Rosie Batty’s petition as a matter of fact.
Another book I would love to read.
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