The life and stories of a Jewish family who after escaping persecution found themselves in northern England. A very detailed account of the lives and times of the author’s large family, their trials and tribulations and how they came to make a new life in England. At times harrowing, sometimes comical but always informative. Well worth reading and a huge reminder of man’s inhumanity to their fellow humans.

I loved this and so happy it got the traction to be on here. I loved the supposed mundanity especially as somebody who this is new to.

As the title tells us, this is the story of a provincial Jewish family. As the author began to think about her family history she began to discover more and more and realised that their story would be of interest not only within the family but to the outside world as well. The result is a wonderful chronicle of the various and varied stories that make up her family’s often difficult and troubled past. It’s a fascinating account and makes for some great reading.

This is a social history which preserves important legacies beyond the family to which it directly relates. All histories touching on the Holocaust are important and seeing the impact over generations serves as a useful insight into how such experiences shape the lives of others. I loved the details.

This was a fascinating dive into the family tree of Judy Simons. She traces her ancestors as their Jewish faith sees them persecuted in Russia and Eastern Europe and they converge in Britain, creating new lives for themselves and building history and family here. Simons picks up most of the threads in the late 1800's and brings us, in the last chapter, into her life and times. This reminded me of a written version of the television series, A House in Time. It has that anecdotal quality, that fascinating glimpse into the many lives that go to make up the life of the woman who writes. It's a celebration and an exploration. I loved it.

A detailed memoir and history of Jewish families in the north of England, this book is clearly written with love and pride. However, none of the figures or their stories are made particularly compelling, and the writing shows sings of outdatedness and judgement I am uncomfortable with, for example describing sex workers as "whores" and assuming they have poor morals and are unclean. This might be useful for someone studying the Jewish communities of the North, but overall it seems more of a book written for family members than the general public.

This was a well-written and interesting book. I am a woman of Ashkenazi Jewish background, with great grandparents who came to the US at the beginning of the 20th century to escape the pograms in Eastern Europe. I have recently been looking at some genealogical websites and am regretting that I don’t know more details about my ancestors. So, I was quite interested in reading Simons’ story about her own family’s similar history.

Although I did enjoy this book, I felt less connected with this story than I had anticipated. I expected a history that, while specific to her family, still felt like a stand-in for the experiences of many who fled persecution by the Russians. Instead, it felt more as if I was reading a book that had been written specifically for and about her family, and I found that slightly disappointing.

Thanks to Troubadour Publishing for providing me with an advanced reading copy via NetGalley.

Judy Simons began writing her memoirs to give her grandchildren an insight into her childhood & the 1950's world she grew up in, but along the way it turned into so much more.
From bits of paper, faded photographs & envelopes containing documents tucked away in the back of her mother's cupboards, Judy started to reflect on her parents lives, her grandparents lives, and those of other family members, and found herself drawn into their stories and wanting to know more about their lives.

"Perhaps all family histories are made up of secrets and lies. Why should mine be any different?"

Overall this was a fascinating insight into one family's history over the last 125 years, and the easy to read, chatty style made it flow easily. The family anecdotes have been supplemented with extensive research, the stories behind the photographs have been uncovered and together they all blend to provide us with a fascinating & very personal insight into Jewish history that is as relevant to those outside the family & the Jewish community as within it.

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#TheNorthernLine #NetGalley #BookReview

A detailed and well-written look at the history of a jewish family that put down roots in the UK.

The tale starts off in the Pale and ends up in Sheffield. The family is indeed fortunate to be in England.

We read about their customs and experiences with violence and the people escaping the Nazi regime.

As the years roll by, the story unfolds with many characters such as the sweet-toothed Auntie Rita,, clothing

housing,, the advent of television and a secret marriage,

The book is original and gives an enjoyable insight into past lives.

"Perhaps all family histories are made up of secrets and lies. Why should mine be any different?" "Lies and secrets. Secrets and lies." So many sentences and thoughts in this book captured me but this...this in my opinion is the essence of this book, along with triumphs as well. My notes for this book are so numerous...how can one sum up such power and fascinating history and people in one little review?! Judy Simons starts out in the late 1800s and ends up in current times. We follow her amazing and poignant story told in such a way it feels like having tea with a friend.

Kudos to the author for taking her family history to the next level to preserve it for her family and strangers, readers like me who are keen to learn more about history through ordinary (extraordinary, really) people. The information here is absolutely riveting. The author discovers diaries and other documents and keepsakes which cause her to delve deeply into her past, learning so much, yet leaving unanswered questions. The more you learn, the more you wish to learn! I have read so many books about Jews' lives over the past two centuries and every single time discover things previously unknown to me, such as buffer girls.

Judy Simons gives us the outlay of the land, geographically and socially, in the Victorian era and includes information on pogroms, her Jewish family's horrors as some are left to fend for themselves at a young age, placed into asylums, die as babies, face scandals, are killed in camps, live in loneliness. My heart aches reading this as these are real people. Simons' father's life especially is full of tragedy and pain. A few of my personal favourite stories (there are so many!) include the hidden diamonds, the secret marriage certificate and the vintage dinner service. As a cook it's always interesting to read about food...and there are many descriptions here, even in times of extreme poverty, stretching every single shred of food into meals.

I hadn't heard of the skating tragedy. The concentration camp stories are horrendous, of course, but I was really rooting for Harry's survival. Such sadness and heartache throughout the book. I like the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Very apt. Ill treatment as children, losing family members, moving from place to place affected most of them so badly. A few were able to go on to live "normal" lives but many ended badly.

If you have any interest in learning more about Jewish history over the last 125 or so years written in a very personal and well-researched way, please read this sobering yet essential book. Photographs really added an intimate feel. It encourages reflection and introspection and considering our families, secrets, lies and misunderstandings in a non-judgmental way.

My sincere thank you to Troubador Publishing Ltd. and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this beautifully compelling book in exchange for an honest review.