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While all of the stories in Eliach's book fall under the penumbra of Hasidism and have been shaped either by their tellers or by the editor (or by both) to conform to conventions of the traditional Hasidic tale, the diaries represented in Zapruder's book are heterogeneous. A few are skillful in a literary sense, but most are not. They represent many different segments of twentieth-century Judaism, not only the Hasidic community. Some of the writers perished, while others survived. Above all, Zapruder strongly resists any redemptive framing of these "fragments," as she calls them.

Consider reading a few pages of Eliach one night, a few pages of Zapruder the next. Can there be any doubt, whatever the differences, that both testify to the depth of evil within the human heart—within our own hearts? Civilized Europe cracks open to reveal the rot within. Something is broken, something that can't be fixed by the United Nations or the latest fruits of biotechnology or by anything less than God, whose new heaven and new earth we await with hope and longing and celebrate even now, as the Hasidim dance, for his kingdom is already present in this sin-darkened world.

John Wilson is editor of Books & Culture and editor-at-large for Christianity Today.

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This month, Books & Culture Corner is looking at books that provide an opportunity for meaningful reflection on the Shoah. Previous parts in this series include:

'Nebuchadnezzar My Slave' | Was the Holocaust God's will? (April 15, 2002)

'In the Beginning Was the Holocaust'? | Blasphemy, rage, memory, and meaning of the Shoah. (April 8, 2002)

Books & Culture Corner appears Mondays at ChristianityToday.com. Earlier Books & Culture Corners include:

'Nebuchadnezzar My Slave' | Was the Holocaust God's will? (April 15, 2002)

'In the Beginning Was the Holocaust'? | Blasphemy, rage, memory, and meaning of the Shoah. (April 8, 2002)

The Gospel According to Biff | A conversation with novelist Christopher Moore. (April 1, 2002)

Baseball 2002 Preview | Part 2: Saving the game? (March 25, 2002)

The State of the Game | After one of the best World Series ever, baseball faces a crisis. (March 18, 2002)

America's Homegrown Islam—and Its Prophet | The strange story of Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam and onetime mentor of Malcolm X. (Mar. 11, 2002)

'Must Be Superstition' | Rediscovering spiritual reality. (Mar. 4, 2002)

Science Holds a Meeting | A report from the annual convention of the AAAS. (Feb. 25, 2002)

Saint Frodo and the Potter Demon | The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series spring from the same source. (Feb. 18, 2002)

Dictionary of the Future | Trendspotter Faith Popcorn on the words that will define our tomorrow. (Feb. 11, 2002)

Does Creationism Equal Holocaust Denial? | Yes, says Michael Shermer in Scientific American. (Feb. 4, 2002)

Theodore Rex | Is "popular history" getting a bad rap? (Jan. 28, 2002)

Letter to Martin Luther King, Jr. | A progress report. (Jan. 21, 2002)

Keeping the Dust on Your Boots | Remembering the Afghan refugees—and the church in Iran. (Jan. 14, 2002)

Coming Attractions | Books to watch for this year. (Jan. 7, 2002)

Books of the Year, Part 2 | After the top ten, here's the best of the rest. (Jan. 4, 2002)

Books of the Year | Part 1: The Top Ten (Dec. 17, 2001)

"Daddy, What Is the Soul?" | Does the church have an answer? (Dec. 10, 2001)

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April (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46