Author:Harry Bernstein
Harry Bernstein was born into a world of hardship and suffering in a northern mill town, in the shadow of the First World War.
His brutish father spends what little he earns at the tailoring shop on drink, while his devoted mother survives on her dreams - that new shoes might secure Harry's admission to a fancy school, that her daughter might marry well, and that one day they might all escape this grinding poverty for the paradise of America.
But as the years go by, life for the Bernsteins on their narrow cobbled street remains a daily struggle to make ends meet. For young Harry though, most distressing are his fears for his adored elder sister Lily, who is risking all by pursuing a forbidden love...
An exceptional book
—— GuardianA compelling narrative of childhood survival ... the tale has a freshness, a vitality and a relentless energy ... extraordinarily powerful. The Invisible Wall is a triumph of the human spirit over multi-faceted adversity.
—— Daily MailExtraordinary ... spare, uncomplicated, and terribly vivid for it
—— Independent[A] heart-wrenching memoir ... the setting, beautifully rendered, recalls early DH Lawrence. It is a world of pain and prejudice, evoked in spare, restrained prose that brilliantly illuminates a time, a place and a family struggling valiantly to beat impossible odds. As an emotional experience and a vivid retelling of the author's past, it exerts uncommon power.
—— New York TimesA remarkable memoir ... vivid, compassionate and notably unsentimental
—— Times Literary Supplement[An] affecting debut ... the nonagenarian gives voice to a childhood version of himself who witnesses his older sister's love for a Christian boy break down the invisible wall that kept Jewish families from Christians across the street. Yet when major world events touch the poverty-stricken block, the individual coming-of-age is intensified without being trivialized, and the conversational account takes on the heft of a historical novel with stirring success.
—— Publishers WeeklyA fascinating, poignant story ... which leaves one with a sense of hope
—— William Woodruff, author of The Road to Nab EndA superb story ... A delightful, fascinating read which held me spell-bound throughout.
—— Billy Hopkins, author of Our KidBesides surmounting Ararat, the feat achieved by Westerman is aligning his style with the nature of religion
—— Scotland on SundayAn ambitious and attractive book. Its tone is learned, thoughtful and usually intimate...a finely balanced and well-told experiment that will echo with many readers
—— IndependentThis year, its moving, sly, terrified grappling with the approach of extinction overwhelmed me
—— Andro Linklater , Spectator, Books of the YearA rather beautiful account of the birth and evolution of Islam ... Lucid and illuminating ... Fascinating
—— MetroAslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies ... as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam ... Sensitive and generous
—— FT MagazineEnthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit
—— Jim Crace
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