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Sportswriter Alexander Wolff's latest book takes on a new subject: His own family

A man in a brown jacket, gray sweater and blue jeans leans against a red barn.
Courtesy of Alexander Wolff
Alexander Wolff of Cornwall, Vt., tackles the story of his ancestors in his latest book.

The writer Alexander Wolff of Cornwall, Vt., is a well-known sports reporter and editor. During his 36 years at Sports  Illustrated, Wolff covered some of the sporting world’s biggest events, from the Tour de France to the Olympics. He’s written extensively about basketball and authored numerous books on the sport.

A blue and white book cover
Courtesy of Alexander Wolff
The cover of Alexander Wolff's new memoir, "Endpapers."

In his most recent work, Wolff tackles an entirely new subject: his own family. His grandfather, Kurt Wolff, was born in Germany of Jewish descent. After fleeing to New York City to escape the Nazis, Kurt went on to found Pantheon Books, a notable publishing house. Kurt's son — Alexander’s father — remained in Germany and was conscripted into the German army.

Wolff tells their stories in his book “Endpapers: A Family Story of Books, War, Escape and Home.” The paperback edition came out in March. Wolff joined Vermont Edition to discuss the process of researching the book in Germany and uncovering details of his family’s complex history.

Broadcast on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or get in touch with reporter Mikaela Lefrak on Twitter @MikaelaLefrak.

Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Tedra joined Vermont Public as a producer for Vermont Edition in January 2022 and now serves as the Managing Editor and Senior Producer. Before moving to Vermont, she was a journalist in New York City for 20 years. She has a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.