“The Last Let­ter makes a sin­gu­lar con­tri­bu­tion to the field of lit­er­ary schol­ar­ship on the Shoah. ... draw­ing on schol­ar­ship about anti­semitism, psy­cho­analy­sis, and the Shoah, as well as her own fam­i­ly his­to­ry….her writ­ing is adroit and often art­ful….Karen Baum Gor­don cites William Faulkner’s guid­ing truth: “The past is nev­er dead. It’s not even past.” Her work makes clear how much val­ue we can gain from out­stand­ing explorato­ry research, ably guid­ed by this time­less truism.”
— Pro­fes­sor Arthur B. Shostak, Sociologist and former Professor of Sociology, for The Jewish Book Council

“The Last Letter is a compelling and beautifully written illustration of how individual family stories are critical to the ongoing and evolving process of Holocaust remembrance…”
— William H. Weitzer, John H. Slade
Executive Director, Leo Baeck Institute

“…Allowing herself intimacy and trepidation in her reflections, Karen Baum Gordon offers one of the central intellectual challenges of Jewish existence in the aftermath of the Holocaust…”
— Rabbi Prof. Dr. Walter Homolka, Rector,
Abraham Geiger College

“In this haunting and remarkable book, Karen Baum Gordon reminds us that the Holocaust is a story that remains with us...”
— Michael Shapiro, Professor of Journalism,
Columbia Journalism School

“…Rudy and his family come to life in vivid letters and photographs, giving us a window into daily life for Jews in Nazi Germany.”
— Susannah Heschel, Chair of Jewish Studies Program, Dartmouth College