The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak-552 pages

Once you figure out that the narrator of the book is Death it makes a lot more sense!  It is actually a very cool and different angle.

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

Such beautiful, well developed characters.  I LOVE this book!

Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival by Marcel Prins, Peter Henk Steenhuis, Watkinson Laura (Translator), Laura Watkinson (Translator)

 

Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival by Marcel Prins, Peter Henk Steenhuis, Watkinson Laura (Translator), Laura Watkinson (Translator)

Jaap Sitters was only eight years old when his mother cut the yellow stars off his clothes and sent him, alone, on a fifteen-mile walk to hide with relatives. It was a terrifying night, one he would never forget. Before the end of the war, he would hide in secret rooms and behind walls. He would suffer from hunger, sickness, and the looming threat of Nazi raids. But he would live.

This is just one of the true stories told in Hidden Like Anne Frank , a collection of eye-opening first-person accounts that share the experience of going into hiding to escape the Holocaust. Some were just toddlers when they were hidden; some were teenagers. Some hid with neighbors or family, while many were with complete strangers. But all know the pain of losing their homes, their families, even their own names. They describe the secret network that kept them safe. And they share the coincidences and close calls that made all the difference.

This is a great read-it's amazing how some of these people survived just by sheer luck.  It's amazing to read these stories of survival.

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin

                                             The Keeper of Hidden Boks by Madeline Martin-402 pages

Zofia was leading a normal teenage life when the Nazis' bombed her city and looted and destroy her city.  Her best friend Janina is Jewish and is forced to live in the infamous Warsaw ghetto.  The girls share a love of literature and they find ways to smuggle books into the ghetto so that the people that live there have a sense of humanity; saving their culture and the community.

Wonderfully written..I highly recommend it.

Night by Elie Wiesel

 

Night (The Night Trilogy #1) by Elie Wiesel, 120 p.

"Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were taken from their home in 1944 to Auschwitz concentration camp, and then to Buchenwald. Night is the terrifying record of Elie Wiesel's memories of the death of his family, the death of his own innocence, and his despair as a deeply observant Jew confronting the absolute evil of man. This new translation by his wife and most frequent translator, Marion Wiesel, corrects important details and presents the most accurate rendering in English of Elie Wiesel's testimony to what happened in the camps and of his unforgettable message that this horror must simply never be allowed to happen again." -- from back cover.

Linked by Gordon Korman

Linked by Gordon Korman 246 pages Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever. The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. With Linked, Gordon Korman, the author of the acclaimed novel Restart, poses a mystery for all readers where the who did it? isn't nearly as important as the why? This is a juvenile chapter book, but I still enjoyed it. The mystery was well written, as Gordon Korman's work always is. The suspense of finding out the real identity of the vandal stretches throughout the book. This book addresses the Holocaust and the KKK, so there was some sensitive material, but I enjoyed the story as well as the author's note at the end.

SIGNS OF SURVIVAL by Renee Hartman with Joshua M Greene

Signs of Survival by Renee Hartman and Joshua M Greene 122 pages Meet Renee and Herta, two sisters who faced the unimaginable -- together. This is their true story. As Jews living in 1940s Czechoslovakia, Renee, Herta, and their parents were in immediate danger when the Holocaust came to their door. As the only hearing person in her family, Renee had to alert her parents and sister whenever the sound of Nazi boots approached their home so they could hide. But soon their parents were tragically taken away, and the two sisters went on the run, desperate to find a safe place to hide. Eventually they, too, would be captured and taken to the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. Communicating in sign language and relying on each other for strength in the midst of illness, death, and starvation, Renee and Herta would have to fight to survive the darkest of times. This gripping memoir, told in a vivid "oral history" format, is a testament to the power of sisterhood and love, and now more than ever a reminder of how important it is to honor the past, and keep telling our own stories. I love to read about the Holocaust. I didn't realize this was a true story when I began to read it. This is a juvenile book, and is a very quick read. I read it in one evening. It was very fact based and not much story or suspense involved. I also am very interested in sign language, but not much was addressed in the book. Overall, I would not reccommend to others, except 4-5 graders.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

 

 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah-440 pages

This is my go to book whenever I need inspiration.  Just to draw on the strength of these women and men who lived through such horrors.  A time that they did not know when it would end or if it would end.  The strength of family and bonds of friendship..to the death.  It makes me feel like as bad as these times are we can survive.  This book will always be in my top five favorites..if you haven't read it I highly recommend it to you. 

Night by Elie Wiesel

Night by Elie Wiesel
(Night Trilogy #1)
120 pages / 4 hrs, 17 mins

"Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were taken from their home in 1944 to Auschwitz concentration camp, and then to Buchenwald. Night is the terrifying record of Elie Wiesel's memories of the death of his family, the death of his own innocence, and his despair as a deeply observant Jew confronting the absolute evil of man. This new translation by his wife and most frequent translator, Marion Wiesel, corrects important details and presents the most accurate rendering in English of Elie Wiesel's testimony to what happened in the camps and of his unforgettable message that this horror must never be allowed to happen again."
--from the publisher.

The book completely lives up to its reputation.  I'm speechless.  Five out of five stars for me.

Doctor's from Hell by Vivien Spitz

Doctor's from Hell by  Vivien Spitz
318 pages

This book is not for the faint of heart.  Doctor's from Hell covers the account of Nazi experiments on humans during World War II.  I devoured this book over the course of a couple days.  I am a history buff and have a keen interest in WWII and the atrocities that occurred in Nazi Germany, the concentration camps and the regime that annihilated the Jewish population in Europe.

