Holding My Breath

Spanning three decades against the backdrop of the Jewish community in the North End of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Holding My Breath is a poignant coming-of-age tale told from the point of view of Beth Levy, the youngest in a household of two generations of strong Jewish women. There's her mother, Goldie, who upholds the middle-class values and traditions at home and in the community; her aunt Carrie, who has a secret past; and her wild and rebellious aunt Sarah. Noticeably absent is her uncle, Phil, who died tragically during the Second World War. As Beth grows up, she finds herself navigating between the old world and the new, and the mounting pressure to conform feeds her longing to escape. A bold and tender debut from a fresh and exciting voice. Praise For Sidura Ludwig: "Holding My Breath...is quietly compelling, told in clear, and uncluttered prose. Sidura Ludwig explores the universal conflict between individual needs and family ties with sympathy and compassion." -Clare Morrall, author of Astonishing Splashes of Colour, a Man Booker Prize Finalist "Holding My Breath is a story lovingly told by a girl born into Winnipeg's post-War Jewish community. Sidura Ludwig writes from a deeply felt knowledge of this time and place. This novel depicts the tremendous capacity for love and the sometimes tragic tendency to hold our loved ones too tight." -Margaret Sweatman, author of When Alice Lay Down with Peter Compelling richly drawn Holding My Breath is a deft debut. Ludwig has the gifts to launch beyond the predictable. The Globe and Mail Ludwig creates a group of characters who are complex, strong and distinct. Her sensitive and detailed exploration of character, combined with her skill at evoking the specificities of time and place, create something to which everyone can relate. Winnipeg Free Press First-time novelist Ludwig nails the genre. Holding My Breath is worth the wait. Ludwig tells with grace and wisdom the story of a Jewish family living in Winnipegs North End during the late 1940s and into the 1970s. Ludwig captures the complexities of love, as it relates to personal happiness but also responsibility to family, friends and community. Jewish Independent


Genre: General Fiction