Customer Reviews:
Polish Heroism Amidst Unspeakable German Terror.......2006-11-04
This book provides much detail about the sacrificial life of Catholic nuns and their actions during the war on behalf of the needy children in general and Jewish ones in particular. It also gives the reader a good slice of Polish history during that tragic time.
There are widely divergent estimates on the total number of Polish Jews saved by Poles, ranging from 40,000-50,000 (Philip Friedman) to 100,000-200,000 (Joseph Kermisz). Kurek herself assesses the contribution of the Polish Catholic nuns as follows: "Two hundred rescuing convents and more than 1,200 saved Jewish children is tragically few when compared with the extermination of tens of thousands of Jewish children in Poland. Yet when it is taken into account that the rescuers were twenty thousand Polish nuns struggling against similar difficulties and subjected to the same inhuman occupation, the number becomes more significant." (pp. 103-104).
Some erstwhile Jewish children recall being subject to traditional church teachings about Jews being responsible for the Crucifixion of Christ. Others strongly repudiate any hints of such an experience (e. g., p. 187).
Kurek addresses hurtful accusations, made by some Jewish individuals and groups, that the nuns' motive for sheltering Jewish children was to convert them. She finds no support for this claim, and the testimonies of the Jews themselves do not indicate any pressure or enticement to convert. Of course, Jewish parents and clergy had to individually decide whether death was preferable to the chance that a Jewish child would eventually prefer Christianity solely as the passive outcome of his/her experiences with Catholic "substitute parents".
Kurek reminds us that, unlike in most German-occupied countries, the Germans had imposed an automatic death penalty for the slightest assistance to a Jew. In recent years, the nonsensical argument has been advanced, that owing to the fact that Poles commonly risked the death penalty anyway (through such things as engaging in Underground activities) the death penalty could not have been the real reason for more Poles not hiding Jews. To begin with, a Pole was far less likely to be caught for being in the Underground than for hiding a Jew. In addition, as pointed out by Kurek, the Germans, in practice, did not impose the death penalty consistently: "For Poles to fight the Germans in the rank of the underground army, in clandestine activities or in partisan squads, was a sort of ennoblement. It was dangerous. If someone was caught by the Germans, he could be sentenced to death. Yet there was always a chance of survival. One could be taken to prison or a concentration camp, and, once there, escape or survive. But if a Pole was caught helping a Jew, death was certain." (p. 33).
In his memoirs, Yitzhak Zuckerman pointed out that he was as often accosted by Jewish szmalcowniks (szmalcowniki), or blackmailers, as Polish ones. In a similar vein, Kurek writes: "And the nuns also knew that among the szmalcowniks and Gestapo agents there were Jews. This is why the Semitic features of a person asking to admit a child was not sufficient." (p. 58).
The back of the book has Appendices that include testimonies of the nuns and testimonies of the rescued Jews. In one of the latter, Irit, R., having personally experienced both bad and good from Poles, makes the following thoughtful comments: "So I can say that I saw various types of people. But now, forty years later, how can one judge the Polish people? Our youth also judges the Jews as cowards who did not fight. Who has a right to judge those people? Those Jews and those Poles? One cannot judge Poles. Here they say that I like the Polish people, and that's why I take this view. But it is not so. There is no black and white. In between here are other colors, and one has to be aware of this." (p. 197).
Although this work's main topic is the martyrdom and rescue of Jews, Kurek also discusses the Germans' genocidal murder of the Poles. She elaborates on the mass killings of Christian clergy and the destruction of church property (pp. 41-44). She also quotes estimates that the Germans murdered Polish gentiles and Polish Jews in a ratio of 10:1 during 1939-1941 and in a ratio of 2:3 during 1942-1944 (p. 17, 227). She cites entries from Emanuel Ringelblum's diary that state that, ironically, Poles had tried to save their lives by pretending to be Jews during the first indicated interval of time (p. 17, 224). Clearly, the genocidal priorities of the Germans had switched dramatically during the war. But they could have just as easily, and dramatically, switched again. Indeed, Kurek includes the testimony of Franciszka A., one of the rescued children currently living in Israel, who at least tentatively recognized the fact that, had the war lasted longer, the fate of the Poles would have eventually been the same as that of the Jews (p. 177).
Very Interesting - memories of nuns & children.......2006-06-26
This is a great book. The author did a very comphrehensive research, every argument is supported by numerous sources. I enjoyed it a lot! But for a person who is not a scholar or not familiar with the aspects of war in Poland the best it to start reading the book from appendix - with real memories of nuns about children and children about being hidden in the monastery. After that read the chapters. In this way you would have a better understanding of the author's arguments.
I was crying while reading some fragments. The book is wonderful, very touchy. It is a comprehensive historical outlook into many aspects of war in Poland.
A Good Read.......2004-12-20
This book brings to mind the unsung heroes under Hitler's Nazi Regime. Poles were under strict command by German forces not to abet anyone of Jewish origin. The threat of death to anyone found harboring or aiding the Jewish population put many who wished to help in deep jeporady. Polish Nuns with no leadership from Rome took it upon themselves to save as many Jewish children as they possible could without endangering the children already in their care. The book mentions many different congregations who offered "aid" under penalty of death. The book left me wanting to know even more about these wonderful women.
Amazon.com
Thomas Cahill, author of the bestselling How the Irish Saved Civilization, continues his Hinges of History series with The Gifts of the Jews, a light-handed, popular account of ancient Jewish culture, the culture of the Bible. The book is written from a decidedly modern point of view. Cahill notes, for instance, that Abraham moved the Jews from Ur to the land of Canaan "to improve their prospects," and that the leering inhabitants of Sodom surrounded Lot's lodging "like the ghouls in Night of the Living Dead." The Gifts of the Jews nonetheless encourages us to see the Old Testament through ancient eyes--to see its characters not as our contemporaries but as those of Gilgamesh and Amenhotep. Cahill also lingers on often-overlooked books of the Bible, such as Ruth, to discuss changes in ancient sensibility. The result is a fine, speculative, eminently readable work of history.
Book Description
The author of the runaway bestseller How the Irish Saved Civilization has done it again. In The Gifts of the Jews Thomas Cahill takes us on another enchanting journey into history, once again recreating a time when the actions of a small band of people had repercussions that are still felt today.
The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical change that made western civilization possible. Within the matrix of ancient religions and philosophies, life was seen as part of an endless cycle of birth and death; time was like a wheel, spinning ceaselessly. Yet somehow, the ancient Jews began to see time differently. For them, time had a beginning and an end; it was a narrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future. From this insight came a new conception of men and women as individuals with unique destinies--a conception that would inform the Declaration of Independence--and our hopeful belief in progress and the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As Thomas Cahill narrates this momentous shift, he also explains the real significance of such Biblical figures as Abraham and Sarah, Moses and the Pharaoh, Joshua, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.
