Words of Witness: The Fiction of Elie Wiesel by Léonard Rosmarin

An awesome look into the life of Elie who I had the pleasure of meeting many years ago. Kudos to my friend Leonard and his wife Beatrice , my JGH nurse classmate for a story that is important for all of us to remember during this
uneasy time we now live in.

In Words of Witness: The Fiction of Elie Wiesel, Léonard Rosmarin offers a highly insightful examination of Elie Wiesel’s literary contributions. This book resonates with depth and emotional power. The author carefully navigates through Wiesel’s novels, offering not only an analysis but also a celebration of Wiesel’s ability to weave personal history with universal questions of humanity.
Ultimately, Words of Witness is a thoughtful and carefully researched literary gem. It adds layers of understanding to Wiesel’s profound literary legacy and invites readers into the world of one of the 20th century’s most powerful voices, offering a deeper look at his exploration of human resilience, suffering, and the responsibility of memory.

Leonard Rosmarin is a renowned scholar of French literature whose expertise goes beyond French to include a deep appreciation of the oeuvre of Elie Wiesel. In Words of Witness, Professor Rosmarin outlines the stories in Wiesel's complete works along with a searching analyses of each one. The analyses are profound and revealing as he traces the trajectory of the novels from the earlier works, which are more hopeful, to the later works which are more resigned, welcoming not the Messiah of religious tradition, but rather the Messiah in each of us.
This is an important book for those seeking an introduction to the novels of Elie Wiesel as well as those familiar with his work and looking to explore the novels in depth.
Professor Paul Socken
Distinguished Professor Emeritus
University of Waterloo

Having no prior experience with Elie Wiesel's fiction oeuvre, I was surprised and impressed that Leonard Rosmarin's examinations of each work made me feel quite versed in each novel's story. Wiesel's overarching theme of dealing with darkness, then gradually moving into the light was well demonstrated by Rosmarin's plain but eloquent language. As well, he compellingly shows us through Wiesel's characters that the Messiah resides in and is actually all of us. It serves to deepen this Jewish reader's own pride in her history, culture, and religion.
Rosmarin is to be commended for his thoughtful and diligent work regarding such an important 20th century author.