summer with Harry

My daughter Katie finds the most interesting things. This summer she introduced me to author Harry Bernstein, who published his first book at age 96! Not only that, two more books were published before his death this year at age 101.

Harry was born in England in 1910. His first memoir, The Invisible Wall, details his early life in a poverty-stricken Jewish family. In the face of extreme hardship, Harry's mother Ada managed to raise six children, despite the brutal abuse and neglect of her husband. A central theme is the stark division between Jewish and Christian families on the Bernsteins' street.

The family emigrated to the United States in 1922, and then begins The Dream, Harry's subsequent book, in which he describes his family's life as immigrants in Chicago. It includes the beginnings of his love story as he meets his wife, Ruby.

Harry had been a writer all his life, though with little success at publication. It was Ruby's death that prompted him to spill his vivid memories and heart into writing these memoirs. Harry writes about his 67-year marriage to Ruby in The Golden Willow, published in 2009.

From reading the first two books, I came away realizing it is never, ever too late to pursue a passion. The world discovered Harry in the nick of time. And Harry didn't ignore his passion to write.