Full of compelling stories, insights and humor, The Gifts of the Jews is an irresistible exploration of history as fascinating and fun as How the Irish Saved Civilization.
Download Description
The premise of The Gifts of the Jews is simple but bold: to show how the religious, moral, philosophical, and political systems developed by the Jews -- descendants and followers of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Saul, and David -- profoundly shaped the world we know today.
Customer Reviews:
Good service.......2007-09-10
Book arrived in great condition. I gave it to my son as a gift. Cahill is great too.
Ugh.......2007-08-29
I found this book to be so biased as to be virtually a tract of propoganda. As someone who is not Jewish or Christian, although familiar with both faith traditions, I found the boundless admiration expressed by Cahill to be shallow, uncritical and unexpected. I have read three of his other books, and enjoyed their mulit-faceted summaries of the cultures involved; in this one, I think Cahill's theological background took precendence over his academic analysis, resulting in a much weaker book.
Kind of a mess.......2007-06-20
Well, this was a change from the other Hinges books, and is definitely my least favorite. The other books are popularized histories: this reads like a long, rambling essay; it's embellished to the point of ridiculousness in places; and the folksy recap of the Bible is not only annoying, but a classic example of a blind man describing an elephant. Cahill doesn't "get it," not at all, not even slightly, and he tries to "take charge" of the Bible with a combination of buzzwords and sly interjections of his own opinions.
It gets a 3 because it was fun light reading. If you're easily offended, look elsewhere; if you know nothing about the Bible, Judaism, Christianity, etc, but would like to, start elsewhere. The subject deserves a more accurate, dignified, and less "state of the question" (as Screwtape so aptly put it) introduction.
Generally good, I thought........2007-05-08
Cahill has a fondness for speaking in hyperbole, I think, which is honestly a bit of a turn-off from his writing. He relies heavily on sweeping generalizations and a very casual way of speaking that would have had my professors going crazy had I employed the same style in my own writing.
However, it DOES make for an enjoyable read, and as long as you can ignore some of the more blatant blanket statements, he brings up some very interesting points. It's indeed true that the Children of Israel had a very profound impact on how much of the world today views time, space, and their relationship with the divine. I am not attempting to say, as Cahill does often, that the Hebrews were the first to think of a lot of these revolutionary ideas, but the fact is that they're the ones who first spread those ideas easily.
I appreciate the amount of effort he went in explaining the Biblical Hebrew's relationship with God and the relationship that their concept of God had with the rest of the local world.
All in all, I found this a very interesting and thought-provoking work, although it's far too casual in style and presentation to be considered a scholarly piece. Still, I think it's well worth a read for anyone who is interested in Judaism and Jewish culture.
Breaking the Cycle and Seeing Progress.......2007-04-15
Dr. Cahill's text serves as a very brief overview of a topic with great depth but does not promise to be anything other than that. It is not written in a style which looks to present a fully academic, detailed historical reprise of Judaism. Instead, it is written with one (blatantly stated) intention: That the Judaism and its concept of God are foundational for the West (and indeed for the world).
In light of this, Cahill explains those Jewish dispositions which grew as they came to realize (and experience) a God who was more than a deity of cyclical immutability. While he presents some of his arguments in terms which are somewhat caustic toward other cultures, he does not stray from this pivotal realization in history. The Jewish experience has influenced Billions of people (through Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and all the societies which they have encountered). Indeed, some scholars like Hans Urs von Balthasar would argue that it is impossible to view post-Christian civilizations as though they were unaffected by the ontological and praxeological reflections of Christianity.
Because of this influence, the Judeo-Christian realization of human dignity in the Image of a freely-loving, creative God is a leaven for the world which was truly a hinge of history. While Cahill sometimes uses imagery which (as he even admits) is somewhat questionable, his central point remains true and is as well defended as it can be in such a short text. While the text is deficient in this as well as by having a somewhat untouched (yet briefly mentioned) understanding of brutality in Scripture, I still give it 3.75/5 stars and suggest it as a quick, but thought-provoking read. If nothing else, it will get you thinking about the world through the light of Jewish revelation.
Amazon.com
That subtitle may inspire in some readers waves of ethnic pride, and in others waves of ethnic revulsion, but the point of this book is that its claim of origin is quite literally true. And what makes it an interesting read for political types is the way it demonstrates that no matter how much the founding Hollywood moguls and their successors tried to peddle an idealized, escapist form of entertainment, bubbling up under and around their every project was ideology, racism, ethnic prejudice, class friction, domestic and international politics and all the other raw, seething stuff that distinguishes this country from all others. In Gabler's hands, the Industry draws a picture of American political history in spite of itself.
Book Description
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history, this "wonderful history of the golden age of the movie moguls" (Chicago Tribune ) is a provocative, original, and richly entertaining group biography of the Jewish immigrants who were the moving forces behind the creation of America's motion picture industry.
Customer Reviews:
Hollywood Jews.......2007-01-10
Not that it was bad but I was disappointed in this book. The subjects that interested me the most, the majority of movies made then portraying characters that represented how the Jews viewed themselves in American society, the schisms between the more established Jews who had immigrated from Germany and the ones from eastern European countries, the muscling in and manipulation of Hollywood by Jewish political groups like the ADL and AJC, and the gradual evolution of Hollywood into a tool of global social engineering, were barely touched on. If you are more interested in personality profiles of the early Hollywood movie moguls then this book is right up your alley though.
A fascinating group biography of Hollywood's founding moguls.......2006-10-15
Neal Gabler explores the fascinating question of how Hollywood was created primarily by a remarkable group of men who fit into a remarkably small demographic: European Jewish immigrants, most of them poor, most of them from Manhattan's lower east side, none of them practicing Jews, most of them from families with weak father figures. But together they moved to an almost completely protestant city and created the most successful form of popular entertainment in America, presenting an idealized version of American life for a nation in a constant for new national myths. The most fascinating thing about the book is the gap between the mythical world that they were presenting and their own backgrounds. For Louis B. Mayer, Andy Hardy's America was for him the real America, an America where there were strong nuclear families headed by strong fathers, doting neo-Victorian mothers, and obedient, respectful children. Economically most people were Middle Class, the tenor distinctively Middle American, and almost always Christian. Gabler argues that for most of these men, what they provided was not America as it existed, but the America that they wanted to be a part of.
