Tag Archive | One More Chapter

The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz by Sara Leibovits & Eti Elboim

Aug4

Powerful, Inspiring & Horrifying

The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz by Sara Leibovits & Eti Elboim is a powerful, inspiring and horrifying account of a sixteen year olds year spent in Auschwitz. Sara Leibovits was her name. This is her story, interspersed with memories by her daughter Eti Elboim. This is a journey to hell and back.

Sara Leibovits spent three days with eighty four people crammed into a cattle car, destination Auschwitz in May 1944. Already so much had been lost living in the ghetto, but far worse was to come.

Sara Leibovits is an amazing lady. She showed strength of character, resilience and maintained a kind heart, as she shared what little she had with those around her in Auschwitz. Her experiences make difficult reading but the reality would have been far worse – something we cannot even imagine, it’s so awful.

A loss of dignity and identity for all in Auschwitz as they were no longer known by name but by a tattooed number. Eti Elboim as her daughter affirms, “You are no longer a number.” The strong mother-daughter bond is clear for all to see.

In later years Sara Leibovits has visited Auschwitz and also spoken of her experiences to others. She has survived.

The reader hears from Eti Elboim what it is like as the second generation of an Auschwitz survivor. It was a perspective I had not read about before. I had not realized it could mean no grandparents, aunts, uncles… whole generations wiped out. Just your parents. Eti Elboim’s words are powerful and heartfelt.

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The Curious Kidnapping Of Nora W by Cate Green

Jul4

Journey To The Past

The Curious Kidnapping Of Nora W by Cate Green is a marvellous novel that drew me in from the start.

It is a book about survival as Nora is just eighteen days away from being the world’s oldest women at 122 years and 165 days in 2018 as the novel opens. Nora is a survivor. She was born in Lodz into a Jewish family. She survived the Nazi occupation. She has known love, pain and hard work. She wants to celebrate her special day in her unique way and not be bamboozled into an organized party.

This is a story about a mother’s love. We see the unique mother-daughter bond between several characters, and we witness the huge pain of loss.

Generations separate Nora and her carer but they are united by their shared experiences of war, love and loss.

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The Cruise by Caroline James

Apr23

Grab Life & Live It!

The Cruise by Caroline James is a delightfully fun novel that will make you smile.

A Christmas cruise in the Caribbean is a wonderful escape from the cold December days in Britain. It is a new experience for three school friends aged sixty three. They prove that you are never too old for new experiences.

Life has been difficult in recent years – we have a widow who has endured a lifetime of domestic abuse, a divorcee, and a character lacking in self confidence. Now is the time for a fresh start.

We meet an eclectic mix of characters cruising. Some are seasoned travelers; others are new to it. It is important to grab new experiences and opportunities. Don’t let life pass you by. Life is for living, as we see several characters having epiphanies.

Some characters need to be encouraged to try new things. We see that an obsession with weight and body-shaming has held a character to ransom over the years.

Caroline James has introduced not only the characters, but the reader too, to the joys and delights of cruising. Her words have vividly painted the landscape and the sights. We can almost ‘feel’ the heat as we figuratively step onto the white-hot sand.

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The Collaborator’s Daughter by Eva Glyn

Apr14

A Beacon Of Hope

The Collaborator’s Daughter by Eva Glyn is a compelling dual timeline tale that I read in just one sitting. This is a tale that enthralls, entertains and enchants the reader. It is a tale that blends fact and fiction, educating as you read.

Much of the book is set in 2010 Croatia but looking backwards to 1944 after the Nazi’s had fled. The lead character grew up in England, after her mother fled with her in 1944. She longs to know her roots, seeking out her father – was he hero or traitor?

It is also a story about new beginnings. We are never too old for a fresh start. The two lead characters are in their sixties. They both have tragedies, regrets and sorrows behind them. Is it time to take a chance, grasp life and learn to live again?

Croatia in 2010 is very different from 1944 when fear and tension were all around, and trust was in short supply. In contrast, in 2010 lives live in freedom, tasting food and coffee, experiencing sun, sea and laughter. As the past unravels, lives in present day mirror the course and open up.

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