Pocket of Guilt

By Dora Lee Thompson

The Schulz family, all members of the Mormon church, is trying to survive in Germany, during and after WWII. When Hitler invades Poland and the war officially begins, the family is quickly feeling its... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1589824903
• ISBN13: 9781589824904
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: American Book Publishing Group
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.5" x 4.8"

Customer Reviews

A pocket full of interesting reading

Dora Lee Thompson's Pocket of Guilt concerns a fictional German family living in the Mannheim area during WWII and its aftermath. The principal character, Dieter Schulz, is ten years old when war begins in 1939, lending a "coming of age" quality to the story; but that is not its main point. A more fundamental theme is his precariously middle-class family's struggle to survive constant raids by British and American bombers, life among the rubble, and dietary deprivation. Dieter's family also resents and fears Hitler's tyranny but, of course, must keep their opinions secret from the Gestapo--and from informers, always close at hand. Adding to their complex life is the fact that they are "Mormons" (that is, Latter Day Saints). This is very interesting. I was not aware that there was a considerable Mormon element in early and mid-20th Century Germany, and I would like to learn more about when, how, and why Mormonism reached that country. It appears that the Nazis did not outright persecute Mormons, but scorned them even more than they scorned other kinds of Christians. The Schulz family risks what little they have to hide a Jewish orphan boy from the Nazis. The author includes a chronology of Nazi anti-Semitism, even though persecution of the Jews is a minor aspect of her story. The book's title reflects another, even more fundamental, theme: the family's, especially Dieter's, moral ambivalence and resulting guilt feelings. They despise Nazism, yet seem to regard service in the German Army (and/or its civilian auxiliaries)as normal, honorable, and even a source of pride; defending their country is good even though that means, in effect, defending Nazi tyranny. They sometimes seem to regard the advancing American armies as potential liberators, yet at other times seem to fear losing the War. Yet the greatest moral ambivalence derives from the conflict between the family's strict ethical code and the necessity to compromise that code in order to keep on living in the worst days of the War and the immediate post-war period. The whole family must take part in the black market for the sake of food, while Dieter and his brother resort to theft of food, shoes, and other items. Such moral ambivalence adds depth to the book's characters. It would be interesting to learn more about how Dieter's church dealt with his guilt and quest for forgiveness. For me to say more about Dieter's life would "spoil" the book's ending, indeed, much of the "middle" as well. I will simply say that the Schulzes, above all Dieter, are decent people trapped in horror, yet buoyed on by their faith and their strong family ties. Apart from the Nazi regime itself, there is only one major villain in this book, and even he has only a few scenes--though the last one packs quite a wallop. Yet the story does not depend on its villain to propel itself forward; it would be interesting enough even without him. Pocket of Guilt is, in effect, a biography, a famil

Historical Fiction Done Right

A very engaging read. Right from the first page, the reader is pulled into the narrative and enticed along the plotline. Characters are enlivened by masterful deployment of the writer's craft. One is quickly brought to an empathetic relationship with the main character, not by manipulation, but because we recognize ourselves in their thoughts and motivations. An authentic sense of time and place is effortlessly achieved as the great convulsions of history take on a human face. What could it have been like, trying to survive as a young boy in Nazi Germany during the war? The question is answered as if by a close friend who has lived through those times personally. Kudos for a debut novel.

Excellent Adventure

I highly recommend this book to anyone, there is something for everyone. The charicters are well written and you feel as thoguh you are there with them. You follow a family through their struggle to survive in unimaginable cercumstances. I felt like I was part of their lives and that I got a small taste of what it must have been like to live through the war. There was more than once that I was in suspence to find out what heppend next.

Pocket of Guilt

A very riveting story using personal viewpoints from characters that are very colorful and believable. It is based loosely on a true story and is a very clever mix of religion and moral upbringing from a young boy's perspective. Set in Germany, it details the charcters lives and thoughts in a war torn country that is starving and desperate. You come away with a deep sense of how frightening those times were and how courageous these people were because the author is a master storyteller and brings the characters to life before your very eyes. You connect and feel compassion for them. As you read, you begin to understand the character and strength that comes from overcoming great adversity. When finished, it leaves you wanting a sequel. Well done!

Mystery,Youth, and Hope in WWII

The characters are so fully drawn in the story that I want to meet them and ask my own questions about their lives. It brings to life what it was to be young and caught in a war. I have always read about the war from our side, perhaps not understanding that all Germans were not Nazis. The twists in the story held me and I kept reading. All of the background research about WWII was completely accurate and made the story live. Those who will enjoy the book are: those interested in the history of the times, those interested in German,Jewish,or Mormon heritage, and young adults as it is a coming of age story. In fact high school history teachers would find it a good book to teach WWII to their students.