Almost all of the major studios were founded by men who more or less fit Gabler's description. There are a number of major and minor characters in Gabler's story, the most prominent being Adolph Zukor, who was instrumental in creating Paramount; Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal; William Fox of Fox Pictures, which later merged with Twentieth Century; Louis B. Mayer, who built MGM into Hollywood's largest studio; Harry and Jack Warner of Warner Brothers; and the belligerent Harry Cohn of Columbia. There are in addition a number of crucial supporting characters, none more important than the legendary Irving Thalberg (I knew very slightly Thalberg's son, also Irving, an academic philosopher who spent his career in Chicago and who quietly funded liberal political causes--he paid for the Chicago Seven's legal bills at their trial--while quietly pursuing his university career), the inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald's last novel THE LAST TYCOON. We also meet the Schenck brothers, Nicholas and Joseph, the Rabbi of Hollywood Edgar F. Magnin, theater chain owner Marcus Loew, and an uncountable number of smaller figures.
One of the most striking aspects of the biography is how utterly these men suppressed their Jewish backgrounds in their films. Although THE JAZZ SINGER is the story of the son of a Jewish son rejecting the culture of his cantor father (Gabler points out that the son's story was also the story of the moguls), the vast majority of movies produced by Hollywood in the twenties, thirties, and forties contained no identifiably Jewish characters. Although an astonishing number of the people producing the movies were Jewish, it was as if they felt compelled to completely erase Jews from their idealization of American life. The was more than mere assimilationist aspirations; it was as if they were trying to expunge the weak fathers of their youths, the poverty they knew growing up, and become a part of a nation that largely rejected them. For two or three decades, at least, they could maintain this myth, but in the forties and the HUAC committee of the U.S. House of Representatives they found their fiefdom increasingly under attack for the industry's supposed inculcation of un-American (i.e., Communist) values. Many of their attackers persisted in the fascist depiction of Communism as an essentially Jewish cast of thought (in Hitler's writings there is no clear distinction between Jews and Communists, and at least one part of his motivation in attacking Russia was to attack what he weirdly considered a Jewish nation).
This is not a perfect book. For one thing, the scope is simply too large for any one book to undertake. And inevitably there are either serious omissions or details that don't quite tell the whole story. For instance, Gabler attempts to characterize the more plebian tendencies at Warner's by mentioning that one of their stars was Rin Tin Tin, which seems to hint at how far down the ladder they were in the Hollywood pecking order, but failing to note that for most of his life Rin Tin Tin was the number one box office star in Hollywood. Also, there is amazingly little discussion of the many Jewish performers in Hollywood. Some are mentioned in passing (such as Groucho Marx, noting his famous reply to the attempt by the Jewish country club Hillcrest to recruit new members following the stock market crash, that he wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would accept someone like him as a member), and Edward G. Robinson gets a few mentions, but for the most part actors are ignored. This is overwhelmingly a book about the top brass. And one can take issue with some minor depictions, such as the long discussion of the nature of Universal in the thirties, but no mention of the man who is most responsible for the visual look of those films and the director of all their major achievements, James Whale. The implication is that the distinctive look of Universal films was not determined by the former art director Whale. But this is all nitpicking.
I do have to take strong issue with one of the current featured reviews that criticizes the book because he believes that the American depicted in the movies was very much the America he knew in the forties and fifties. First, the book deals mainly with America in the twenties and thirties, a bit less with the forties, and the fifties almost not at all, so the time framework of his criticism is off. Second, how can anyone argue that the movies were not an idealization if one knows any American history at all? Certainly the poverty that my parents and grandparents knew growing up in Arkansas during those decades was almost completely ignored, THE GRAPES OF WRATH aside (and the subject of that film were very much my people). Any informed demographic study of the period will show that the depiction of women in the films was wildly out of kilter with the actual lives of women, many of whom had to take jobs even in the thirties, forties, and fifties to enable families to make it financially (the fifties is the only decade in American history of which the so-called traditional American family is even somewhat true). And Hollywood films of the period are notorious today for their depiction of race relations. Anyone stating that the Hollywood film in any conceivable sense depicted America as it really existed beggars credulity.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone either interested in the history of the movie industry or how immigrants sought to integrate themselves in their new nation. The book contains a wealth of information and I can't imagine anyone know coming away from it not merely entertained but better informed.
The 400 pages could have been 41.......2006-07-13
The 400 pages could have been 41, this longest prologue to a story does not start before it is well concluded...can take months of originally enjoyable casual reading to come to no real end...finished.
With it read myself I might suggest don't read it alone, don't waste it, take it as a box of chocolates (yep!) and do not leave yourself alone on stage. This is narrative, spiceful, and just a script. This is not standalone monologue. This is not a work that works by itself. Your bedmate should set down her or his own book to share this when you peep out intrigued. Ah, the best of you can bring Gabler's work to a useful point as you together add your pages.
Or get out of bed. This is weak as a book, fantastic as a subject, great as a discussion. This is, for the first part, brilliant writing - but nothing is worth buying if not on sale.
You must know Hollywood history before, above and beyond this incisive intake. Or, even more daunting, when you have read the book start right over and read it again.
That I did not do.
Who reviewing has read this whole, entire thing? Oh, come on! This is a classic skip the pageser. Yes I read all but the last two pages, finally crowning the author with the good ole good intentions star. I read it whole, crowwed in pride for fortisimilitude, I did, until the last I suppose 100 pages, maybe 200, but I can't tell you the beginning as I got to the end.
Plus, I smell a rat. A pitch with no production. Read the script; again, all 400 pages. Listen to the Firesign Theater: this book becomes the story of the little guy to finish the mural.
Like the history of a town, or a building, much less a man or a group of men, the construction of "Empire" is half the story, the lives in it not even the other half; the decay, decline, rot and remembrance are the full story, the lesson, the book. That's not here. Gabler gives, finally, a cruelly brief conclusion to the men and their properties he takes up hours of our lives founding. If he even does that well. And he don't: get the manuscript off to the printers. That hurts.
This book just gets started. That is no compliment. And by golly no insult. Like many great writers, this work is more an invite to sit with Gabler and talk than to read.
I seek a complimentary review, not to undo my admiration, nor my own perfidiification, but to add to it. Do undo my frustration in digesting this huge volume and my Philistine assumption on it's conclusion that it's intention was to make 400 pages printed.
Can we suspect this is just a touch of the brilliant Neal Gabler, and this book reveals how damned hard it is to write a complete story of an incomplete mission.
A Fascinating Portrait of Early Movie Moguls.......2006-05-31
Film scholar and critic Neal Gabler offers a surprisingly well-researched, academically sound, and insightful study of the scions of early Hollywood and their vision for America. Ironically, and somewhat paradoxically, he finds that the early movie industry was largely founded by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. As outsiders in WASPish America, they nonetheless excelled at creating a vision of the United States that incorporated some of its most cherished principles and desires. Such studio executives as Louis B. Mayer, Harry Cohn, and the Warner brothers ensconced a vision of America at its best that stood far removed from the reality of their lives.
