BECAUSE OF EVA - Biography

REVIEWS

Every once in a while, a book emerges that is both the story of one family and Every Family, a book that is written with artistry and the talents of a gifted storyteller, a book that is truly a reflection of the unfolding of Jewish experience...." -- Arthur Kurzweil, renowned genealogist and author of From Generation to Generation.

"Gordon frames her work in the form of tales, looking for, discovering, and retelling stories, historical events, and personal experiences of the past.... She tells tales of change, trauma, horror, and fulfillment which have determined the world of three generations of her Jewish family." --Zsuzsanna Ozsvath, Leah and Paul Lewis Chair of Holocaust Studies, University of Texas, Dallas.

"This braided narrative tells the story of Susan Gordon's search for a grandfather, his niece, her own father, and ultimately herself. At the core lies a myth that no one in the family died in the Holocaust.... Gordon's search for Eva is the search for connection and meaning.... Part memoir, part scholarly treatment, BECAUSE OF EVA includes an extensive bibliography and end notes." --Barbara Krasner, for Association of Jewish Libraries.

"In BECAUSE OF EVA, Gordon offers an insightful look at the lifelong implications divorce thrusts upon children. It is a thoughtful and compelling look at how divorce shapes identity and creates a prism through which one's life experiences become viewed." --Brette Sember, author of How To Parent With Your Ex.

"Gordon's research on the historical context of her relatives' lives, and her exploration of family secrets and myths will be models for the genealogical community. With useful descriptions that are both interesting and instructive, she captures the rollercoaster process of uncertainty and discovery that all researchers encounter. Even after 40 years of doing research, I myself learned from her experience."--Renee Stern Steinig, genealogist and past president of Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island, NY.

"This is an unflinching, honest and brave memoir, a woman's journey to come to terms with her family's shattered history." --Amy Hill Hearth, author of In a World Gone Mad.

Biography

Susan J. Gordon writes personal essays and articles about genealogy and the Holocaust, marriage and family life, parenting, seasonal and national holidays, and travel. Her book, WEDDING DAYS: When and How Great Marriages Began, is about the courtships and marriages of famous couples throughout history. Her award-winning book, BECAUSE OF EVA: A Jewish Genealogical Journey, was inspired by mysterious photographs, mysterious (and missing) people in her family, and plain old curiosity!

Susan's work has been published in many nationally known magazines including Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Parents, Victoria (as Writer-in-Residence), and newspapers including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, the Jewish Forward, and the Jewish Week. Some of her pieces have been reprinted in DOROT, Gesher Galicia and other Jewish genealogy journals, Reader's Digest, The Quiet Center (Hearst), Sharing the Journey: Women Reflecting on Life's Passages (Sterling), and Chicken Soup for the Soul books. And now, dozens of these pieces have been published in COUNTING HEADS: The Collected Works of Susan J. Gordon, published in 2024.

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Author Susan J. Gordon

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Praise from Listeners Attending Susan's Author Talks

D.R. - "It held my interest like a detective story. I was totally intrigued!" S.W.O. - "Susan's talk was extremely moving and inspiring. People all around me were buzzing afterwards, impressed by what she had done, and vowing to do more ourselves.... My hunt for family has languished - now I'll go back and do more!" G.R.G. - "Riveting talk, entertaining and engaging from beginning to end!" L.E. -"Susan, you did a mitzvah last night - by sharing your story with such warmth and sincerity, you empowered all of us in the audience to ask our own questions about our families. You played it forward (and Eva would be proud!" L.A. - "Gordon is a wonderful storyteller and an inspiration to those who have a story to tell."

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