Lee Harvey Oswald's assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 remains one of the most horrifying and hotly debated crimes in American history. Just as perplexing as the assassination is the assassin himself; the 24-year-old Oswald's hazy background and motivations—and his subsequent murder at the hands of Jack Ruby—make him an intriguing yet frustratingly enigmatic figure. Because Oswald briefly defected to the Soviet Union; some historians allege he was a Soviet agent. But as Peter Savodnik shows in The Interloper; Oswald's time in the U.S.S.R. reveals a stranger; more chilling story. Oswald ventured to Russia at the age of 19; after a failed stint in the U.S. Marine Corps and a childhood spent shuffling from address to address with his unstable; needy mother. Like many of his generation; Oswald struggled for a sense of belonging in postwar American society; which could be materialistic; atomized; and alienating. The Soviet Union; with its promise of collectivism and camaraderie; seemed to offer an alternative. While traveling in Europe; Oswald slipped across the Soviet border; soon settling in Minsk where he worked at a radio and television factory. But Oswald quickly became just as disillusioned with his adopted country as he had been with the United States. He spoke very little Russian; had difficulty adapting to the culture of his new home; and found few trustworthy friends; indeed most; it became clear; were informing on him to the KGB. After nearly three years; Oswald returned to America feeling utterly defeated and more alone than ever—and as Savodnik shows; he began to look for an outlet for his frustration and rage. Drawing on groundbreaking research; including interviews with Oswald's friends and acquaintances in Russia and the United States; The Interloper brilliantly evokes the shattered psyche not just of Oswald himself; but also of the era he so tragically defined.
#199786 in Books Kurzem; Mark 2008-08-26 2008-08-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.30 x 1.10 x 5.60l; .85 #File Name: 0452289947432 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Remarkable BookBy Matthew BrennanThe true story of a Russian Jewish child who observes and survives the execution of most of his relatives; wanders in the forest for a time; and is adopted as a mascot by the Nazi Latvian unit that was supposed to shoot him. Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Alex Kurzem and then read this remarkable book.Kurzem now receives compensation as a Holocaust survivor; as well he should. His memoir (or memory) was contested for a time. The story is very unusual; but just because a person's life experience does not fit into a convenient mold is no reason to call it false.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. wow; just wowBy Tribe fanWow; just wow. I don't know how to describe this book. It is in some ways like a detective story or putting together a jig saw puzzle. You read it and you wonder how the pieces will fit together. I've been in two death camps -- Auschwitz (five times) and Majdanek (twice). The first time I travelled to Auschwitz in 1991 I went with a Polish Army Colonel whose uncle was killed there. I've read several books about the 'Shoah including "Night" and "The Diary of Anne Frank." I've pored over David Roskies' "Against the Apocalypse" and read a little history like the "Last of the Just." I stood with my wife and son during the 50th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in Warsaw where that ghetto stood. I once did a seminar at the Jewish Theological Seminary on the Holocaust. So; I came to this book with some background.I remember what Dr. Alan Mintz told me about dealing with it. He said you can't comprehend it; you can only talk to God about it. Yeah; this brings all that back. Some might suggest that the events recounted in this book are too improbable to be true. I totally disagree. The events recounted are all too real. Especially the witness recounting about how the Einsatzgruppen carried out the killing in Koidanov. If for no other reason than the recounting of the Koidanov massacre on pp. 323-4 you ought to read this book. Warning; this book does not resolve anything; it only recounts one (then) young Jewish boy's story -- what happened to him and how he survived it. But; the book is so much more than that.This book also makes us think about who we are; where we come from and who we come from. It may be the best recounting of a survivor's story that I have read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood: Purchased at .comBy depThis is one book that I am so very glad I bought. When I first saw it on ; the title of the book really puzzled me. That; plus the picture on the cover of the book. Four Nazi soldiers with a young boy dressed as a miniature of them. How fascinating and yet repulsive at the same time. This is the story of how Alex Kurzem turns to his son to help him unravel the mystery of his past. Who was he and what happened to him. In 1941; at around five years old; Alex saw his mother; brother; and sister murdered; along with all the Jews of his home town of Koidanov; Latvia. He escaped and was eventually rescued; possibly by the same soldiers that murdered his family. Even though one and maybe more of the soldiers knew he was Jewish; they still saved him; why nobody knows for sure. The Nazi's used him as a kind of a mascot for the soldiers and for free publicity for themselves. As a result; Alex lost himself along the way. To be told to be grateful for what you have; to be used as a kind of robot; and worst of all to be one of the enemy that these soldiers are trying to destroy. What an evil thing to do to such a young child. No wonder Alex lost himself; along with much of his memories and even his real name. He managed to survive; though; ending up in Australia as a refugee of the war. He managed to get through his life; married and raised a family. In his sixties; his life started to come apart; with all kinds of memories from his past coming up which frightened and almost overwhelmed him. At that point; he went to his oldest son for help. In reading this book; I came to really like Alex. Even with his tortured past he really seemed to like people and was very tolerant of them. I also thought his son Mark did such a good job writing this book. He obviously cared so much about his father. He tried not to push his father about his memories; or to overwhelm him as they searched for information about his past. Some of the reviews of The Mascot are very negative; they don't believe such a young child could remember what he did or that the information was accurate. All I know; is that I believe the story. To me; it seems very real. Besides; who am I to question memory? It is such an elusive thing and you can't really pin it down. Also; in writing this book many questions are answered; but it also leaves some unanswered; and even raises new questions. That's ok; some things just aren't going to have an answer. I am just very glad that I was able to read one of the most fascinating books that I have ever read. I highly recommend The Mascot; we can all learn from it.