As Gabler wrote of these industry leaders: "What united them in deep spiritual kinship was their utter and absolute rejection of their pasts and their equally absolute devotion to their new country....something drove the young Hollywood Jews to a ferocious, even pathological, embrace of America. Something drove them to deny whatever they had been before settling here" (p. 4). Gabler believes that these Jewish leaders "colonized the American imagination" (p. 7). Over time, their films embodied American values; the irony is that they were made by people alienated from that culture. As Gabler concludes, "the Jews reinvented the country in the image of their fiction" (p. 7).
This is a very interesting and useful study of the role of film in defining the American character in the early twentieth century.
Not necessarily so, but an interesting treatise.......2004-05-25
Here's an absorbing history of the movie industry. Neal Gabler claims that Adolph Zukor (Paramount), the Warner brothers, Harry Cohn (Columbia Pictures) and the moguls of Fox Studios, MGM and Universal had a dream of what America was which they incorporated into movies and sold to the American public and the world.
Gabler claims that what these movies showed was not the real country at all. "Only this way," he writes, "could these immigrants satidsfy their hunger of assimilation into a country that had rejected them." In the end, he says, the fictive America created by these businessmen portrays an artificial "reality" that later generations of moviegoers took as truth.
I have two problems with the premise of this book: First, I know for a fact that the America portrayed in the movies of the '40s and '50s did exist and second, those moguls created their own social world, partly out of geographic necessity and partly because the work of filmmaking isolated them from the everyday work world.
I know the kind of family, community and lifestyle often portrayed in those "romantic" and "sentimental" movies (i.e. where family members and members of the community worked and lived together in mutual respect and affection) existed because I experienced it. The movies I saw as a child and as a young adult in the 1940s and 1950s mirrored the life I knew.
I understand that contemporary life is so different from life in those days that young people view what they call "sentimental romanticism" with disbelief. I pity them. The lives they seem to be living look shabby and disgusting to me!
It's an interesting premise but it's built on a false presumption!
The book will charm the moviephile. It's entertaining and well written and it gives a fascinating look at backstage Hollywood in a time when Hollywood enjoyed a great deal more respect than it does today.
Book Description
A hugely controversial work that exposes a series of scandals from Oliver North to the British royal family, The Secret War Against the Jews reveals as much about political corruption inside Western intelligence as it does about Israel. Using thousands of previously top-secret documents and interviews with hundreds of current and former spies, Loftus and Aarons, both veteran investigators, Nazi-hunters, and authors, present a compelling narrative.The authors demonstrate that numerous Western countries, especially the United States and Great Britain, have conducted repeated and willful spying missions on Palestine and later Israel over many decades. While on the surface these two countries and others profess to be ardent allies of Israel, they work, in fact, through their intelligence services to betray Israel's secrets to the Arabs. Their motive: oil and multinational profits, which must be attained at any price through international covert policies.The pageant of characters appearing in this narrative is vast and shocking. This is not only a compelling work of history, but also a volume whose grave allegations will be debated for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-08-24
This was a difficult book. I bought it because of its promised research between the wars and the American Nazi connection. I wanted to see if the "spy" business corroborated information that I have been discovering with regards to the funding of Hitler. It did. I was also impressed by the backgrounds of the authors. The remainder of the book dealing with after World War II, I can not vouch for. From my perspective we will just have to wait and see. All the allegations are possible but only future historical investigations will supply the truth. The book kept my interest and I read every page but its scope and deviousness is really beyond me. I still haven't made up my mind whether I am convinced enough to buy the authors other book about the Catholic Church. I may.
Secret War Against The Zionists.......2007-03-21
After having read Loftus's and Aarons's book, I realized its major flaw -- the title of their book: "The Secret War Against The Jews." To be fair and objective toward the proper analysis of modern history, the title of their book should have been: "The Secret War Against The Zionists!"
The authors seem to imply throughtout their book that ALL Jews are Zionists and that ALL Zionists are Jews (not true); and that ALL Jews believe they need a homeland (Israel) where they can be FREE to be Jews, as if the United States and the Statue Of Liberty never existed! (It's easy to prove that more Jews died of anti-semitism in Israel, in the last 60 years, than in the whole 250 year history of the United States! To imply that the U.S. is not safe for Jews (to be Jews) is, in and of itself, un-patriotic and anti-American!)
Before 1930, the Zionist's greatest enemies were not the anti-semites, but the vast multitude of world Jewry itself! Most Jews (who were essentially non-Zionists) were content to live in the nations of their birth. Those who were forced to migrate, because of anti-semitic pogroms (e.g., Russia and Eastern Europe), preferred to migrate to Western Europe and the United States, not Palestine! The Zionist's major dilemma (at the time, pre-1933), was a major lack of Jewish VOLUNTEERISM to go to Palestine! Without a Jewish people, there can be no Jewish state (i.e., Israel). This is one of the greatest 'epiphanies' of modern history, which is a major factor avoided in John Loftus's and Mark Aarons's book! When mass VOLUNTEERISM (Jews for Palestine) doesn't work, how might fanatical Zionists accomplish their goal of creating and populating the state of Israel??
The real secret war against "The Jews" came from the Zionists (themselves) and their (e.g., Stern Gang) covert collaboration with anti-semites (e.g., helping to bring the Nazis to power) in order to create a mass refugee class of Jews (non-volunteers) to go to Palestine. Without Hitler, there could be no Israel! Thus, the Holocaust which resulted in 6 million Jews dying and the creation of tens of thousands of surviving refugees with nowhere to go but Palestine! As a result, Western leaders tried to stop the forced migration of refugee Jews, by Zionists, to Palestine. The foreign policy establishment of both Britain and the United States (then & now) waged a secret war against the Zionists to keep them from destabilizing the Middle East by provoking the oil cartels' Islamic partners on the eve of a profitable 'Petroleum Era!'
There is also an important analogy that Loftus and Aaron avoided in their book! In the 1960's, Blacks (e.g., Martin Luther King, et al) fought for their HUMAN and CIVIL RIGHTS as citizens, here, in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement was NOT a campaign for the "right of Blacks to emigrate to a nation of their own, where Blacks can be safe to be Black!"
There will never be peace in the Middle East until people learn that there is a distinct difference between anti-semitism (racist bigotry against Jews) and anti-Zionism (a political campaign against Israeli national , ethnic, religious supremism); and that there is a common denominator (factor) that binds most Zionists with the objectives of most anti-semites (with the exception of the Arabs, of course): they would love for all Jews to go live in Israel!
