Surviving The Nazi Holocaust - A First Person Account By Author Alice Rene In 'Becoming Alice, A Memoir'

SUPPLY, NC, August 12, 2011 (Press-News.org) Words can never describe the horrors the Nazi regime brought down upon the human race. Words will never do justice to the suffering imposed upon millions of Jewish victims and their families. Words can, however, show us how to move beyond hatred and death. They can show us how to go beyond survival to acceptance, and how we can learn to apply the lessons learned from such circumstances in our own lives today. Alice Rene has written those words in her memoir, 'Becoming Alice'.

"I wrote this book," stated Ms. Rene, "because my grandson chose to write about the holocaust to fulfill a school assignment and interviewed me as an expert on the subject. He knew I was born in Vienna and survived Nazi oppression, but not much else since I hardly ever spoke about it. I didn't want my children and grandchildren to feel themselves victims because they are Jewish. I wrote 'Becoming Alice' to show them and others how I, despite my background, came to consider myself just like any other person who can enjoy life to its fullest."

'Becoming Alice, A Memoir' is a true story in which a child tells us how she survives the holocaust. Overcoming horrific hatred, life threatening danger, and a harrowing escape, Ilse must choose her life's path.

Ilse's odyssey ends in Portland, Oregon. Traumatized by these events and being different from other children as a refugee, she struggles to fit into the American landscape. She suffers even more distress because of the discord between her troubled family: an overbearing father, a stressed mother, and a rebellious brother. Ilse, now called Alice, refuses to become a victim of the holocaust and takes a path to a better place.

Writer's Digest Magazine called the book ' . . . a magnificent memoir and an impressive, courageous piece of work.' Midwest Book Review stated that 'Becoming Alice" is '. . . a deftly written memoir that will hold the reader's attention from beginning to end.' Saginaw Valley State University is using the book as part of the curriculum in an intercultural communication and identity course.

"'Becoming Alice'", Ms. Rene continued, "is a book which will appeal to readers who come from all different walks of life. It has found meaning for adolescents who feel they don't fit in and aren't accepted by their peers. It is an inspiration for people who have problems they think they cannot overcome. It illustrates that there is a positive life for them once they have survived their problems."

In the tradition of 'The Diary of Anne Frank', 'Becoming Alice' is destined to become more than just a book. For while it is a story of one Jewish girl's journey from darkness to light, the lessons it offers apply to all of us. It is a tale that will inspire anyone to take the path beyond survival to be able to enjoy life's bounty.

Alice Rene is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at alicerene1@aol.com. 'Becoming Alice, A Memoir' is available at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com and at BooksAMillion.com as a paperback and also as Kindle and Nook book. More information is available at Alice Rene's website.

Alice Rene grew up in Portland, Oregon and attended Reed College before moving to California where she received a Master's degree in Social Welfare from the University of California at Berkeley. She worked as a Medical Caseworker at UC Hospital in San Francisco, teaching the house staff the importance of social and emotional issues in understanding and treating patients.

She began writing seriously after a grandson interviewed her for a high school history assignment. She realized then that her story might be of interest to a wider audience. After studying the art and craft of writing for several years, she wrote her memoir, 'Becoming Alice'. She now lives in southern California with her husband and is working on her next book.