4/20/15, Your Question

Hi Everyone,

I hope all is well with you. I was very, very touched and pleased that you all liked my blog about the Shabbat Dinner, and were very interested in the fantastic red headed writer/film maker I mentioned, super active, still working hard, who just celebrated her 87th birthday. So I wanted to write to you to give you the info. Many of you wanted to read her book. She is the lady I mentioned who was deported at 14 or 15, and survived 4 concentration camps during World War II.

Her name is Marcelline Loridan-Ivens, and the book is called, in French, “Et tu n’es pas revenu”, which means “And you didn’t come back”. (The publisher is ‘Grasset’, a French publishing house). I don’t know if the book has been translated into English or not, but I imagine you could find out on the Internet. The title and the book really, refer to her father. She was caught and deported with him. They were separated in the camps they were in (in different buildings, but the same camps), but they managed to see each other a few times, but he didn’t survive the camps and was killed there. And she survived and went home to Paris when the camps were liberated at the end of the war. The book is incredibly poignant and touching, and clearly she and the whole family were deeply marked by her father’s not surviving. She talks about a letter her father wrote to her and managed to get to her in the camp. The deprivation, and the anguish, and the horrors of the camps come through her words so powerfully, when she speaks and when she writes. It’s quite a short book, but moved me tremendously. She goes right to the heart of the feelings and the experience. She’s a strong woman and a survivor, despite her tiny size. When she was deported, her mother and the two younger children escaped and were hidden by people for the rest of the war, and her two older siblings joined the Resistance and survived the war. (The Resistance were the brave people who did everything they could to sabotage the Germans while they occupied France). So out of 5 children, only she and her father were caught and deported to the concentration camps. And yet she survived it. She really is a monument to the strength of the human spirit. And the book is powerful and wonderful. I hope you can find it in a language you speak. It is a wonderful book!!!

Some of you were confused too by my saying I hadn’t been to a Shabbat dinner before, but ‘have been 3 or 4 times. When I went to the first Shabbat Dinner I was invited to, I had never been before. It was a Chanukah Dinner. Since then, the same friends have invited me 2 or 3 more times. I love it, and am always thrilled to go.

I hope you can find Marcelline’s book. I don’t usually answer questions in the blog, because there are so many of them. But so many of you asked about this lady, and her book, I really wanted you to know the information. Take care, and have a great week!!

love, Danielle

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12 Comments so far
  1. Elaine April 20, 2015 6:49 pm

    Danielle,
    Thank you so much for the info on Marcelline Loridan-Ivens’ book! I will look for it in English, but if I can’t find it I will get it from amazon.fr and struggle through it in French. I own the French versions of several of your books, Going Home, Passion’s Promise, and Summer’s End.
    Regards, Elaine

  2. Doris Tardiff April 21, 2015 9:53 am

    Thank you so much for giving us the title of the book . Hope I can find it I live in Montreal, Quebec, Cananda. That means I am French so the language is not an obstacle, Je vais le lire en francais.
    Merci
    Doris

  3. Doris Tardiff April 22, 2015 10:24 pm

    Hi Danielle,
    The title of the book in English is

    And you do not come back

    I read it in French, it is very good book

    Doris

  4. Jean April 26, 2015 10:37 am

    Just reading “silent honor”…guess we aren’t without shame either. War is so terrible and there are so many at war as we are so fortunate..by the way…reading this for second time as well as many other of your books. Marvel at all your reserch put into each book..you must know a lot about the entire world AND life. Best to you

  5. sagarika naya May 2, 2015 2:28 pm

    Hi Mam

    I am a great fan of yours and I am from India.
    I love your novels.Recently i completed the ring, which is still in my mind surrounded by ariana and germany.
    A good women is still my favourite book among all.
    when i read your book i feel im the part of it and i feel the characters.
    really u r a great writer..wish you all the very best for coming years.

  6. susan goslicki May 2, 2015 5:06 pm

    I loved your books message from nam, pegasus and the one you wrote about pearl harbor -I would love to see more books like this

  7. IWELUMO fRANCISCA May 4, 2015 11:10 pm

    I AM WRITING FROM NIGERIA. ONE OF YOUR GREATEST AFRICAN FANS. IT IS NOT EASY FOR US TO GET MOST OF YOUR BOOKS IN THE COUNTRY
    HOW CAN YOU HELP IN MAKING THE LATEST ONES AVAILABLE ON TIME ?

    THANK YOU

  8. IWELUMO fRANCISCA May 4, 2015 11:12 pm

    I AM WRITING FROM NIGERIA. ONE OF YOUR GREATEST AFRICAN FAN. IT IS NOT EASY FOR US TO GET MOST OF YOUR BOOKS IN THE COUNTRY
    HOW CAN YOU HELP IN MAKING THE LATEST ONES AVAILABLE ON TIME ?

    THANK YOU

  9. Charlene Trent May 6, 2015 10:55 pm

    Dear Danielle. I have been using your perfume since it came out. I just started on my last bottle. I ordered all I could find but am running out. I get so many compliments on it. Every time I go our with it on people compliment me on the fragrance. I love it so much. I don’t know what I will do when it is gone. Is there any chance of them bringing it back? I know so many people who loved it and used it. We are all going to be so dissapointed if it gone forever. We are all great fans and we all have all your books. I have to comment on the last one, Pegasus. It was y favorite in a long time. I couldn’t! Put it down. As always, we remain your devoted fans. Fron Charlene Trent (314 846-4508)

  10. Theresa Thomas May 7, 2015 2:10 pm

    I love Danielle Steels books but they all seem like I am reading a history book. I think if DS left out all the history her books would still be great.

  11. Carol May 9, 2015 4:34 pm

    Thank you Danielle….Carol

  12. Bill May 11, 2015 3:04 am

    My wife Donna is one of your most loyal readers. She has a collection of all your books. What i would like to request is: Is there any way that
    could order your next book and have it autographed by you for her?

    She suffers from depession and her children really treat her badly, and I thought that (other than meeting you in person) this would be a great way to boost her spirits. Are you doing any book singing in the Baltimore Maryland area anytime? I would love to have her meet you and get a signed book from you. If not could i please order your next book or two autographed from you?

    Please take a minute and let me know how I can go about ordering this special treat for her , It would really mean the world to her.

    Her name is Donna Lowery

    Thank you so very much in advance.

    Bill Lowery