Life should be Transparent

"The 13 conversations between Veisaite and Lithuanian historian Aurimas Svedas are far-reaching and memorable, covering Veisaite's rich and varied life, taking in the horrific events of the Holocaust, which brought about the end of the Lithuanian Jewish world. We also meet an array of cultural figures and experience fragments of theatre performances that moved her. Veisaite and Svedas have a close bond and the experience of recording Veisaite's memories prompts them to explore in detail the nature of memory itself — "What, how and why do we remember? What is the meaning of our experiences? How can history help us to live in the present and create the future?" At 92, Irena Veisaite is able to supply plenty of raw material for this discussion."—Jewish Chronicle

"Aurimas Švedas has produced what can be called a historical document about one of the few transgenerational and transformative personalities of twentieth-century Lithuania, Irena Veisaitė. Life Should Be Transparent is neither a memoir nor a biography, portraying one of the most intriguing Germanists, theater critics, and pedagogues still alive. In 13 sympathetic interviews, Švedas, the foremost historian of modern Lithuanian culture, has provided a history of twentieth-century Lithuania from the point of view of a frightened young girl maturing through life into an old woman whose memories may soon fade. He gives the reader a remarkable insight into the different epochs she lived through, most notably her survival of the Holocaust and the Soviet occupation. Švedas and Veisaitė are kindred spirits seeking the meaning of life and a way to authenticity."—Journal of Baltic Studies

"This book of extended conversations is mandatory reading for anyone interested in the last decades of Lithuanian history. One of Lithuania's most enlightened individuals, Irena Veisaitė is the embodiment of tolerance and common sense. Her focus is culture, and especially theatre and cultural opposition during the Soviet era. She explores these questions with great wisdom, always avoiding extremes and superficiality as she delves into complex philosophical issues."—Tomas Venclova—poet, translator, cultural critic, Professor Emeritus of literature

"Unforgettable scenes of twentieth century Lithuanian history are revealed here—Jewish and Lithuanian interwar Kaunas, the cruel realities of the war and the Holocaust, rescue and rebirth. This important cultural critic's epic story is neither monograph nor textbook, but rather an opportunity to touch the past."—Saulius Sužiedelis