Mudlark, an imprint of HarperCollins has snapped up the debut book by journalist Joshua Nelken-Zitser, an investigation into inherited trauma and healing generational wounds.
When Joshua sought therapy for his panic attacks and eating disorder, he assumed they stemmed from a traumatic breakup or the grief of losing a friend. To his surprise, a therapist suggested another factor — transgenerational trauma – the idea that trauma can cascade through the generations, almost like an unwanted inheritance. The process can take place through parenting behaviours, cultural factors, or possibly even genetics.
As the grandson of four Holocaust survivors, it seems reasonable that Joshua would bear this legacy. Indeed, he’ll share the pivotal moments that made him realise his family history had a more of an impact on him than he might have initially thought. But what sets Joshua’s book apart is that he won’t exclusively focus on the victims of the Holocaust. He’ll also engage with another distinct group: the descendants of Nazis.
Born in London to an immigrant father and an English mother, Joshua’s upbringing was profoundly shaped by his family’s harrowing experience of the Holocaust. Remarkably, all four of his grandparents were survivors, with his grandmother enduring the horrors of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Motivated by his family’s history of oppression, Joshua pursued a career in journalism, driven by a desire to elevate marginalised voices. He embarked on this career after completing an MA in Politics at the University of Edinburgh and an MA in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London.
Joshua launched his career at LBC, later freelancing with prestigious outlets such as the BBC, The Telegraph, Wired, The Spectator, and The Times, among many others. He is now the is a Senior News Reporter at Business Insider’s London bureau, covering breaking news, foreign affairs, and US politics.
The book will publish in January 2027 and can be pre-ordered now.
Cull & Co. Literary Agency Ltd 