January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau
On this annual day of commemoration here are a few associated books:
These are two wonderful gifts I received this Christmas.
“The Holocaust Museum In Washington” This book was written by Jeshajahu Weinberg, the founding director of the museum. There are hundreds of color and black-and-white photographs throughout the book–photos of kitchen utensils, hair, shoes, forged documents, artificial limbs, and luggage and prayer shawls confiscated from the victims. Haunting and terrifying are photos showing charred corpses of concentration camp inmates, a starved prisoner in Buchenwald, a young Jewish partisan woman being hanged in Minsk in 1941, Danish Jews escaping to Sweden on a small boat, and Hungarian Jews arriving in Auschwitz in 1944. The book provides a well-rounded history of the Holocaust, but I would still really love to visit this museum in person!
“Once We Were Brothers” a fictional novel by Ronald H. Balson (a Chicago attorney.) His travels to Warsaw and southern Poland in connection with a complex telecommunications case, inspired this book. It is a story about two boys and a family who struggle to survive in war-torn Poland. I have not read it yet, but I have a feeling I will really enjoy it!
Rated 4.6 on amazon.com
Here are a couple books on my wishlist and tbr list:
(click pictures and titles for more info.)
From A Name to A Number:
A Holocaust Survivor’s Autobiography
A deeply personal story about one man’s lovely childhood that turned into a nightmare at the age of 15. He survives 5 camps and a multitude of atrocities. He is one of few survivors, and resides in my hometown of Portland, OR. I plan to read this book soon, I am fascinated by the prospect of it.
Rated 4.9 on amazon.com
Book Bean: Jewish Traditional Apple Tea
In a saucepan, bring a cup of water and allspice (4whole) just to a boil; add 2 black-tea bags. Remove from the heat; cover and steep for 3 minutes. Discard allspice and tea bags. Stir in a cup of apple juice and honey to taste.
The Boy on the Wooden Box:
How the Impossible Became Possible . . . on Schindler’s List
This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s list child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable. My watching the movie Schindler’s list is one of a series of events that sparked my intrigue and constant curiosity about the Holocaust. I am looking forward to this book.
Rated 4.8 on amazon.com
Book Bean: Turkish coffee
A method of preparing coffee using finely powdered roast coffee beans and roasting them in a small pot. Add in a little Cardamon spice for a nice aroma and taste. It is also known as “Jewish coffee” or “Israeli Turkish coffee” or “Arabic coffee”
Fun Fact: It’s a tradition in Israel to bring coffee to a friend’s house for Shabbat or send coffee in a gift basket for a birthday. Coffee is also an excellent addition to a Mishloach Manot basket for the Jewish holiday of Purim.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Albert Einstein
What related book have you read, that really moved/impact you?
Amein!! Yom HaShoah ( http://kristiann1.com/2014/04/28/yom-hashoah )!!
Am Yisrael Chai Forevermore Israel-Yisrael!!
Love Always and Shalom,
Kristi
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🙂
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I have been to the museum and now I will check out the book list. thanks for sharing.
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I would love to go! I’d love to visit the local are as well.
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I love that you spotlighted this holiday. I was unaware of it. I’m really interested in these books.
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There are so many books like this that I have read and/or want to read, it’s hard to narrow it down. “Man’s Search For Meaning” is another fantastic book!
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Not a book, but “The Boy in Striped Pajamas” moved my whole family.
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I haven’t watched the movie yet, because the book has been in my tbr list for so long. I need to read it and then watch it!
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It’s worth it. One if my kids did the holocaust for history fair, so that was one of his resources we used. Went to holocaust museum in DC also…
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I’d love to actually visit the museum!
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It was worth it to me…but I’m local :).
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The book is amazing!
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🙂
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I am reading Man’s search for meaning these days. The book is on the similar lines and is quite profound.
Nice post.
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I have read it. It is such an amazing book! 🙂
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I’ve been reading about the Holocaust for many years now, and I think that when it comes to this particular subject non fictional books are the only ones truly capable of conveying the horror and the atrocity of those terrible times. Primo Levi’s work is amazing and a punch to the guts. I also enjoyed ‘Hitler’s Willing Executioners’ by Daniel Goldhagen. It’s an historical enquiry about the origins and psychological aspects of German antisemitism during the Nazi period.
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I agree with you on that. That is why I really look forward to “From a Name to a Number.” I loved “Man’s Search For Meaning.” I have not read Primo Levi’s work, so I will be sure to pick something up. Thank you for sharing!
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‘If This Is a Man’ is considered to be Primo Levi’s masterpiece. It’s the first hand account of his life and survival in Auschwitz.
