Panorama, the recently published English translation of late Czech scholar H. G. Adler's 1948 semi-autobiographical novel, follows protagonist Josef Kramer through different portions of his life, from childhood to his eventual enslavement at a Nazi labor camp. Inspired by the author's own experiences as a Holocaust survivor, the novel opens with a childhood visit to a panorama exhibit, where Josef and his grandmother sat in awe as each image offered a glimpse into another world. Adler symbolically mirrors this structure of the panorama exhibitions, as each metaphorical snapshot of his life offers readers a peek at the reality of World War II–era Europe.

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