Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post and The Salt Lake Tribune
Just as she gave voice to the silent women of the Hebrew Bible in The Red Tent, Anita Diamant creates a cast of breathtakingly vivid characters—young women who escaped to Israel from Nazi Europe—in this intensely dramatic novel.
Day After Night is based on the extraordinary true story of the October 1945 rescue of more than two hundred prisoners from the Atlit internment camp, a prison for “illegal” immigrants run by the British military near the Mediterranean coast south of Haifa. The story is told through the eyes of four young women at the camp who survived the Holocaust: Shayndel, a Polish Zionist; Leonie, a Parisian beauty; Tedi, a hidden Dutch Jew; and Zorah, a concentration camp survivor. Haunted by unspeakable memories and losses, afraid to hope, the four of them find salvation in the bonds of friendship and shared experience even as they confront the challenge of re-creating themselves in a strange new country.
Diamant’s triumphant novel is an unforgettable story of tragedy and redemption that reimagines a singular moment in history with stunning eloquence.
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"Anita Diamant's The Red Tent was one of the outstanding books of my lifetime -- it's surely in my all time top 15. I rather think that is why I judge her other books "not quite". Day after Night is the story of Jewish women who are being held in a refugee camp in Palestine just after the end of WWII. They've come from a variety of backgrounds and countries and experiences yet find a common bond and a commonality in the camp. It's well done, quite well done, in fact. And I thought it a lot better better than Diamant's Dogtown...but I'm left disappointed...it's no Red Tent."
— Judy (4 out of 5 stars)
“Diamant traces the odysseys of her fully imagined characters so sensitively that these resolutions are convincing and well earned.”
— Washington Post“Diamant opens a window into a time of sadness, confusion and optimism that has resonance for so much that’s both triumphant and troubling in modern Jewish history.”
— Publishers Weekly“Fluid storytelling and well-drawn characters make this a sure bet for a wide range of readers.”
— Booklist“Diamant…tenderly portrays four women in transition, from the killing fields of Europe to the promised land of Eretz Yisrael.”
— Kirkus Reviews" Nowhere near as good as the fabulous The Red Tent, but still a pretty engrossing story of a group of women, of unimaginable loss, and of rebuilding. I wish Diamant had given us a fuller account of each woman's story, though, as the snapshot approach definitely left me wanting more. "
— Trudy, 2/20/2014" I had never heard of Atlit detention center before I started this book. Actually I was a little confused as to why the British held the people in the center instead of finding them places to settle down. I don't want to say too much about the book for those of you that have not finished reading it. "
— Jeanne, 2/20/2014" Interesting book but doesn't hold a candle to The Red Tent. "
— Maureen, 2/15/2014" A great historical fiction. I really liked how the author interweaved the histories of the four main characters with the present dialogue. A touching story of survival and friendship. I also enjoyed learning about an event in history that I didn't know took place. "
— Tami, 2/13/2014" another excellent book by Anita Diamant. Her writing is so poignant. "
— Ciara, 1/31/2014" Great book. A very quick read, but really touching. Another great novel by Diamant about the strength of the female body and spirit. "
— Michele, 1/26/2014" 3.5 for this one. Almost 4. I have always been interested in reading about the Holocaust and this was a different perspective on that time period. I've read very little about what happened to the survivors after the war ended. This historical fiction about 4 young women during that time provided a heartfelt look at that period of time. Overall, a good read. "
— Hillary, 1/17/2014" Interesting story- I had a difficult time keeping all the characters straight. I liked Red Tent better "
— Jodie, 1/16/2014" Based on a true story of the October 1945 rescue of more than 200 prisoners from the Atlit interment camp, the story was fascinating. I had no idea. The story drug a bit for me, but I could not stop reading the book. Everyone should know this story.... "
— Kathryn, 1/15/2014" This book left me wanting more, not because it was so good the whole time but because the ending was just getting good! "
— Rachel, 1/4/2014" Absolutely phenomenal, I liked it better than the Red Tent. She presented a post-WWII perspective I was unfamiliar with, and I felt like I really knew her characters by the end. So glad I picked this one up! "
— Stacy, 12/25/2013" More great writing from Anita Diamant (The Last Days of Dogtown, The Red Tent). Wonderfully imagined characters, set in the real-life story of the October 1945 rescue from the Atlit internment camp in Haifa. A story full of hope, perseverance and richness of character. "
