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Book Review of Auschwitz: True tales from a grotesque land

Auschwitz: True tales from a grotesque land
Shervivor avatar reviewed on + 97 more book reviews


This is probably the most mentally difficult book I have ever read about the Holocaust. The author was a prisoner in Auschwitz from 1943 until January 1945 when the Russian army advanced into Poland and the Nazis forced the prisoners to march. Sara is able to tell these horrible stories from her time there in a way that makes you truly understand the mental challenge of survival in Auschwitz. She is an expert story teller and worked in the infirmary. She gives many firsthand accounts of Josef Mengele and his brutality hidden behind a handsome face. She also delves into the moral issues of how prisoners were able to deal with the daily sight of death and continue to maintain an attitude that allowed them to survive. She touches on all of the 'lore' of Auschwitz but manages to somehow humanize the unthinkable atrocities.

This book will draw you into the nightmare that was Auschwitz. It is likely you will not be able to put it down once you begin. If you have a strong constitution and are interested in knowing more about life inside Auschwitz I recommend this book. The author is a skillful storyteller.