Pictures of the Past by Deby Eisenberg review

Join Deby Eisenberg, author of the historical fiction, Pictures of the Past (Studio House Literary), as she virtually tours the blogosphere February 6 – 29 2012 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Deby Eisenberg

As the leader of an established Chicago area Book Club, Deby Eisenberg challenged herself to write a novel that her avid readers could not put down and would love to discuss. With a Masters Degree from the University of Chicago, she is a former English teacher and journalist. Inspired by so many wonderful books and formidable authors, and drawing on her love of literary research, art, architecture, Jewish history, and travel in the United States and Europe, she tried to envision a multi-generational love story that would inform as well as entertain, that would broaden the mind and open the heart. Deby and her husband Michael, an obstetrician-gynecologist, live in Riverwoods, Illinois. They have three grown children and two grandchildren.

Her latest book is the historical fiction novel, Pictures of the Past.

You can visit her website at www.debyeisenberg.com.

About Pictures of the Past

First-time novelist Deby Eisenberg hits the ground running with PICTURES OF THE PAST, an epic family and historical saga, sweeping through Chicago, Paris and Berlin, reliving events from pre-World War II Europe, but beginning in contemporary times.  An Impressionist painting, hanging for decades in the Art Institute of Chicago and donated by the charismatic philanthropist Taylor Woodmere, is challenged by an elderly woman as a Nazi theft.

Mary Lignor of Book Pleasures says, “This novel is one of the most intriguing and beautiful books that I have ever read.  The ending of this book will touch your heart… The writing is first class.”

Taylor’s story takes the reader to 1937.  Sent to Paris on family business, he reluctantly leaves his girlfriend, Emily, a spoiled debutante from Newport, Rhode Island.  But once in Europe, he immediately falls in love – first with an Henri Lebasque painting, and then with the enchanting Sarah Berger of Berlin.  After Taylor returns home, the Berger family becomes trapped in the Nazi web, and any attempts for the new lovers to be reunited are thwarted.

Interwoven with this narrative is the story of Rachel Gold, a beautiful and bright Chicago girl caught up in the times of the late 1960’s.  Pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend Court Woodmere, Taylor’s son, she moves to New York to live with her aunt, a Holocaust survivor.  Years later, as the controversy surrounding the provenance of the painting becomes public, Rachel’s grown son is disturbed by his inexplicable familiarity with the work of art.  And it is only Taylor Woodmere who can unravel the complicated puzzle of their lives.

As a Book Club leader for the past sixteen years, Eisenberg came to understand the kinds of stories that grabbed her group and she challenged herself to write a novel that her avid readers could not put down and would love to discuss.

The result was PICTURES OF THE PAST.

My Thoughts:

It is amazing to me that something that is an idea can evolve into a wonderful story. I admire an author that can take the idea and run with it. That to me is what Pictures of the Past is, a very well researched story that may be fiction but certainly could have been very real. A story told in different times, before and during WWII, in the 70's, 80's and then in the 2000's. With the different time frames and characters you would think the story would be confusing throughout but that is not the case. The story comes together seamlessly by the ending. To me that is the mark of a great author, to be able to keep the reader interested to the final page. Pictures of the Past tells the story of how war affects all those involved. How a race of people can be so bitter and hateful towards the Jews is beyond my scope of understanding.. I know this has all happened but the atrocities that were perpetuated are just beyond comprehension. The time and research involved can definitely be seen in the writing, the characters the reader can relate to and a story well worth the time to read. An amazing debut novel from Deby Eisenberg.I loved this story and highly recommend it. I hope to read more of Ms. Eisenberg's work.

Thank you to Pump Up Your Book and the author for providing me with a copy for my review. I was not monetarily compensated for my review.