“Can we really learn about ourselves by looking at our parents, grandparents and other family members from previous generations? That is the premise of Finding Maria: A Young Man’s Search for His Grandmother, and Himself, by Peter Szabo.
“Szabo discovers much about his relatives and their lives in this beautiful book – and, even better, so do his readers…This well-written memoir provides a glimpse of a Jewish family’s life during and after World War II in Budapest and later as Americans. It is insightful in all its settings.”
– Aaron Leibel, The Jerusalem Post, 6/15/17
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“The timeless ritual of cleaning out the apartment of a deceased grandparent becomes a moving and multi-layered history of a family, of Hungarian Jewry, of the Holocaust and communism, and of an extraordinary woman. With graceful prose and a sure sense of narrative, Peter Szabo shares his discovery of his family’s past, of their suffering and bravery, betrayals and the catastrophic loses. When the apartment is empty, the possessions distributed, and the door on one life is closed, the reader is left with memories that seem almost personal, so clearly do these lives nearly become our own.”
– Marianne Szegedy-Maszak, author of I Kiss Your Hands Many Times: Hearts, Souls, and Wars in Hungary
“This is a marvelous story that reflects upon the powerful rapport between grandson and grandmother and how that connection impacts the quality of life for both. What grandson and grandparent share in this story insures that the social isolation and loneliness that has become synonymous with many as they age is lessened and a rich cultural history is passed on to a new generation captured through the appreciation for an ‘elusive chance for friendship.’”
– Mark Meridy, Executive Director of DOROT
“In Finding Maria, Peter Szabo perceptively describes how he discovers the elusive relationship between generations and among family members. It is a story of discovery: Of family history, of the struggles of European Jewry in the Holocaust, of Jewish identity. As readers, we share in the struggle to preserve, maintain, and transmit Jewish identity, despite significant odds. The book carries a universal message, as well: How do we learn from previous generations? How is our life enriched by the experiences of our forebears? With great skill, Szabo teaches us how we can live in the past and in the present at the same time.”
– Rabbi Fred Reiner, author of Standing at Sinai, and Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Sinai, Washington, D.C.
“While neither Szabo or his grandmother are simple characters, he has chosen to tell the story in simple prose. That does not mean, however, that the prose is not beautiful because it is and it takes you away. I believe that in its simplicity the story comes across as more honest and most intense.”
“I was impressed by the author’s tremendous empathy.”
– Donald Harrison, Editor, San Diego Jewish World
“This is a touching story linking together two diverse generations where the hidden strength and historical background of the matriarchal survivor serves as the loving moral model for the author.”
– Aron Row, San Francisco Book Review