Sidonia's Thread: The Secrets of a Mother and Daughter Sewing a New Life in America Paperback – December 7, 2011

Sidonia's Thread is a true story of a mother, who survived the Holocaust, and her daughter, who she raised alone, and the disconnect of their lives they shared together. Sidonia, a seamstress and a very protective mother, desperately tried to shield her daughter from her past life and refused to answer any of her questions. Her daughter had to live with anger and resentment towards her mother for not sharing her innermost secrets in order to protect her daughter from her private shame and horrific guilt that she has carried for a lifetime. Every question was met with her mother's harsh criticism and refusal to further engage. The unanswered questions further fueled her inner rage and resentment towards her mother. Years passed by when her daughter discovered some letters from her mom's past that finally gave her the answers and opened up the many secrets that were hidden from her all those years. She also discovered facts about her father, including information that was never to be revealed as to how they met and the secrets regarding her birth. Sidonia's Thread bound this mother and daughter and weaved it's way of a life together and all the intricate roads and detours the daughter had to face to finally find the truth and answers that she so desperately deserved to know. The threads weaved through a pattern that would never get finished until she was able to sew all the pieces together until it finally fit. It was a remarkable journey of two very different people who were bound together by a single thread.

This is a love story that takes years to unfold...the love of a daughter for the mother who remains a mystery to her for most of her life. The author writes simply and beautifully about the darkness of the emotional and physical scars of her Holocaust surviving parent. Understanding her mother takes a lifetime and her mother's passing. A very touching story of survival, understanding, and family bonds. May the mother's strength and courage remain with all her descendants.

Sidonia was the last child in a Jewish family in Hungary during World War II. Her entire family was lost to her during the Holocaust. She was witness to her one sister's death and the other members of family were placed in a different line during the 'selection process' when the family entered the camp. Sidonia survived and came to America with a baby girl. She worked as a seamstress for many years and became quite successful with those on the street recognizing her creations by observing her daughter's outfits. There was no husband. The book is told by the daughter and she uses a sewing book to tell the story. The book is remarkable!! I did not want to put it down but keep on reading and did not want it to end either. Hanna, the Mother , has letters, pictures, forms, etc. in her bedroom and does not share with her daughter her story of birth until she is more or less forced to by her inquisitive daughter. The pattern is practically a duplicate between the two women; the materials are carefully chosen for the garments; AND then the seams start to unravel before the thread becomes yellow.My book was downloaded onto my Kindle from AMAZON. I could recommend this book to everyone I know. It is a Holocaust story that crosses two/three generations. Please read this book and know the woman's struggles.

A very readable and inspiring story about one Holocaust survivor and the difference she made in so many people's lives including her daughter the author and her grandchildren and the countless people who wore her beautifully designed garments. This while mourning the loss of all of her own Jewish Hungarian family in WW11 and moving beyond the horrors she suffered and witnessed in concentration camps with pride self-reliance and perseverance.

The author, Hanna, includes plenty of details, such ad info about her mother’s family life in Hungary; horrors her mother and aunt endured in concentration camps; descriptions of outfits her mother made for her as a remarkable seamstress; snippets of her mother’s voice in English sentences Hungarian-style. As we read about how Sidonia’s life in the U.S. post-Holocaust unfolds — as well as how Hanna evolves — the impetus spurring us forward is desire to learn the secret of Hanna’s father’s identity, a secret Sidonia has refrained from revealing for an unknown reason, and which her refusal has formed a barrier between mother and daughter.Hanna knows that she was born when her mother was located in a displaced persons camp, obviously unmarried. But something more than that then-embarrassing upfront fact underlies Sidonia’s unwillingness to disclose the story. When Hanna finally discovers the answer after her mother’s death, it hits like a one-two punch.However, for most of the book, I felt like I had to push myself to continue. It impressed me as a book that the author’s family would treasure, but seemed to get bogged down in relaying information and often plodded along.

A great book about a survivor of the Holocaust and her daughter born out of wedlock. Sidonia's amazing survival is a story in and of itself. She was an incredibly strong woman and one to be admired. I cannot imagine the terror Sidonia suffered during her years in the concentration camps, but she came through it and lived a strong, independent life for many years after. Her gift of sewing kept she and her daughter fed, housed and clothed throughout her life. The only sad story here was her inability to tell Hanna about her father and about the relationship that led to Hanna's birth. But, in the end, it seemed that Hanna was able to put all of her questions to rest and accept her mother for the great woman she was.

Very many vying story. Loved the way the author tactfully and creatively told her mothers story about survival during and after the holocaust.

Good book

Fascinating, heart breaking but without sentimentality, funny, educational and beautifully written as it slowly reveals the secrets kept by a brave and resourceful Concentration camp survivor. Recommend. (Mrs b)

Sidonias Thread was a most enjoyable book found it hard to put down once reading it.

refreshing honest story