Author stands by stories of Auschwitz survivors
HEATHER Morris had never written a novel before she met
Lale Sokolov. He was a Holocaust survivor who, before his death, entrusted his story of survival and love in Morris.
She went on to release her debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz last year. It was a story that took the world by storm, sitting in The New York Times topthree sellers list for 20 weeks, getting printed in 40 languages, and fielding rave reviews alongside earnest criticism.
This week, she announced plans to release a sequel, telling the story of another Auschwitz survivor. In the face of widespread criticism from Holocaust historians, Morris tells Stuff she won’t stop at two books. She has more personal stories to tell, from others who survived those concentration camps.
Already, the upcoming release has faced criticism.
The Auschwitz Memorial issued a lengthy critique of her debut novel, saying it contained ‘‘numerous errors and information inconsistent with the facts, as well as exaggerations’’.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey are both advertised as historical fiction, rather than non-fiction. Her second novel, out in September, will tell the story of Cilka Kaufmannova´ . As a teenager, she was imprisoned in Auschwitz and, as Morris wrote in her first novel, she was raped by the SS guards and became a sex slave to the camp commandant.
Morris says she has no regrets about how her novels are researched. ‘‘They’re Lale’s memories, they’re his stories. This is not the story of the Holocaust. It is a Holocaust story,’’ she says.