This book is by Vivien Spitz.  She is the youngest court reporter to preside over the Nuremburg trials that helped bring justice to those involved in crimes against humanity during the war.  This book tells the story of several doctors and the experiments that were tested on human subjects.  It is a chilling in depth account of survival and death.  Some of the experiments include hot and freezing temperature exposure, amputation and transplants, exposure to poisonous gasses and diseases and high altitude. They are true stories from the victims and the suffering they endured.  WARNING: book contains graphic imagery and testimonials.

Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally

Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally - 397 pages

This book defies classification.  Why?  While considered fiction, it really isn't.  It's an excellent blending of fact and fiction in one book based on a collection of papers held by a Schindlerjuden (as the rescued Jews called themselves). Keneally's style in writing this book more closely resembles a traditional history book with long narratives and little dialogue.

As most may know from the Oscar-winning movie, Oskar Schnidler was a Czechoslovakian industrialist in World War II whom through his work managed to rescue over a thousand Jews from ultimate destruction by employing them at his factory in Plazkow, Poland.  Once he learned of the Final Solution's upcoming last big push, he managed to move his entire factory-workers and equipment-back to his native land where the Nazi's had slightly less influence.  However, that is not the full story.  The book covers what went on in the background to make these plans work, including collaborating with the Jewish Underground and how Schindler used his contacts to further his cause.  Also, we learn a bit more about the concentration camp commandant, Amon Goeth, and how Schindler "played" him.

Anne Frank Her Life in Words and Pictures by: Anne Frank

Anne Frank, Her Life in Words and Pictures 215pgs
This is a great little book that gives a brief look into the who, what, when, where and why of the popular Miss Anne Frank.  With pictures to go along with the story line one gets a good look at the life of one child and those around her during the turbulent years before and during the war.

Jacob's Oath: A Novel by Martin Fletcher

Jacob's Oath: A Novel by Martin Fletcher - 323 pages

Jacob's Oath opens with it's two main characters, Jacob Klein and Sarah Kaufmann, living out the last days of World War II.  Both Jews, Jacob has been liberated from Bergen-Belsen while Sarah emerged from her hiding place in war-torn Berlin, aided by a Russian Jewish intelligence officer named Isak Brodsky.  Both make returning home to Heidelberg their goal and they succeed.  However, once there each has to face their fears.  For Sarah, it is learning the fate of her beloved while Jacob vows to kill the local guard who murdered his brother.  In the midst of this, Jacob learns how to make money on the black market and the two survivors fall in love.  How will their new found romance affect them facing their fears?  Read and find out.  In all, I enjoyed this novel and how it portrayed events realistically.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - 552 pages

Despite it's title, The Book Thief's focus is not stealing books.  Yes, that does occur, but the book is about the power of words.At one point the main character, Liesel Meminger observed that it is because of words that not only she became an avid reader, but that the German people believed in Hitler.  She realized that words, written or spoken have the power to change both individuals and the world.

To provide more of a storyline summary, Liesel is sent to live with the Hubermann family when her mother is presumably sent away due to her communist leanings.  She lived with the Hubermans for approximately four years during which time they become her parents, Hans Hubermann teaches Liesel to read, and they harbor a Jew.  She also befriends Rudy Steiner and attends school for the first time.  Liesel also has an odd relationship with the mayor's wife, but to say anymore will spoil the book for those who have yet to read it.  Overall, I did enjoy the book but I found the fact that it was narrated by "Death" to be odd.

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure - 371 pages

The Paris Architect  is a gripping story about a pair who worked architectural marvels in Occupied Paris to protect French Jews.  The novel follows architect Lucien Bernard and industrialist Auguste Manet.  To the eyes of most Parisians and the Germans, Bernard and Manet appear to be collaborationists helping design factories for the German war effort.  Behind the scenes, Bernard designs cleverly disguised hiding spaces for Manet's Jewish friends enabling them to elude the Germans.

What I loved most about this book was the "cat and mouse game" Bernard and Manet played with the Germans to cleverly hide the Jews.

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl, 184 pages

I have heard this called one of the most important/moving/influential/inspiring books ever written, and I have to agree.  Viktor Frankl survived the concentration camps, and wrote this memoir/explanation of logotherapy to reflect on the idea of survival, finding purpose, and allowing life's meaning to find you.  It's hard to sum up, but this is a really good book for personal reflection and development.  It's self-help, but without the feeling that the author is trying to sell you a product or develop their brand.

Auschwitz, by Pascal Croci

Auschwitz, by Pascal Croci, 88 pages

The art is well-done and the use of stark black and white lends itself to this story of life and death in a concentration camp; but the story and characters are lacking.  If this graphic novel about survival and lack thereof in a concentration camp sounds interesting at all to you, just read Art Spiegelman's Maus, instead.

Shivitti: a Vision, by Ka-Tzetnik135633

Shivitti: a Vision, by Ka-Tzetnik135633, 114 pages

Ka-Tzetnik 135633 is the pen name for Yehiel DeNur.  It is the name he was called as a prisoner in Auschwitz, and the number is the tattoo that he still bears on his arm.  The author survived the concentration camp and survived the war, but he still bore terrible psychological trauma from the events that he survived.  Thirty years after the war, he finds a unique kind of psychotherapy that allows him to explore the events that happened to him in order to recover.  This is not a book for history fans, or those interested in the Holocaust.  This is more for those interested in gaining insight into the process of recovery from extreme trauma and guilt.