Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy

FREE & Open to the Community
 

Shanda / shan · da / Yiddish שאַנדע (noun): Shame, disgrace

Marital misery, abandoned children, religious transgressions, sexual identity, radical politics, and supposedly embarrassing illnesses are revealed through Letty Cottin Pogrebin’s exploration of the hidden lives of her parents and relatives—revealing truths never discussed before.

By unmasking their charades and disguises, Pogrebin showcases her family’s remarkable talent for reinvention in a narrative that is by turns, touching, searing, and surprisingly universal. Everyone’s family harbors secrets, but Pogrebin’s story may make you question why some of those are secrets at all.

"With wit, erudition, and searing honesty, Shanda unfolds like a riveting mystery novel—you can't stop reading until the very end. A powerful subject, treated with sensitivity and grace."
 - Francine Klagsbrun, author of "Lioness: Golda Meir" and the "Nation of Israel"