Extraordinary
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I cannot think of enough superlatives to describe this book so must simply urge everyone to read it. It is superbly written and utterly fascinating. It's a cliche but - I simply couldn't put it down.
It works brilliantly on several levels - an amusing memoir of the life of a young Jewish American boy (not religious) growing up in the 60s with some ancient relatives with strange European accents; a fascinating detective story as he tries to find out the truth about his family history and in particular the six members who died; a tragedy beyond belief as we learn what really happened to Schmiel and Ester and their four daughters. Most people think of the Holocaust and gas chambers. The truth is that there was much more to the killing machine than that and the savagery of what happened to people is unbelievable - and unbearable. I have never read a better book on this subject.
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An Amazing Search For The Truth
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I have read many books about the holocaust, which tend to focus on the hard statistical facts, this book is different. In his search for the truth about the fate of 6 memebers of his mother's family Daniel Mendelsohn shows us the personal impact the holocaust had on one family. He visits Galicia and tries to uncover the fate of these family members but finds that fate shrouded in mystery and half truths. It teaches us to question historical fact as time blurs the truth - there was uncertainty as to which members of his family had died where and when. This book also looks beyond the victims to those who perpetrated the crimes and how they deal with thier past in the modern world. A enjoyable read about real peole if emotionally draining by the end.
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