Yesterday I read the famous book Night by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. I found it to be profoundly disturbing and just about as sad as any book I have ever read. Mr. Wiesel tells the story of his imprisonment in the concentration camp Auschwitz during 1944-1945. The situation this 15 year old boy found himself in was cruel and horrendous. He shows the numbness caused by such hatred and cruelty and the hopelessness of a world without love. The only thread of hope they clung to was the love they, (Elie and his father) had for one another.
My heart broke when I read lines like these...
"men to the left, women to the right." Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight short, simple words. Yet that was the moment when I parted from my mother."
"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed....Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."
It is extremely well written. I was riveted to the pages and finished the 120 page book in 2 hours. I give the book 5 stars out 5 and would probably include it into my top 10 favorite books of all time.
6 comments:
I read this book a while back and it gripped me too! What an horror this people had to go through. And now there are people who want to say the Holocaust never happened. Shame on them!
I felt very very sad about any Holocaust story I read!
Andrea
Chris,
I, too, have read Nacht (Night) by Elie Wiesel and found it overwhelmingly sad. As an alternative, try reading (if you haven't already) the book "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom. It is the true story of the Ten Boom family (two elderly sisters and their father) in Holland who hide Jews in their home during the Holocaust. They are eventually captured and put into a concentration camp. It is different from Nacht, however, in that it is written from a Christian perspective. Corrie and her family are devout Christians, and throughout their experience, they hold fast to their faith, inspire others, and find the goodness of God even in the midst of unspeakable horror. Rather than leaving you with a feeling of hopelessness and despair, "The Hiding Place" leaves you feeling triumphant and wanting to have the faith and strength of the Ten Booms!
-Jennifer B.
Jen
Yes, the Hiding Place was a great story! I saw the movie when I was about 8 years old. I have read bits and pieces of the book throughout the years. I remember my parents reading a Corrie Ten Boom devotional after dinner when I was a child.
I do find it incredible the different perspectives of those two individuals, (Corrie and Elie). Both went through an extremely difficult ordeal but came away with different perspectives. Wiesel's "God" was hanging dead on the gallows in the personification of a thirteen year old boy, wheras, Corrie said, "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."
Thank you Jen for the reminder of Corrie.
yeah I forgot that I read the "Hiding Place" too. And also the dairy of Anne Frank.
It slipped my mind, but I am so stressed out at this time :)
Anyways, thanks Jennifer for reminding me on this too!
Andrea
Andrea
Yes, I love the Diary of Anne Frank. That is a great!
Chris
I just finished Night and am sad and exhausted and pained at the honest and touching account that the author delivers in a well written memoir. As you read, you feel as if you are right there beside him observing the horrors that he witnessed and experienced. It is truly an education of the atrocities of the Holocaust and how his inner strength lead him to survival. This is a must read for everyone especially those who believe the Holocaust never happened. A story like this is evidently "real" as the well written expose proves by its ability to make you feel as if "you are there!" I read this book in one sitting and am now interested in seeking out more of his books.
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