The greatest suspense story of treachery against 20th Century Jews .......2007-01-11
This book is filled with the most incredible documented secret and unknown facts of treason agains the entire Jewish people around the world by "civilized" countries during the 20th Century and should be a required history textbook for all schools. It is also one of the best suspense and spy books ever written. I have already purchased 7 copies and given them as gifts and will continue to do so in the future.
Can the past be prologue?.......2006-08-31
Having been involved in intelligence work early in my life and having kept watching intel shenanigans, a book about the secret war against the Jews got my attention and I had an opportunity to read and research much of its contents. I found answers to questions I had not found since the creation of Israel. Why would such a widely divergent group of political leaders suddenly see eye to eye and approve something as controversial and futile as creating a Jewish State surrounded by masses of Arabs seeking their destruction? It is amazing how the founders of Israel were able to use the weaknesses of these world leaders to effectively blackmail them. In view of the current situation in Lebanon, Syria and Iran it was very educational to learn about the USS Liberty betrayal and subsequent conspiracy to hide the facts.
This is a disturbing yet revealing book that makes you wonder about how much you really know about the machinations and motivations of world leaders as compared to their public pronouncements and soundbites. If you are a serious reader blessed, or cursed, with sufficient cynical curiosity, you should read the book and judge its accuracy for yourself. I am warning you, however, you may have sleepless nights realizing how we have been and are being misled by a cynical shadow intel establishment.
The Secret War Against the Jews: How Western Espionage Betrayed The Jewish People.......2006-07-19
The book was in great conidtion; I have no complaints.
Book Description
This is the original classic work by one of America's most respected modern military historians. It is a thrilling account of six extraordinary days in June 1967 when Israel embarked on a bold, risky war of national survival-and won!
Hammel decisively disproves the myth that Israel's stunning victory was a "miracle" or a "fluke" and reveals how a tiny nation was able to, in secret, develop a First-World military force that has become the envy of nations around the world.
Customer Reviews:
Awkward Israeli OohRa tilt.......2005-12-07
I will keep this short. The only necessary chapter to read is on the Zahal. the IDF. Much of the book depends on silly, childish praise for the realistically superior Israeli Force. So much so that it makes for pedantic reading. I do not recommend.
pretty comprehensive review of the war.......2003-07-02
The six days war is a pivital event in Middle East Politics after the second world war. Hammel provides an excellent detailed account of the war in six days in june.
Hammel splits the book into seven sections. The first is the road to war and gives a background into the origins in the conflict. Part two is entitled Zahal focusing on the Israel Defense Force. Countdown to War is part three and focuses on other armies like those of Egypt and Syria and the days leading up to the war. Part 4 deals with the war in the Sinai peninsula. Part 5 deals with Jerusalem. Parts six and seven deal with two of the most important issues of the war, the west bank and golan heights respectfully for these along with the gaza strip are a source for continuing conflict.
There are plenty of maps that help illustrate the history of the war. In addition, order of battle contains information on the different Israeli commands and forces involved.
Tactical Retelling of 1967 Six Day War.......2003-06-23
Hammel's "Six Days of War" is one of the best secondary sources available regarding the 1967 Six-Day War. It is written in a popular format rather than an academic research format although it does have extensive references and a large bibliography. The book is clearly intended for popular consumption rather than discussion of university academics. Hammel is a well-known military writer and has extensively written about WWII although this is his first foray into the volatile military environment of the Middle East.
Many read this book expecting a full account of the war including every aspect manageable: political, economic, military, etc. Hammel's specialty is military history from the tactical perspective (that is to say devoid of all but the most important political and economic factors) and this book is no exception. Hammel focuses very tightly upon analysis and retelling of the battles that occurred and the military factors that led
to them. This tendency leads Hammel to discuss the many terrorist intrusions into Israel that the Israeli military was forced to lean how to counter (a factor that contributed greatly to the effectiveness and readiness of the Israeli military), but to leave out much of the bitter inter-Arab politics preceding the 1967 Six Day War.
The book lacks footnotes, but has an excellent bibliography, which includes not only books, but periodicals and special studies. An additional bonus is a complete Order of battle for the Israeli, Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian forces of the 1967 Six Day War.
I definitely prefer this well-written book to but A.J. Barker's "The Arab-Israeli Wars," which shows a unsettling bias towards the Arab side of the conflict.
I highly recommend this excellent account of the 1967 Six Day War.
In addition, I recommend the 2002 "Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East" by Michael B. Oren. This book has the most up-to-date research, extensive reference, and is bound to be regarding as a classic for historians regarding the Six Day War. As much as I've characterized Hammel's "Six Days of War" as the best secondary source popular history of the war, Oren's "Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East" functions as the best secondary source academic reference of the war.
Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan
Excellent Coverage Of A Vital Conflict........2002-05-30
Well written, informative account of the Six Day War and the events preceding it.
Cross border incursions into Israeli territory by Palestinian terrorists sponsored and supported by neighbouring Arab nations are outlined in some detail. The situation is very similar to that of today.
The author documents the UN situation and attitude in relation to these terrorist attacks. The UN response was muted even then.
The author documents the vastly outnumbered Israeli forces in comparison to their Arab counterparts and how the latter were supplemented by Iraqi and other Arab forces all eager to be part of the eradication of the Jewish state.
This is a must read for anyone interested in this ongoing conflict. Without the pre-emptive strike against Egyptian air power, the vastly outnumbered Israeli forces would have had their work cut out to survive a co-ordinated strike by the surrounding Arab nations. Unless you actually read the accounts from the time and the facts that then existed, it is easily to be mislead. The author has done a fine job here.
Interesting is the account of the Jordanian involvement, without which Israel clearly had no intent in re-taking the 'West Bank' (Judea & Samaria) or the Eastern section of Jerusalem. The detailed accounts of the Jordanian attack upon Israel thinking that the Egyptians had destroyed the Israeli air force, are worth reading in themselves.
Should have been better.......2000-03-05
This book is dedicated exclusively to the 1967 "Six-Day War," and I bought it with great anticipation. It's not bad, but it should have been much better. Hammel goes into details that enrich the story, but which, in too many instances, mean very little to the history of events. His prelude to the actual shooting isn't as clear nor as complete as it was expected, since he totally neglects the role of Intelligence in mapping the entire Golan Heights before 1967 and knowing exactly when and where to strike in the Sinai and deep into Egypt: that part of the war does not exist for Hammel, and without it Israel would not have won. Also, little or nothing is provided of the Arab leaders and their associates. Reading the "Arab-Israeli Reader" by Laqueur and Rubin, it's clear that Egyptians and Syrians expected a war, were relatively confident of victory, and were, in the end, totally unprepared for the swiftness and the accuracy of the Israeli blows. We get very little from Hammel, as if Israel had acted in a vacuum. The battle sections of the book are good but, again, the war ended on June 10, 1967, but it did not end, not really. Something more was needed. There was diplomacy, threats, and total confusion and incredulity in the Arab world. The book reads fast because it is well writen, but A.J. Barker's "The Arab-Israeli Wars" does a better job.
