The Journey, by H.G. Adler, is a very intense, yet poetically written book. It is a book that is difficult to describe, and even more difficult to pen my thoughts on, due to its format.

This Holocaust story revolves around a Jewish family, the Lustigs, with Dr. Leopold Lustig being the family patriarch. The Lustigs are part of a round up of the Jewish community in Stupart to be sent to a walled-in town, which at some point is turned into both a concentration camp and a transit camp. The reader is witness to their initial thoughts, and from there, begins a journey of the unknown, a journey of anxiety and fear, a journey of what-ifs.

Adler raises many questions to the reader. The issue of possessions is strong, and what they mean and symbolize in our lives. “Everything is packed tight, and there’s wisdom in bundling everything together in defiance of what’s ordered, because one’s possessions are themselves an expression of human nature, as only humans can possess something. But possessions are also obsessions, and soon they will be more powerful than those who possess them, since things reveal how they came to be possessed.” The owners are having their possessions taken from them, and the instigators are exuding greed. It gives food to ponder on an intense and compelling level.

So much of an individual’s identity is wrapped up in their possessions. The possessions often define who we are/our identity, and how we are perceived by others. The Journey is also a story that illuminates the journey of understanding our place in life, where we reside, and our place in the world, not only during a given period of history, but also including post Holocaust.

The victims in The Journey are not given a status of entitlement. What is apparent is the issue of reinventing one’s Self in order to survive the horrific situations they find themselves in. What do we value? What are our values and ethics? The development of the characters begins to change, as their lives are diminished in value, and their possessions are removed from their lives.

Adler writes with what might appear to be a disjointed perspective, as he infuses the characters emotions into the story. One must read carefully and slowly, as characters change quickly within the pages. The individuals jump from one issue to another, one mindset to another. But, this is the beauty of his masterful writing. The reader is able to get into the minds of each individual in the Lustig family. It is as if we are inside their heads, as their rambling and fearful thoughts stream from one issue to another, second by second, minute by minute, exacerbated by events and individuals surrounding them.

The scent of the unknown, the deprivation, the fear, and so much more, are all prevalent throughout the book. The format is not only interesting and unique, but works extremely well with what Adler is trying to project. His writing is poetic, often seemingly lyrical, and his attention to detail is strong, within the pages of The Journey. It is not an extremely uplifting book within its overall content, but one that does hold the promise of illumination. H.G. Adler brings a spark of hope to the reader, from out of the depths of one of the the worst possible scenarios.

After all, aren’t we are all on a continuous journey, our lives ever changing to fit our our circumstances?
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Jew Wishes…Peace to you all.
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Sunday February 8, 2009 – 14th of Sh’vat, 5769