MJH | Stories Survive: “Pass the Trauma, Please” Book Talk

Todd Diamond’s new book Pass the Trauma, Please is a comedy-drama Holocaust memoir where scandalous secrets about a father’s survival as an orphan and a soldier who fought for Israeli independence come to light over an unforgettable Sunday night Chinese dinner.

But it’s not just stories that were passed down from a survivor to his children: Genetically Inherited Holocaust Trauma hitches a ride, resulting in his son’s dysfunctional relationships and dubious behaviors.

Like other books about the Holocaust, Pass the Trauma, Please addresses loss. But you’ll also find drug smuggling, attempts to reverse a circumcision, brothels, kibbutz ambushes, divorce, death camp visits, decadent nights at Studio 54, and tales of lost virginity.

This original, provocative, and irreverent memoir presents us with a unique second-generation Holocaust survivor viewpoint that is worthy of a film script. It helps us fathom the unfathomable and even manages to make us laugh along the way. This is not your typical Holocaust story in any way, shape, or form, and therein lies its strength.

Born in Queens, New York, Todd Diamond delivers narratives that are unapologetically raw and darkly humorous—a reflection of the borough that raised him. Whether it’s sordid tales from his advertising career or stories about his family’s Holocaust experiences, he resonates with those who prefer their prose served with a healthy dose of cynicism and unsweetened insight.

A graduate of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, Diamond spent over three decades in advertising, founding a Silicon Valley agency that grew into one of the region’s largest firms. His work has earned industry recognition and occasional controversy for its irreverent edge. His new agency, The Unbound, continues to push the boundaries of marketing for some of the world’s most innovative companies. He also founded Red Ink Studios, a nonprofit that transformed vacant commercial spaces into free working art studios for over 60 artists across Palo Alto, San Jose, San Francisco, and Flint, Michigan.

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