Judy Batalion
Was born and raised in Montreal, where she grew up speaking English, French, Yiddish and Hebrew. She studied the history of science at Harvard then moved to London to pursue a Ph.D. in art history. Eventually, Judy transformed these experiences into material, and wrote essays and articles for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Vogue, the Forward, Salon, the Jerusalem Post and many other publications. Her stories about family relationships, the generational transmission of trauma, pathological hoarding and militant minimalism came together in her book White Walls: A Memoir About Motherhood, Daughterhood, and the Mess in Between (NAL/Penguin, 2016). White Walls was optioned by Warner Brothers for whom Judy is currently developing the TV series “Cluttered.” As early as 2007, Judy was doing research on strong Jewish women at the British Library when she happened to come across a dusty, old Yiddish book. Freuen in di Ghettos (Women in the Ghettos), a Yiddish thriller about “ghetto girls” who hid revolvers in teddy bears, bribed Nazis with whiskey and pastry, and blew up German supply trains, became the inspiration for The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2021). The Light of Days was optioned by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, for whom Judy is co-writing the screenplay.
Reviews – The Light of Days, Judy Batalion
“Pulses with pride and rage.” -- New York Times Book Review
“Well-researched and riveting.” -- Wall Street Journal
“Amazing…both a profoundly moving and breathtaking read.” -- Haaretz
"Written with passion…Batalion’s research is prodigious, and her dedication to her story obvious and moving." -- Boston Globe
"Gripping, haunting and superbly told...Judy Batalion brings to light half-forgotten tales of astounding courage." -- The Economist
Brilliantly researched...a grand celebration of the female spirit." -- Los Angeles Review of Books
"Thrilling, devastating... tells of an underground network of young Jewish women in Poland who resisted the Nazis by engaging in smuggling, sabotage, and even armed defense. Their courageous deeds, largely forgotten until now, are astounding." -- Christian Science Monitor
“Hard to put down…The Light of Days is not a story but a multi-layered epic, one that rewrites the Holocaust. Drama abounds and the characters are deeply engaging. Required reading.” -- The Jerusalem Post
"The Light of Days rescues a long-neglected aspect of history from oblivion, and puts paid to the idea of Jewish, especially female, passivity during the Holocaust. It is uncompromising, written with passion--and it preserves truly significant knowledge." -- The Times Literary Supplement
“Bold, brave and revelatory, meticulously researched and engagingly written, Batalion transports readers into the harrowing World War II era, where a generation of young, Jewish women banded together to fight an almost unimaginable evil.” -- Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, New York Times bestselling author of Dr. Mutter’s Marvels
“Be not afraid. Judy Batalion brings to life the story of young women who had mindboggling valor. Super heroes. They fought the Nazis. With nerves of steel. You don’t have to fight the Nazis (we hope). But you do have to be courageous and honorable. (Well, most of the time). And you will be. There are inspirational books that change your life. And this is one of them.” -- Maira Kalman, author of And the Pursuit of Happiness
"This is a powerful and necessary book. I’m so grateful to Judy Batalion for bringing us these women in all their fierce intelligence and courage. It’s astonishing that their stories haven’t been widely heard until now—but Batalion’s rare combination of skills has brought them to vibrant life. This is history we’ve needed to hear." -- Rachel Kadish, author of The Weight of Ink
"Judy Batalion has told the largely forgotten stories of the girl couriers, smugglers and fighters who formed the nerve center of Jewish resistance in occupied Poland. A breathtaking, dazzling work of historical resurrection" -- Molly Crabapple, author of Drawing Blood and Brothers of the Gun (with Marwan Hisham)
“Resounding history of Jewish women who fought the German invaders in World War II. In a vigorous narrative that draws on interviews, diaries, and other sources, Batalion delivers an objective view of past events that are too quickly being forgotten—and a story much in need of telling.” -- Kirkus (Starred Review)
“A remarkable portrait of young Jewish women who fought in the resistance during WWII. . . pays vivid tribute to `the breadth and scope of female courage.'" -- Publishers Weekly
Collaborating organizations
 |
 |
 |