The journalist and publisher discusses a family memoir that traces four generations of his Polish Jewish family through the upheavals of the 20th century.

First published 20 years ago by Polish writer Joanna Olczak-Ronikier, In the Garden of Memory is a sweeping family saga shaped by intellectual life, political turmoil, and survival across generations. A new English translation brings the story to American readers for the first time. With its publication, Peter Osnos—whose mother’s family is at the center of the story—shares insight into this account of European Jewish life before, during, and after World War II.

He sheds light on key figures, including the Library’s own Dr. John L. Mish—a British-Indian intelligence officer who later headed research divisions dedicated to Asian, Middle Eastern, and Slavic studies.

To join | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 1:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Peter Osnos began his journalism career in 1965 as an assistant to I. F. Stone on his weekly newsletter. Between 1966–1984 Osnos was a reporter and foreign correspondent for The Washington Post and served as the newspaper’s foreign and national editor. From 1984–1996 he was Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Senior Editor at Random House and Publisher of Random House’s Times Books division. In 1997, he founded PublicAffairs. He served as Publisher and CEO until 2005, and was a consulting editor until 2020 when he and his wife, Susan Sherer Osnos, launched Platform Books LLC. Osnos has also been a commentator and host for National Public Radio and a contributor to publications including Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, and The New Republic. He wrote the Platform column for the Century Foundation, the Daily Beast and The Atlantic.com from 2006–2014. He has also served as Chair of the Trade Division of the Association of American Publishers and on the board of Human Rights Watch. From 2005–2009, he was executive director of The Caravan Project, funded by the MacArthur and Carnegie Foundations, which developed a plan for multi-platform publishing of books. He was the Vice-Chairman of the Columbia Journalism Review from 2007–2012. He is a member of The Council on Foreign Relations.

READ THE BOOK:

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ACCESSIBILITY

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Courtesy Peter Osnos