What happens to our family stories if no one carries them forward?

This week in The Literary Lounge, Jennifer welcomes author Sharon Kurtzman to discuss her debut novel, The Lost Baker of Vienna, a work of historical fiction inspired by the experiences of her mother, aunt, and grandmother after surviving the Holocaust.

Jennifer and Sharon talk about preserving family stories before they’re lost, the lesser-known realities Jewish survivors faced after World War II, and how baking became a symbol of memory, resilience, and hope within the novel. Sharon also shares her remarkable 20-year journey to publication and why she believes the unpublished manuscripts that came before The Lost Baker of Vienna were all leading her to the story she was ultimately meant to tell.

In This Episode

• The true story that inspired The Lost Baker of Vienna
• Honoring the past through storytelling
• The aftermath of war and a lesser-known history
• Why preserving family stories matters
• Baking as a connection to memory and heritage
• Sharon's remarkable 20-year journey to publication

Meet Sharon Kurtzman

Sharon Kurtzman’s debut historical novel, The Lost Baker of Vienna, was published in August 2025 by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking and was inspired by the World War II and postwar experiences of her family. Her novel was a Book of the Month Add-on pick for August 2025, and it will be published in six languages and in over a dozen countries. Prior to becoming an author, Sharon has been an audience research analyst, television ad salesperson, publicist, food writer, the official escort to Danger Mouse at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and a judge at a Chicken Soup Cook-off. Sharon earned her MFA in Fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University. She lives in North Carolina with her husband; they have two adult children.

Connect with Sharon

sharonkurtzman.com

Instagram @sharonkurtzman

Facebook

Substack

Purchase a copy of The Lost Baker of Vienna

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Jennifer Cash

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Instagram: @readwithjennifer