Focusing on the novels and films of daughters and sons of Holocaust survivors, this book sheds light on the relationship between the Holocaust and contemporary Jewish identity. It is the first systematic analysis of a body of work that introduces a new generation of Jewish writers and filmmakers, as well as revealing how the survivors' legacy is shaping -- and being shaped by -- the second generation.

Carefully studying the work of these contemporary children of Job, Berger demonstrates how the offspring, like the survivors themselves, represent a variety of orientations to Judaism, have significant theological differences, and share the legacy of the Shoah. Berger clearly shows that members of the second generation participate fully in both the American and Jewish dimensions of their identity and articulates distinctive second-generation theological and psychosocial themes.

"It is the most comprehensive analysis of material on the second generation. Alan Berger shows an excellent, comprehensive knowledge of American literary work on the subject as well as the mainstream major critical analysis of the material". -- Yaffa Eliach, author/creator of the Tower of Life at the U.S. Holocausts Memorial Museum