— Alys, 12/16/2013" It richness is in its simplicity. The reader isn't forced to relive the horrors of the holocaust but gains insight and perspective from the subtle way Diamant describes the common and the ordinary in the lives of the detainees in Atlit. "
— Sharon, 12/1/2013" loved it! Made me curious to find out more about Atlit. "
— Patti, 11/17/2013" Characters never gelled; could not remember who was who. Gave up towards the end. "
— Jillian, 11/8/2013" A great book. I was disappointed to learn how England and the US treated the people freeded from the concentration camps at the end of WW II. "
— Mom, 10/3/2013" Audio version. Dagmara Dominczyk does a wonderful of job of portraying many voices in many accents. The subject, internment of Jewish refugees in Palestine by the British after the war, is one Iknew little about. "
— Linda, 8/20/2013" Wish I could give it 4.5 stars. Based on a true story about 4 Holocaust survivors who meet in a British detention camp and their journey to settle in what became Israel. "
— marsha, 6/13/2013" I was inspired by these women's stories. The courage and determination that they had to have made it through all that they went through made this an extremely good read. High recommendations. Read it for our book club and am hoping that others read it and our talk will be of interest. "
— Mary, 1/23/2013" Unfortunately, this was nowhere near as good as "The Red Tent," which I absolutely loved. I didn't connect with any of the characters and ended up not caring what happened to any of them. Skip this one and read "The Red Tent" instead. "
— Amanda, 1/5/2013" Very good novel about the post WWII Jewish refugees who made it to Palestine. I enjoyed learning each new thing about the girls and what made them tick. We will discuss at book club tonight. I made some hamentaschen to share. "
— Kristin, 10/20/2012" After surviving the Holocaust, 4 women meet in Atlit internment camp. Based on a true story, they are haunted by the past and struggle to begin again in a strange new country. "
— Maxine, 9/24/2012" Beautifully written and engaging; I became completely involved in the story and the characters from the first page. "
— Annalie, 9/16/2012" Since I listened to the audio version I'm sure it gives a different feel from the book. I liked this story. The author gave each character depth. I wanted to grow w/ each character as they bonded w/ eachother. "
— Lori, 9/5/2012" I was not aware that the British put concentration camp survivors in interment camps. Would like to know more about this. Book didn't really explain the whys. "
— Penny, 8/19/2012" Not as good as The Red Tent, but still very good. Makes me want to learn more about what happened to people after WWII - and who helped and didn't help. Very interesting premise. "
— Meredith, 3/29/2012" Not as fabulous and dreamy as her other books but a beautiful and heartbreaking series of stories nonetheless. "
— Maigh, 11/7/2011" Liked it better than Red Tent, but it did leave me wanting a little more. More about what happened previously, but especially after. The epilogue could have been a book itself. "
— Katherine, 10/19/2011" This book is an amazing read and really puts you into the heart of the story about young women who are stuck in a refugee camp after WWII in Israel. I couldn't put it down. "
— Lisa, 10/16/2011" Heartbreaking read but also hard to put down "
— Sherri, 9/21/2011" listening to this as I putter around my house. Not finding it riveting, but it's a good story, so perfect for my half-attention purposes "
— Pam, 6/30/2011" Could not put this book down. Diamant is a master writer. "
— Violet, 6/25/2011" Great read! The character and courage of these women during these times were amazing! "
— Christine, 6/8/2011" As I'm sure all of the reviewers have said: not as good as <em>The Red Tent</em>, but it's Anita Diamant, so the writing is still lovely and the story powerful. "
— Heather, 6/2/2011" I had no idea so many of the Jews were kept in camps in Israel when they tried to resettle. Hard to believe they could be treated so poorly after WWII and all that they had been through. A further glance into the history of the Jews. "
— Beckie, 5/31/2011" This has been one of my absolute favorite books I've read in years. "
— Dena, 5/18/2011" A part of history I knew nothing about so I really enjoyed learning about it, as well as getting to know a cast of diverse characters. "
— Miette, 5/14/2011Anita Diamant is the author of several novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Boston Girl, as well as a collection of essays, Pitching My Tent. An award-winning journalist whose work appeared in the Boston Globe Magazine, Parenting, and many others, she is the author of six nonfiction guides to contemporary Jewish life.
Dagmara Dominczyk was born in Poland and immigrated to New York City at the age of seven. She has acted in numerous films, TV series, and plays. She is married to the actor Patrick Wilson, with whom she has two sons. She lives in New Jersey.