Book Description
From the birth of Krypton in Cleveland to the Caped Crusader, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and more, Up, Up, and Oy Vey chronicles the uncanny story behind the story about the origins of the planet's most famous superheroes. While the Jewish contribution to film, theater, music, and comedy has been well-documented, the Jewish role in the creation of the All-American superhero has not been--until now! The official publication date of this book is June 27, 2006, which is two weeks after the 3rd X-Men movie is released and three days before Superman Returns hits the theaters. Additionally, Geppi's Entertainment Museum will be opening in Baltimore on July 4th as well, and this museum is being touted as a one-of-a-kind, fun, interactive museum. . .with a focus on pop culture in all media, toys, and comic characters.
Customer Reviews:
Good and needed work, but I wish there had been more depth........2007-08-20
As a Jewish comic book fan, I was hoping someone would write a book like this. It describes how much of the comic book genre was created or influenced by Jewish writers and editors. In fact, the only superhero who is a household name who was *not* invented by a Jew is Wonder Woman!
The book also details many Jewish characters in comics. I'd like to point out that they missed a wonderful supporting character who appears in Wonder Woman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told, though the story in question had the character reciting the wrong Hebrew prayer.
My only criticism of this work is that it's written for a younger audience, perhaps preteen, and so doesn't go into as much depth as I would have liked. Still, this book filled a void.
Superman's Four Cornered Cape........2007-08-07
This book addresses an often overlooked facet of the comic industry. Many modern-age superheroes have their histories and moralities based on fundamental precepts within Judaism, and in this book Rabbi Simcha Weinstein makes marvelous use of his knowledge across both subjects to bring the superhero and Torah together. The often overlooked jewish roots of these characters creators' are brought into view and we see many parallels between their own lives and those of the stories they created.
It's written in a fun and interesting format, which will keep you hooked as you discover that not only is Superman a representation of the assimilating Jew, but these are truely modern-day Bible stories.
Highly reccommended for all comic-book fans. If you want to gain a real perspective on the lives of the Golden and Silver Age comic-book creators, and how the idea of the superhero was rooted in foundations laid down over 3,000 years ago.
Good overview of the subject but slightly lacking in depth........2007-04-14
This book is a good introduction to the subject of the influence that Jewish history and culture have had upon the comic book industry. Unfortunately it is doomed to stay an introduction due to its lack of depth and relatively short pieces. It is more or less a collection of short essays on various superheroes and superhero teams, none more than twenty pages long. That it not to say that this is a bad book. One thing I really like about this book is that it covers not just the expected superheroes like Superman and Batman, who are always referred to in Comic Theory books like these, but also heroes that aren't thought of to be studied in conjunction with Judaism like the Justice League, The Incredible Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. It is extremely informative and to pack so much information in such a small space is to be commended but if the reader is looking for an in depth study of religion in comics, specifically Judaism, that goes into great amounts of detail then he should look for something else. However, if one is looking for more of a light read that packs serious, scholarly information in an introductory manner, then this book could not be more on the mark.
A Fun, Informational Romp.......2007-01-02
If you ever wondered the actual origins of the golden era super-heroes and those insightful individuals who created them, this is the book for you! A fun, quick read, who knew that Superman would have his origins in the Golem myth? Great stuff!
Well documented, must read........2006-12-15
This book is a must read for everyone who takes superheros seriously, Weinstein studies the psychology behind each of our favorites icons, and draws the links between their creators and the personage.
Batman, Superman, and all the other heroes are put in the context of their creator's biblical and cultural heritage, and Weinstein does a great job on documenting and arguing that connection
Book Description
Since it was first published in 1980, From Generation to Generation has inspired thousands to pursue the unique challenges and rewards of Jewish genealogy. Far more engaging than a mere how-to reference guide, this landmark book is also part detective story and part spiritual quest. As Arthur Kurzweil takes you along on his own fascinating journey through his family’s past, you’ll learn about the tools, techniques, and the step-by-step process of Jewish genealogical research – including the most current information on using the Internet and the newly accessible archives of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. But even more, after reading this fully updated, revised, and beloved classic, you will undoubtedly be inspired to embark on a genealogical quest of your own!
Customer Reviews:
The single best source for Jewish Genealogy I've found yet.......2006-12-08
Having become interested in doing the genealogy of my family about two years ago, I began by going it alone and stumbling around Google and visiting some resources in New York City including the fascinating Municipal Archives.
I was told about this book some months ago and, voila!, it has opened the whole world of Jewish geneaology for me. I've bought 14 other books on the subject and find this the most interestingly written and the most complete. There are updates to the book so I'd caution the buyer to get the latest one from Amazon rather than one of the much older ones being sold as used. The list of resources is exhaustive and clearly organized and each area of investigation is illustrated by the author through sharing his journey of discovery of his own roots.
You'll find information about how to use resources in the US and in the major cities like NY and Chicago as well as information about national resources such as YIVO, the National Archives, the Mormon Church's extensive records and how to access them. Special interest groups for Rumania, Latvia, etc. are listed and you'll eventually find many rich sources which you'd probably not discover on your own except by accident.
This is the book I wish I'd had two years ago and I would have saved much time, money and frustration. No one book can be the only one worth having, but I'd definitely buy this one first, read it through with a highliter and post-it notes to mark sections worth exploring again more deeply.
Part detective story, part spiritual quest,, part how-to text.......2005-08-17
Along with the new Avotaynu Guide, indispensable.
Kurzweil's book is not as lengthy and technical as the Avotaynu book, nor as concise and tightly organized as Barbara Krasner-Khait's Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors (2001). But what it offers is something unheard of in genealogy textbooks - a work that reads like a novel. He is not afraid to be expansive and anecdotal, even chatty. His personal stories with genealogy, dating back to 1970, are gripping. Especially so because Kurzweil (unlike many genealogical authors) knows how to tell a story. The book is often lyrical and intensely earnest, without being melodramatic or overwrought. His passion for discovering his ancestral roots is sincere and infectious. In fact, his discovery of a descent from a famous Hasidic rabbi led him to embrace more traditional Judaism in his spiritual life.
But the book is not ALL personal stories, as interesting as they are. He packs the bulk of these into his opening chapters, and then sprinkles them as useful illustrations throughout the work. He covers all of the important topics, and is quite up to date on the online resources (through about late 2003). He has a great command of the details of doing Jewish genealogy, and he has some very brilliant recommendations for some unique and creative sources. (He was a founding father of Jewish genealogy in the mid-70s, and has given something like 600 lectures around the country).
