I'm not sure how I stumbled across this little book. Actually, I think it was mentioned on a podcast discussing another book, Deathly Hallows (which I'm sure I'll discuss here later). The discussion had turned to the Ministry of Magic and the comparisons that could be drawn between what was happening in that book and what actually occurred in Nazi Germany. Yes...I think that's it. Not that it's actually relevant, but hey-it's my blog :)This is book one of three in the Night Trilogy by Elie Wiesel. The author was born in Sighet now a part of Romania in the Transylvanian region. It is an area that has been claimed by both Hungary and Romania over the years. While growing up there, Sighet was primarily a Jewish community and in 1944 the people were transported out of their town into Poland to the Nazi concentration camps.
This is an autobiographical book about the author being sent to and the time he spent at Auschwitz. After a little research I've discovered the story was initially written in Yiddish in a much longer form. The author condensed the original into this shorter version first in French in 1955 or 56 (I'm not sure). I read an Avon Discus edition published in 1969 with 127 pages. I found this copy in the fiction section of the used book shoppe.
It did not take long to read this book, yet it is overflowing with emotion and detail. It was not overly graphic, rather the accounts of events are very concise. The author is very frank when speaking about his faith...what it looked like before and how it changed during his stay in the concentration camp. It is moving...
Last summer I visited Terror Haza (the Terror House) in Budapest, Hungary. The photographs and very graphic portrayal of the deportation seen there are forever in my memory...while reading this story, those were the images in my head.
I'm not sure if this is subject matter I ever say I "enjoy"...I do however, recommend this book.
Bottom Line: Keeper-in my library.
Important Side Note: I just found out this book is recommended by Oprah's Book club. (this is me rolling my eyes) I do not EVER choose to read anything because Oprah says so...in fact, what she says usually sends me in the opposite direction--immediately. Don't let this deter you...the book was good long before Oprah thought so.
1 comment:
I have never been able to get into any of these books and I think maybe because I have vivid memories of WWII myself and some of them disturbing, like while we were in Calif. during the War we would go from San Diego area up to Orange County and you couldn't look up ans see anything because of the camafloge (sp). Then when Uncle Ed or Marion would finally open up and talk about it, I just can't explain. Then Carl & I had friends that were involved in the Batan Death March. Some of the stories that they could tell, but these men wouldn't talk that freely, but when they did it just really made you shutter internally some of the things that they witnessed.
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