The Librarian of Auschwitz (Special Edition)

First book of 2018!!! And why I decided to pick a book that would pull my heart out of my chest and stomp on it, I’ll never know! I got this book for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to pick it up. The cover is gorgeous, its based on a true story, and its all about books. As much as I’ve studied the Holocaust and Auschwitz, I don’t think I’ve ever read about the family camp or the children’s school. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve read an account of day to day life in Auschwitz, other than the constant stream into the gas chambers. This book does a great job of capturing the feelings of the prisoners. In other accounts, it seems that all you can feel is the fear and despair. But in The Librarian, there’s a sense of hope that never seems to be extinguished. Dr. Mengele could easily fit in as the villain in any horror story and be completely believable and terror-inducing. Yet Dita refuses to be cowed. Fredy, instead of looking out for his own interests and well-being like most leaders of that time did, successfully ran a school for hundreds of kids, in the middle of the most deadly extermination camp the Nazis ever set up! How our youth of today manage to “survive” in this world of mean, offensive people, I’ll never know! *cough*sarcasm*cough* There were so many feelings in this book! I was inspired, heartbroken, excited, scared, frustrated, angry . . . I thought I was going to burst. This is another fiction book that reads like non-fiction. Iturbe researched extensively and spent a lot of time with Dita before writing. The Postscript was actually my favorite part of the whole book because it was wonderful to hear about what kind of person Dita grew up to be. Pretty sure she is my new hero and will remain in that position forever! I would save this for slightly older teens, keep it in high school classrooms and libraries. But every single high school history teacher should have this book on their shelves. I absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, history, or just an inspiring story. I would also suggest that every single high schooler read this book. An easy 5 stars! “Books are extremely dangerous; they make people think.”

Well-done! The evil seeps into the people. The neighborhood hairdresser becomes a Nazi executioner. The fear is overwhelming. Jewish camp doctors do something in the belief it will stop an atrocity, but in the process kill one of their own. The will to live is remarkable. Dita has an indomitable spirit. My favorite quote: “Culture isn’t necessary for the survival of mankind; for that, you only need bread and water. It’s also true that with bread to eat and water to drink, humans survive; but with only this, humanity dies.” P. 408 Connection to today: the immigrant detention camps, in this country and others, are not too far removed from the first steps taken by the Nazis. People are living in inhumane, crowded, conditions. “In the barrack to which Dita, her mother, and about fifty other women have been assigned, there’s no dinner, no beds, and the blankets smell of urine. They have to sleep on the wooden floor, and there’s barely any room for them, not even on the floor.” That’s actually on page 369, 87% of the way into the story. It sounds too similar to descriptions of the cells at our border. I saw a video of a Proud Boy (I think) crawling into a dog crate, and pretending to be an immigrant child calling for help. He was obscene. That was yesterday, July 4th, 2019. Is he what we are becoming?

This was a great story based on a real person whom the author was able to meet at one point. When you think of these young teenagers in a setting like Auschwitz and how much older they really had to be, it’s a heartbreak on to of the already soul-crushing events of the Holocaust. The story sometimes moves a little slowly, but since it’s not entirely fiction, some of the small details were probably important to include. A quick read for adults and worth the read.

Where this book took a few chapters to really reel me in, I settled in and let the book get in my bones. The reason this book might feel a bit choppy or random at times, is because it's written as a firsthand account of a young teen. It's really a coming-of-age story of a girl figuring out the tough facts of life as she goes through the most senseless acts of violence and murder in history. This book not only follows her life, but the life of some of her family members, friends, and other children and Jewish leaders and Resistance members in the camp. It's written bluntly and to the point, just like a teen would react. I had never read a perspective like this and learned so much about the children, and family camp, which I hadn't known before. I appreciated how she delved into the character and bravery of so many different people. Some showed this bravery in incredibly daring ways, and others in quiet, peaceful ways. This book reads like a YA novel, but is compelling and heartbreaking throughout, yet it made my heart sore to celebrate this girl's undying spirit that brought hope to so many. Amazing book.

Very moving book. Held my interest to the last page.

It is beyond the imagination how people could survive their hellish life in such a horrid place as Auschwitz. To survive is miraculous. To go on to live a “normal life” is just the proof that they won against the evil Holocaust. A very excellent story of survival. I highly recommend this excellent book.

Super good book!!

“Brave people are not the ones who aren’t afraid. Those are reckless people who ignore the risk; they put themselves and others in danger. That’s not the sort of person I want on my team. I need the ones who know the risk—whose legs shake, but who carry on.” Some consider running a secret school and library inside of Auschwitz an act of useless bravery. I am more inclined to agree with the author of this book who found the real-life story of Holocaust survivor Dita Kraus to be one that can inspire and challenge us to think differently. Though a work of fiction, this novel is based on facts and will both educate and deeply move you.

This was the extraordinary story of Dita, the librarian of the secret school room which was situated in the family camp of Auschwitz. A camp that I had no idea existed. It was a story of a courageous and tenacious young girl who discovered the importance of books during the darkest moments of her life. Based on a real life account that was filled with astonishing bravery and the will to survive. Not only was this book about Dita and her family, but I also learnt of other victims of the Nazi regime, whose stories I had not read before. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in Auschwitz and other concentration camps during World War Two. An unforgettable tale of hope that I highly recommend reading.

It's an amazing book that takes us back to those lives of people who has suffered and perished during the dark days. A must-read book for those who are interested in know about past

I stayed all night reading this simple but unforgettable book. The author did a stellar job of humanizing the characters and giving insight into how people reacted to their horrifying hellish reality. I especially appreciated that the author gave bonus material at the conclusion...sharing what happened to the Nazi, Jewish and other main characters after the end of the war as well as how he met some of them and researched this book. Thank you for writing so clearly and compassionately.

I loved the book.

J’ai juste commencé mais je sente que je vais lire très vite!!