As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, let’s focus on some related content…

+ What to Remember: “My life has been one of extremes. I’ve known luxury but also have had to scrounge for potatoes to keep from starving. Much happiness has come my way and yet nothing can make up for what I lost. And for all my daring and independence, I’m actually quite shy. I have even been of two minds about telling story; most of the time, I’ve wanted to keep it locked inside me.” I can attest to that fact. But fortunately, my dad decided to unlock this story, as it’s inspired many and been taught in colleges. As a teen, he crawled on his hands and knees into the Polish forest. And that was just the beginning. Taking Risks: A Jewish Youth in the Soviet Partisans and His Unlikely Life in California.

+ What to Book: How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley is a short, insightful look at how authoritarians use language and media to inflame the politics of us vs them. It’s also the most accurate description of the kind of media strategies we see being deployed today. Take ibuprofen before reading this as you’ll be nodding in agreement so much your neck will get sore. (And that time I gave Stanley’s book to my dad…)

+ What to Read: This is a piece I wrote that’s related to my parents’ background, Jason Stanley’s work, and even Adam Schiff and today’s top news. On Human Scum
…and when enough is enough.

+ What to Book(s): “Witold Pilecki volunteered for an audacious mission: assume a fake identity, intentionally get captured and sent to the new camp, and then report back to the underground on what had happened to his compatriots there. But gathering information was not his only task: he was to execute an attack from inside—where the Germans would least expect it. The name of the camp was Auschwitz.” The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz. Plus, David Benioff is best known for co-creating the TV version of Game of Thrones. But his best thing could be his novel, City of Thieves. And one of my favorite historical novels about this period: HHHH by Laurent Binet.

+ What to Watch: And we’ll continue with the Jewish theme, but lighten things up a bit, with a reminder that Curb Your Enthusiasm is back in HBO; and the season got off to predictably excellent start with Larry David (Jewish), Jeff Garlin (Jewish), Richard Lewis (Jewish), and the unrivaled JB Smoove (funny enough to be Jewish).