My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past
By: Jennifer Teege and Nikola Sellmair    221 pages


"What would he have said to a dark-skinned gran-daughter, who speaks Hebrew on top of that? I would have been a disgrace, a bastard who brought dishonor to the family. I am sure my grandfather would have shot me."

Jennifer's family history is a story covered in hatred and blood. The discoveries made in this book would shock anybody as well as question their morals and beliefs. This story reminds its readers of the importance of knowing their family history and to question how that effects their everyday life. This book did an excellent job at providing historical context and explaining Jennifer's emotions as she processes the injustices served by her grandfather, Amon Goeth.

If you want to have open dialogue about culture appropriation, disrespect, and how that plays in to the search for glory, power, and greed, than this is the book for you. If you want to follow a Nigerian-German Woman on her struggle for self identity and personal security, this is the book for you. If you want to understand how people can stand by and let individuals they know haunt, torture, and kill innocent people, this is the book for you.

I wouldn't suggest a trigger warning for this book because it isn't overly graphic however, I would say be prepared to be shocked because this book is not for the lighthearted.