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Thank you! I will look it up. 😀
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Reblogged this on Of A Life Less Ordinary.
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Thank you for posting this!
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🙂
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Years ago I read a book about 8 or 9 Jewish individuals who survived through the war in Berlin by moving locations often and being in hiding – it was well written, but I don’t remember the name of it. It was a library book.
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hmmm not sure which book it is. Maybe someone on here will know… 🙂
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Night by Elie Wiesel. “Never shall I forget that night… Never shall I forget that smoke…Never shall I forget…Never.” And never should we. Thanks for the post.
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Indeed!
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I also suggest Night by Elie Wiesel. When I was teaching full time, every year I had my students read it.
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I just ordered it! 🙂
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“Sophie Scholl and the White Rose” was a fantastic book (I purchased it at the gift shop of the very same Holocaust museum in Washington and started reading it on the flight home. It is a true story about some very courageous young Germans (not Jewish) who stood up to the Nazis.
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That sounds excellent, thank you for the recommendation! 🙂
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Also, I chose “Refuge Denied: The St. Louis Passengers and the Holocaust” partly because I am from St. Louis (it has nothing to do with the ship or book). It is a much drier read, as you are reading a lot about research. But you also experience many different personal stories–with happy endings and with unhappy endings–and by the time you are finished you will appreciate the amazing work done to accomplish the goal of the research: To account for every passenger of the fateful voyage.
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It sounds very interesting. I like exploring the different angles and viewpoints, so I think I’d like to read it.
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The book that I read about that time which I found most moving was The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. I remember the book bringing me to tears while I was reading it on a crowded commuter train coming home from work..
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That one is on my tbr list 🙂 I’ve heard wonderful things about it.
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I visited the museum in DC and the feelings of sadness and pain took days to let go of me, but I am glad I saw it. I don’t know that I could handle another visit.
-Nancy
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I can only imagine. It a hard reality to swallow, but necessary.
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My husband’s grandmother, Oma, has a child during this time in Germany. She does not talk about it much. This is part of my families history. Thank you for sharing.
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I imagine it must be a very difficult thing for her. You are welcome. 🙂
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In Israel this remembrance day is called “Holocaust and Heroism”- in order to also remember the millions who fought the Nazi regime and its’ collaborators, and the ones who fled to Israel, to build a homeland for persecuted Jews from all over the world.
It is also a day of remembrance of all the millions non-Jews who were murdered by the Nazis – gays, gypsies, disabled people and those who tried to oppose the Nazis.
I think the main lesson from the Holocaust is that hatred and violence never stops at the first target, and those who started it are, in many cases, the ones who suffer from it at the end.
I highly recommend the book “Babi Yar – a document in the form of a novel” by Anatoly Kuznetsov, who was a teenager in Kiev during WW2. It’s not widely known, but well worth seeking.
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Thank you so much for that feedback! 🙂 It is important to honor all the people murdered. That is a good lesson to learn from the horror of the holocaust. It’s also important to never treat someone as inferior (not matter what,) or judge them. It only leads to fear, hate, and eventually mindless cruelty. I’m going to look that book up, thanks again for sharing!
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I could not find that book on amazon.com If you have anymore info. on it, please let me know. Is Babi Yar the author?
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The author was Anatoly Kuznetsov.
Babi Yar is a ravine in Kiev, where the Nazis performed one of the largest single mass killings in the holocaust.
Here is a link to the Amazon page: http://amzn.to/1nQEnm9
I hope this information will make it easier to find the book. It is really exceptional.
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Much easier, thank you very much! 🙂
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A subject close to my heart. I’ve been to the museum in DC four times now. I am always so affected by it. The display of children’s shoes always just stops me in my tracks. Two books are my favorite so far on this subject. “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana De Rosnay and “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne. That one just totally undid me. The movies? ‘Sarah’s Key” pretty much sucked. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” was even better than the book. Thank you for posting this, Abbie Lu. I didn’t know about it. I also have a virtual leaf on the tree at the Anne Frank house on its website.
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I have not read “Sarah’s Key” I have so many books on my list to read, and it just keeps growing!
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Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.
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Ann Frank’s diary; but one of my oldest friends came over on Kindertransport
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I loved “Diary of a Young Girl.”
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Firstly I went to the Holocaust Museum in Washington – a very sobering place along with the room dear Anne Frank and her family lived in in Amsterdam. On a lighter note thank you for the information about coffee.
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I would love to visit all the different historical places. I think it would be difficult and emotional, but very powerful. To stand among the history and really take it in as a reality, would be a treasure.