His enthusiasm is infectious, and he makes strong arguments for the moral and spiritual value for Jews to explore their roots (bolstering his case with short gripping quotes from the Old Testament, Jewish sages, and Talmud). Further, he makes a good case against cremation (with which this Christian reviewer agrees).
The only shortcomings of the book:
1. As noted above, this is not absolutely comprehensive. You will want both the Avotaynu and the Krasner-Khait books to fill in all of the blanks.
2. While a good scholar and critically oriented, he is generally a littel more eager than I am to accept oral traditions or unproven claims of rabbinic lines. See, for example, the material pp.30-34. At the end he is willing to claim it is `likely' he is a direct descendant from King David, because a certain famous rabbi living 1500 years after David claimed descent from him (how could he know?). And another rabbi living 600 years later claims to be a descendant of that rabbi, etc. Four or five jumps like that and Kurzweil makes it to his famous 3x-great-grandfather rabbi. Utterly unprovable beyond perhaps the first or second `jump' backwards, and pretty unlikely. But in fairness, he acknowledges the problems with these rabbinic genealogies.
In any case, a wonderful read, and a good practical tool.
It might make a nice gift for a relative who is mildly interested in their family history, but in need of inspiration to get more involved. Also, every synagogue library, public library, and local historical society needs to have a donated copy (along with the Avotaynu guide). And at just $16 (for a beefy, nicely illustrated hardback), VERY affordable.
Excellent Primer for anyone considering Genealogy Research.......2001-04-13
While this book focuses on one man's search for his family history, his examples could be of value to anyone who is considering beginning a research project. Mr. Kurzweil's joy of discovery is very compelling, and was probably a big reason why I got into the hobby myself.
There is plenty of practical advice on how to start, where to look for documentation, how to interview, etc. While the book lacks depth in some areas, it covers every important facet of Genealogical research, and provides a point to jump from in search for more information.
Book Description
Whether they came from Sioux Falls or the Bronx, over half a million Jews entered the U.S. armed forces during the Second World War. Uprooted from their working- and middle-class neighborhoods, they joined every branch of the military and saw action on all fronts. Deborah Dash Moore offers an unprecedented view of the struggles these GI Jews faced, having to battle not only the enemy but also the prejudices of their fellow soldiers.
Through memoirs, oral histories, and letters, Moore charts the lives of fifteen young Jewish men as they faced military service and tried to make sense of its demands. From confronting pork chops to enduring front-line combat, from the temporary solace of Jewish worship to harrowing encounters with death camp survivors, we come to understand how these soldiers wrestled with what it meant to be an American and a Jew.
Moore shows how military service in World War II transformed this generation of Jews, reshaping Jewish life in America and abroad. These men challenged perceptions of Jews as simply victims of the war, and encouraged Jews throughout the diaspora to fight for what was right. At the same time, service strengthened Jews' identification with American democratic ideals, even as it confirmed the importance of their Jewish identity. GI Jews is a powerful, intimate portrayal of the costs of a conflict that was at once physical, emotional, and spiritual, as well as its profound consequences for these hitherto overlooked members of the "greatest generation."
Customer Reviews:
Ambitious History And Analysis.......2007-05-21
"GI Jews" by Deborah dash Moore. "How World War II Changed A Generation". Belknap Press, Harvard University, 2004.
The title is catchy: "GI Jews", reminding me of the toys, called "GI Joe". My son, Sean, (now a Marine Corps veteran), played with GI Joes in the early1980s. The real theme of this book, however, is expressed in the subtitle: "How World War II Changed a Generation ". How the War changed a generation of Jews. Prior to the War, both Judaism and Catholicism had been outsiders to the American dream. As Dr. Moore says on page 10, "Judaism assumed an American legitimacy unanticipated at the start of the war. Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism were deemed to share common values that made them the religions of democracy". Further, "... (a)cceptance of the Judeo-Christian tradition in the armed forces would force Protestants to share the Christian label with Catholics and include Jews as equal partners in America". (p.10). Tis a consummation devoutly to be prayed for.
In general, this book deals with the impact on individual Jews, from Jews who were exceedingly pious to men who were hardly observant Jews ... i.e. Jews in name only. The author traces, generally in chronological order, how young Jewish men became part of the American Armed Forces, were trained and then shipped to overseas assignments, both combat and non-combat. Many of the men who were subjects of this book, came from the New York City environment, (of interest to me, since I was born, raised and educated in Hell's Kitchen. I also went to high school at 161st Street and Grand Concourse in the Bronx see page 60).
Dietary restrictions presented a challenge to religious Jews. In the chapter, entitled, "Eating Ham For Uncle Sam", (pages 49 to 85), the author, Deborah Dash Moore, recounts how "Uncle Sam" virtually ignore the ancient dietary restrictions of Jews, and the poor fellows had to eat ham or starve. Despite the author's analysis of the new sensitivity of Protestant America, when, as an example, Tip O'Neill (1912-1994) was invited to the White House for a freshman congressman dinner (1953) with then President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the menu was steak...which tip O'Neill could not eat since it was Friday. Catholics did not eat meat on Friday. The future Speaker of the House was vocal enough to demand something other than meat, and the White House chef plopped salmon from a can onto O'Neill's plate.
Another example of how things change slowly: Dr. Moore recounts how, at a USO dance in Florida , the "town girls" were happy to discover that although Walters was from Brooklyn, he was Jewish and NOT Irish Catholic. (See pages 70-71). In 1958, I was stationed at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Memphis. I went to a USO dance in downtown Memphis. The southern Belle asked me where I was from. When I answered New York City, she asked, "Are you Jewish?" "No.", I replied, "Worse yet, I'm Catholic." The Southern Belle turned her back and walked away. In Memphis, it was impossible to get a pizza or lasagna; I expect that has changed today. By the way, in 1958, the "Colored" and "White" signs were still on the water fountains.
The author includes a chapter on "Worshipping Together", which, on page 121 has the Douay Rheims version of the bible (the Catholic English version, older than the King James version in English), quoted as saving "Jews are Synagogue of Satan". I looked up the Douay version on the WEB, as the Douay English is so old that I do not have a copy in the house. The WEB does have the quotation "Jews are Synagogue of Satan" but also has the negation, "...but they are not".... So, I do not understand the protest of the Jewish chaplains, as recorded on page 121. By the way, the King James version was used to force the Irish to learn English and to stop using Irish Gaelic.
