New Books Network Diane Botnick, "Becoming Sarah" (She Writes Press, 2025)
Dec 16, 2025
Diane Botnick, a debut novelist and seasoned arts professional, delves into her novel Becoming Sarah, inspired by the last Holocaust survivor's story. She explores themes of identity, memory, and the intricate journey of a child born in Auschwitz. Diane shares insights on Sarah's struggle with her origins, the communal care in postwar environments, and the impact of maternal choices on family dynamics. The conversation also touches on the importance of love and belonging as Sarah navigates her complex heritage across Poland and New York.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Creating Identity From Missing Origins
- Diane Botnick imagined a future where possibly only one Holocaust survivor remains, prompting questions about memory and identity.
- She combined that idea with a displaced child's unknown past to explore how people create identity without origins.
Survival Through Communal Protection
- Botnick frames the baby's survival at Auschwitz as fictional but plausible through collective protection by women in the camps.
- She emphasizes women's mutual care as a survival mechanism rather than strict historical replication.
The Death March To Bergen-Belsen
- Diane recounts the chaotic late-war marches from Auschwitz toward Germany and the high mortality of those transfers.
- She describes Bergen-Belsen's transformation into a displaced persons site after liberation and British care.