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From A Name to A Number is both deeply moving but also incredibly educational. A recommended read although I found due to it’s emotional nature I had to read it in stages. Can I also suggest another book. If This Is A Man by Primo Levi. I used this book for my thesis at university and whilst I can not give you a reason why this gentlemans story stood out to me that is what it did. I think it was the way he articulates how he faught to survive through out.
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I’ve been to two of the camps, we watched a film about Anne Frank on the bus, made me so sad to see that pretty face shaved and behind barbed wire, like Natalie Portman in V For Vendetta. But I like Anne Frank’s diary, she has the guts to be honest about everything she feels, even hate and loathing, and that’s a rare thing in literature and something jewish maybe, anyway Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen were some of the first to bring it into popular poetry music since King David.
Abbie are you jewish by the way? In case i’d like to hear your opinion about a short piece of prose I wrote about jewish matters, holocaust among other things. It’s almost no jews to read it in Norway where I am. They don’t like the cold (or so I read).
Cohen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRp6DyUyntE
Dylan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VLp9njk6U
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What a fulfilling experience, maybe one day I will get to share it. I am not Jewish, I am just fascinated with the the Holocaust, ww2, and basically the human condition. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
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All the books I was going to suggest have already been mentioned, but I will second them anyway (or third and fourth them!). Night by Elie Wiesel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Sarah’s Key. I’ve read more, but those ones are off the top of my head and are among my favourites.
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Thank you for sharing, I’ve added them to my tbr list. I need to get “Night,” and finish “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.”
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Reblogged this on Ra And Her Stories.
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🙂
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Hey there girly! I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! Visit my blog to check it out!
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Thank you 🙂
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As an author my focus is on America’s response to the Holocaust. I recommend anything by David Wyman.
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I’ll check out his work, thank you.
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The Holocaust Museum is such a powerful place. Thank you for bringing this to our minds. I personally love Night by Elie Wiesel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak for Holocaust reads.
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I would love to visit it.”Night” and “The Book Thief” are both in my queue, I’ve started “The Boy in The Striped Pajamas.”
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They’re all excellent! Seriously, it’s one of the most momentous experiences.
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I posted this on my blog yesterday: https://bethbac.wordpress.com/2016/01/27/martin-lowenbergs-story/ It also posts on Facebook, and a friend recommended the book, “This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen” by Tadeusz Borowski. It was originally published in Poland after the war by Borowski who was a survivor of the Holocaust. My friend is going to let me borrow the book. I’d never heard of it before, but I look forward to reading it.
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I haven’t heard of it either, I’m going to look it up. Thank you for sharing 😀
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I’ve just finished reading Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz (in its German translation). I can thoroughly recommend it. What was most disconcerting and eye-opening for me was that he spent time in satellite camps of the camp of Buchenwald (Zeitz and Gleina) which are only a few miles away from where I grew up. I visited the museum at Buchenwald as a teenager, but I had never heard about those camps there!
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Sounds really interesting. I will definitely check it out. 🙂
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As the last survivors slowly fade away and memory becomes history, it is important to preserve the memories… 🙂
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Extremely! I couldn’t agree more. 🙂
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I see that it is mentioned numerous times, but Night by Elie Wiesel. Both of my sons had to read this for their summer reading before 8th grade. I ended up reading it so that we could talk through some of the questions that they had. He packs in so much emotion into such a short read.
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I’m really looking forward to reading it!
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Thank you for the book recommendation and keeping the memory alive of those who suffered such extreme cruelty.
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🙂 Happy to do so!
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AWESOME!!! Look forward to reading your post! Have fun!
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Thank you! 🙂
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I will put in my reading list: From A Name to A Number!
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Great! 🙂
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Great list of books. From a Name to a Number and The Boy on The Wooden Box are both going on my to read list, thanks! 🙂
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Glad to hear that, I have heard so many good things about “From a Name to a Number.” 🙂
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🙂
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Have you read Night by Ellie Weisel? A very powerful autobiography. A must read if you’re interested in this subject.
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I have not. However, based on everyone urging of it, I did order it. 😀
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You won’t be disappointed!
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My grandparents went through the Auschwitz. My grandfather never really talked about his experiences though (we only found out about ten years ago that he actually had a wife and kid before the war). Most of what my family knows came from a book written by a friend of his, where he’s mentioned a little. http://amzn.to/1o2lo88
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Thank you for sharing that, I’d like to check it out. 🙂
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Great post…
Roberta Kagan is a great holocaust author
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Thank you for the suggestion 🙂
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