Night by Elie Wiesel
I started reading this book yesterday and the preface really had me thinking. Wiesel begins talking about why this new translation has come about. He mentions that the first edition was read only once by him, and he was an unknown writer and just excited to have this story told. This edition is translated by his wife, and it gave him a chance to better express himself. He mentions that his english was far from good, and he didn't have the words to express himself. This new translation come from his wife who "knows [his] voice, and how to transmit it better than anyone." He mentions that after starting this new edition he realizes that it could not have waited any longer.
It really is an interesting preface.
This part really had me thinking, especially about my own Native American Culture. He is talking about a Holocaust museum and it's many visitors.
" This may be because the public knows that the number of survivors is shrinking daily, and is fascinated by the idea of sharing memories that will soon be lost. For in the end, it is all about memory, its sources and its magnitude, and, of course its consequences.
For the Survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective emory. To forget would not be only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."
I first read Night in high school, and I really wanted to reread it. I'm really happy I chose this edition.
