White Walls

A beautiful memoir...[It] tells the story of mother-daughter relationships in a way that is fresh, honest, sad, and funny all at the same time. --Bustle A 'Mom Must-Read. --Parents Batalion is a talented writer who balances the ups and downs, shares humor and heartbreak. Her sentences are beautiful: sometimes emotional, sometimes making you laugh out loud. --Mayim Bialik on GrokNation.com (inaugural book club pick) Told in a style that is anxiously charming, Batalion's memoir asks what it means to love both our parents and to be free from their wreckage. --Los Angeles Review of Books Beautifully written...White Walls is a sophisticated, daring take on the effects of the Holocaust, and Batalion represents an important voice on contemporary Jewish identity. --The Jerusalem Post A gorgeously textured, beautifully crafted book that touches the heart, tenderly, with laughter and with wonder, even as it reminds us of the strange, unyielding, often magical force of family in our lives. --Jay Neugeboren, author of Imagining Robert and Transforming Madness Honest, difficult, and perfect. Batalion's sharp wit and hard-earned wisdom provide the reader with hope that we can all somehow find it in ourselves to embrace the inevitable chaos and change that comes with living an imperfect life. --Nicole Knepper, LCPC, author of Moms Who Drink and Swear Sharp, quick, funny, but the kind of funny that sometimes has you feeling kicked in the stomach and teary with the delight of recognition...Part Nora Ephron, part Woody Allen. --Honor Moore, author of The Bishop's Daughter This is a modern woman's look at how we construct who we are--both through conscious, painstaking effort, as well as through acknowledging and embracing the comforting, familiar, and routine flows of our family histories. --Library Journal A beautiful memoir [It] tells the story of mother-daughter relationships in a way that is fresh, honest, sad, and funny all at the same time. Bustle A Mom Must-Read. Parents Batalion is a talented writer who balances the ups and downs, shares humor and heartbreak. Her sentences are beautiful: sometimes emotional, sometimes making you laugh out loud. Mayim Bialik on GrokNation.com (inaugural book club pick) Told in a style that is anxiously charming, Batalion s memoir asks what it means to love both our parents and to be free from their wreckage. Los Angeles Review of Books Beautifully written White Walls is a sophisticated, daring take on the effects of the Holocaust, and Batalion represents an important voice on contemporary Jewish identity. The Jerusalem Post A gorgeously textured, beautifully crafted book that touches the heart, tenderly, with laughter and with wonder, even as it reminds us of the strange, unyielding, often magical force of family in our lives. Jay Neugeboren, author of Imagining Robert and Transforming Madness Honest, difficult, and perfect. Batalion s sharp wit and hard-earned wisdom provide the reader with hope that we can all somehow find it in ourselves to embrace the inevitable chaos and change that comes with living an imperfect life. Nicole Knepper, LCPC, author of Moms Who Drink and Swear Sharp, quick, funny, but the kind of funny that sometimes has you feeling kicked in the stomach and teary with the delight of recognition Part Nora Ephron, part Woody Allen. Honor Moore, author of The Bishop s Daughter This is a modern woman s look at how we construct who we are both through conscious, painstaking effort, as well as through acknowledging and embracing the comforting, familiar, and routine flows of our family histories. Library Journal More than a marvelous coming-of-age tale of one woman s journey toward motherhood, White Walls is a delightful, delicious, and daring account of how, seemingly trapped forever within thewild absurdities of a mad family, she learns how a frightened and loving daughter can become a loving and happy wife and mother.This is a gorgeously textured, beautifully crafted book that touches the heart, tenderly, with laughter and with wonder, even as it reminds us of the strange, unyielding, often magical force of family in our lives. Jay Neugeboren, author of Imagining Robert and Transforming Madness Sharp, quick, funny, but the kind of funny that sometimes has you feeling kicked in the stomach and teary with the delight of recognition. For the girl who leaves Montreal for Harvard, a room with white walls was a dream of order after the panicked hoarding of her mother, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. But hang on for memoir as romantic comedy part Nora Ephron, part Woody Allen and the hilarious resilience of a heroine who ends up in Manhattan with a husband, two daughters, and, yes, white walls, starting the world anew. Honor Moore, author of The Bishop s Daughter In this terrific and powerful book about hoarders, antihoarders, parents and children, Judy Batalion tells a laugh-out-loud story about her own mother and daughter and shows how profoundly all of us are shaped by events before we were born, how trauma moves through families, and how responsibility can be the most meaningful path to freedom. Anyone who has ever had a parent, or been one, needs to read this hilarious, beautiful book. Dara Horn, author of A Guide for the Perplexed White Walls is an unforgettable trip into a truly original mind from Montreal to London to Manhattan, from childhood to adulthood, and from worrying about parents to worrying about children, with many strange, uncomfortable, and beautiful points in between. You won t read another memoir quite like this one. Matti Friedman, author of The Aleppo Codex Clear-eyed and compassionate, Judy Batalion s White Walls is a sharply funny, evocative, and moving memoir chronicling her voyage from daughter to mother as she finds her place in the world amidst the shifting currents of history, religion, time, and place. The wisdom of how to move forward while caring for the past emanates from every page. Batalion brings a palpable warmth to difficult subjects that will leave her readers inspired to contemplate the construction of their own stories and how transformation is possible. Ruth Andrew Ellenson, winner of the National Jewish Book Award for The Modern Jewish Girl s Guide to Guilt This relatable multigenerational tale of stuff and survival moved me equally to tears and to laughter. It is funny, wise, and real. Jessie Sholl, author of Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean About Her Mother s Compulsive Hoarding This book is honest, difficult, and perfect. Batalion s sharp wit and hard-earned wisdom provide the reader with hope that we can all somehow find it in ourselves to embrace the inevitable chaos and change that comes with living an imperfect life. Nicole Knepper, LCPC, author of Moms Who Drink and Swear Batalion writes in a clear, confiding tone, and her stints as a stand-up comic lend a graceful humor to her writing...An absorbing, touching read. Booklist This is a modern woman s look at how we construct who we are both through conscious, painstaking effort, as well as through acknowledging and embracing the comforting, familiar, and routine flows of our family histories. Library Journal