Running for Shelter: A True Story
Vienna, late 1930s. Curious, red-headed Inge Eisenger leads a privileged life with her glamorous, distant mother. When forced to flee from Nazi-occupied Austria to Switzerland, Inge sees her young life turned upside down. She hopes to finally connect with her mother during their escape, but her mother soon abandons her. Vulnerable and alone, Inge makes her way to Paris before reuniting with her grandmother in Central France. But even there, Inge endures one hardship after another-all while her grandmother keeps a family secret that, if revealed, could result in their whole family's demise.
Running for Shelter is written by Inge's 15-year-old granddaughter, Suzette Sheft. The gripping, true story offers a window through which young adult readers can witness the challenges of growing up during the Holocaust. As this important chapter of history fades from living memory, Inge's tale offers hope to a new generation who must also cultivate courage and determination in the face of personal and political challenges.
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"An extraordinary story of remarkable human beings living through the hell that was the Holocaust, sensitively told by the granddaughter of the heroine. Still a teenager herself, the talented Suzette Sheft manages to capture the feel of this incredible story of loss and survival, all the while giving it the voice of a young person living it in the moment." -Kristen Monroe, Chancellor's Distinguished Professor and founding Director of the University of California, Irvine, Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality
"Running for Shelter is a beautiful book that I couldn't stop reading once I started. There is no one better to tell Holocaust stories than the people who experienced it themselves or those closest to them. Sheft brings her family's history, characters, and story to life in this immersive true story which reads like a novel and will stay with you long after the last page." -Nechama Birnbaum, bestselling and award-winning author of The Redhead of Auschwitz
"Beautifully crafted, carefully researched, and altogether from the heart. In sharing the story of her grandmother's journey through the Holocaust, Suzette Sheft has emerged as an important new voice in the transmission of memory from generation to generation." -Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, Park Avenue Synagogue, Manhattan
"It is now more important than ever that we listen to, and learn from, Holocaust survivors. We must remember their stories and take time to remember those who are not able to speak for themselves. Reading the story of a survivor offers a unique opportunity to take a small and simple action, and at the same time, be part of something bigger and very meaningful. I'm grateful to Suzette for writing and sharing her incredible grandmother's story in this vital and impactful book."-Dov Forman, author of the New York Times bestseller Lily's Promise
"This is a story of a young girl coming of age in a frightening and dangerous world. It's a story of determination and hope and of holding on to your own humanity while overcoming adversity, both political and personal. Suzette Sheft chronicles her grandmother's escape from Nazi Austria with empathy and care and tells the story without embellishment or over-sentimentality. In an era fraught with antisemitism and Holocaust denial, Running for Shelter is an important contribution that sheds light on the diversity of experience in the Holocaust. It is also a work of love and a testament to the depth of Sheft's connection to her family story." -Dana Raucher, Executive Director of The Samuel Bronfman Foundation and Board Member of the Jewish Book Council
