The Shawl

The first edition from Alfred A. Knopf of Cynthia Ozick’s acclaimed novella, which intertwines Holocaust memory with moral and spiritual questions. It is considered one of her finest works

This first edition from Alfred A. Knopf showcases one of Cynthia Ozick's most acclaimed works. The novella, originally published as a short story, represents Ozick's powerful engagement with Holocaust memory and moral complexity.

The story follows Rosa Lublin, a Holocaust survivor whose infant daughter was killed in a concentration camp. Thirty years later, Rosa lives in obsessive memory of her daughter and the shawl that had provided comfort during their imprisonment. The narrative moves between the concentration camp experience and Rosa's present-day existence in Miami, exploring how trauma shapes identity and memory.

The Shawl is considered one of the finest pieces of Holocaust literature, notable for its poetic intensity and moral complexity. Ozick's work addresses questions of survival, memory, and the possibility of representing extreme suffering through art. The novella has become essential reading in Holocaust studies and contemporary Jewish literature.

Ozick initially wrote The Shawl as a short story, later expanding it with the companion piece Rosa. The work established Ozick as a major voice in American Jewish literature and Holocaust representation. The story's power lies in its combination of lyrical language with unflinching examination of historical trauma. Critics have praised Ozick's ability to address the Holocaust without exploiting or diminishing its horror.