Chava Nissimov

Truly an artistic experience, the short, concise poems in this collection are composed of the memory fragments of a girl who grew up in the shadow of war and persecution. The journey begins with a small baby covered with flakes of whitewash when a bomb explodes beside her. Born into an intolerable and lawless world, this "white baby" relates the tale of a childhood in which "hide and seek" is life's reality and not a game, and the word "mother" is both a luxury and longing. The book's subtle and delicate language reflects a difficult and isolated reality and is accompanied by illustrations which complete the somber, dream-like atmosphere.