Kody

Dear Mr. Aronson, I really enjoyed reading __Race__ and I’m currently reading your book __Witch-Hunt : Mysteries of the Salem Witch Trials__. One thing I liked about __Race__ was how you talked directly to the reader, and how you would acknowledge that they are reading this. I think that when you tell them that you know they’re there, it seems as if you’re having a conversation. Another thing I liked was your voice, because the way you wrote made this book seem like a narrative. What I liked most about __Race__ is how down to earth you were writing in about these terrible atrocities. You didn’t sugarcoat or cover up anything (as too many politicians do), and I liked this because I think it shows that you trust us to be mature enough to handle it. = However, I had one problem with the book. On page 208, after the sentence “the dead deserve silence,” you begin to talk about your personal feelings toward Hitler, Nazis, and even all of Germany. With all due respect, I think that you begin to rant about two sentences into the passage, and this was a bit of a shock to me. For most of the book you take the position of a historian, stating your opinion, but not forcing it upon us. In this passage, you begin to speak from the position of a normal person. I think it makes you seem more human to the reader, but it‘s a drastic and sudden change from the cool, calculated historian you are for the rest of the book. = = One thing I would like to know is who the intended audience for this book is. Another question I had was: why did you choose to write about such a controversial topic? I’d just like to say that overall, __Race__ was an amazing book, and though I’m only halfway through it, so is __Witch Hunt.__ = = Sincerely,   = = Kody Carmody  =