On this month’s episode of the Deerfield Public Library Podcast, I’m proud to share our interview with Howard Reich, author most recently of The Art of Inventing Hope: Intimate Conversations with Elie Wiesel. The book recounts Reich’s four years of friendship and conversation with Wiesel, the great author, humanitarian, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Holocaust survivor who profoundly shaped our understanding of the Holocaust.
Howard Reich has been working as an arts critic at the Chicago Tribune since 1978. His friendship with Wiesel began in 2012 when the Tribune presented Wiesel with their literary award, and they both connected over a shared history. Reich, himself the child of Holocaust survivors, was able to ask Wiesel all the questions he couldn’t ask his parents about the difficult legacy of the Holocaust for his family and the world.
Listen below to hear reflections on how Wiesel was able to “invent hope” from the darkest history.
You can find The Art of Inventing Hope: Intimate Conversations with Elie Wiesel here at the library, as well as his memoir about his mother and other writing. You can find out more about Howard Reich on his website or read his Chicago Tribune columns.
We hope you enjoy our 30th episode with Howard Reich! Each month we release an episode featuring a conversation with a notable guest, including authors, artists, and leaders from Deerfield, Chicagoland, and the world. Learn more about the podcast on our podcast page.
You can listen to all of our episodes in the player below or on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts. We welcome your comments and feedback—please send to podcast@deerfieldlibrary.org.