This book mentions personal reminisces of the "GI Jews", but there are really not many explicit combat experiences as so many recent World War II accounts have. Becoming supersensitive, I began to enumerate how many times the author has the "Irish" protrayed as the offending or involved ethnic group. On page 67, "...a bunch of Irish kids" beat up on Minkow. Prior to the war, the only Irish he had seen were "...Irish conductors on the 167 street trolley". On page 185, POWs were picking on a Jewish POW until ".. a big Irish guy" intervened. That is enough for now. What about the other ethnic groups? Recall that we were fighting not only Germans, but also Italians.
Finally, I wish that the author had spent more time on the Army Specialized Training Program (A.S.T.P.), especially the unit at CCNY. The Army Specialized Training Program (A.S.T.P.), was mentioned, ever so briefly, in passing on pages 40, 80, 87 and 125, as just some examples. Just to correct one mistake, the "USS Hornet" , CV-8 or CV-12, was an aircraft carrier, not a battleship as Dr. Moore states.
Being a Jewish GI during WWII.......2007-05-13
The author captures the full flavor of antsemitism in the Armed Forces during the war and for the Jews who served during the war years is especially meaningful. These men readily identify with the subtle and not so subtle communication of discrimination and the consequence of institutionalized antisemitism.
A superb telling of the Jewish GIs' story in World War II.......2005-01-18
Deborah Dash Moore's GI Jews is a moving book which provides insight into the Jewish American experience in World War II. Following the tales of more than fifteen Jewish GIs from before the United States' involvement in World War II through their return home, Moore paints a picture of what it was like to be a Jewish American and a Jewish American soldier in World War II.
Focusing primarily on the European Theater where American Jews were fighting not just for their country but also for the fate of European Jews, Moore discusses how Jewish GIs dealt with their Jewishness and integrated their religion into their identity as a soldier. Moore begins by describing how American Jews who would later fight in the war reacted to the outbreak of war in Europe. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Nazi domination of the European continent forced many of these men to reevaluate their philosophies and fight in support of FDR's four essential freedoms.
But before these men could engage the true enemy, they had to battle anti-semitism while trying to enlist in the United States' armed forces and also later on when confronting the prejudices of their fellow soldiers who believed Jews were cowards, sloths, poor soldiers and poor leaders. These Jewish GIs would go on to prove themselves in battle, but first they would be forced to fight for their comrades' respect as soldiers.
Along the way, Jewish GIs would also come face to face with Nazi persecution and slaughter of Europe's Jews, and Moore spends some time describing the ways Jewish GIs reacted to what they saw of the Holocaust. Several of the men were Zionists before the war, but Moore describes how witnessing the effect of the Holocaust first hand made many Jewish Gis ardent Zionists.
This book is simply a superb and well-written account of the Jewish GI experience. As such, it provides a much needed and unique perspective on World War II.
GI jews.......2004-12-19
it rocked my socks off. i cant believe it. i was bored one day at my mothers house and i read it. WOW
Average customer rating:
- Just Ok
- Interesting Memoir
- Easy read and great story
- Interesting first person account
- A MUST read for people of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs
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The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust
Susan Dworkin , and
Edith H. Beer
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
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The Seamstress
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In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
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Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz
ASIN: 068817776X
Release Date: 2000-10-24 |
Book Description
Edith Hahn was an outspoken young woman in Vienna when the Gestapo forced her into a ghetto and then into a labor camp. When she returned home months later, she knew she would become a hunted woman and went underground. With the help of a Christian friend, she emerged in Munich as Grete Denner. There she met Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party member who fell in love with her. Despite Edith's protests and even her eventual confession that she was Jewish, he married her and kept her identity a secret.
In wrenching detail, Edith recalls a life of constant, almost paralyzing fear. She tells of German officials who casually questioned the lineage of her parents; of how, when giving birth to her daughter, she refused all painkillers, afraid that in an altered state of mind she might reveal something of her past; and of how, after her husband was captured by the Soviet army, she was bombed out of her house and had to hide while drunken Russian soldiers raped women on the street.
Yet despite the risk it posed to her life, Edith created a remarkable record of survival. She saved every document and set of papers issued to her, as well as photographs she managed to take inside labor camps. Now part of the permanent collection at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., these hundreds of documents, several of which are included in this volume, form the fabric of a gripping new chapter in the history of the Holocaust -- complex, troubling, and ultimately triumphant.
Customer Reviews:
Just Ok.......2007-10-15
This book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. This woman was smart, but the tale could have been told better so that there was a bit more profoundness in it.
Interesting Memoir.......2006-12-27
Edith Hahn Beer was a law student in Austria when the Nazis moved in. In this books she relates the abuses she endured in a work camp. This novel focuses on how she spent the whole time in sort of a denial. While her family spent money to help her sisters and family leave Edith and her mother stayed, due to lack of money and the fact that edith didn't want to leave her boyfriend Pepi.
When Edith realized that Pepi wasn't going to marry her or help her and her mother was missing, Edith decides to go underground. She gets a set of papers from a friend and flees to Munich. There she meets a man named Werner who is a nazi party member. He is very insistent that Edith marry him, even after Edith confesses she is jewish.
Edith spends the rest of the war as a robotic nazi wife. You feel sorry for her and wonder how she could have survived the daily fear and anxiety she faced at being found out. She doesn't really talk much about Werner. She mentions his crazy outburst and supposes that his twistedness is what made him marry her. Edith managed to survive the war and got back her identity when the war ended although it lost her her husband Werner.
I applaud Edith's courage and resourcefulness. It is interesting to read about a jewish person who not only lived among the nazi's during the war but actually married one! However the majority of the book does focus on her life before she married Werner. It more of how one Jewish woman survived the war and had married a nazi to do it.
Easy read and great story.......2006-12-17
This was a great book. For non-fiction it read a lot like a novel and was very interesting. The author is honest in her story and displays her emotions very well. This book shows an in-depth and vivid look at how U-boats survived during the Holocaust and World War Two.
Interesting first person account.......2006-10-13
This memoir is pretty well written and as such is a very quick read. I won't go into the details of the story, as the book is inexpensive and you really should just pick it up to read yourself, since nothing a reviewer could tell you will match up with the actual memoir. Suffice to say that her story is as heartbreaking in some regards as you would expect a narrative like this to be. My only complaint is that it is perhaps lacking a little depth in some areas, specifically in regards to what happened to her after the war, how she reintegrated herself into a post-WWII Europe. I also would have liked more on what she learned about the experiences of people she knew and loved, as well as how her views of events have changed over the years since they occurred. Still, like every survivor's story, this is a valuable addition in my journey to understand the holocaust and its effects on individuals, families, and communities.
A MUST read for people of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs.......2006-09-14
If this fascinating tale weren't true, I don't think I would believe it!
This is a remarkably inspiring and emotional story of one woman's incredible desire to survive the Holocaust, that teaches us not only to free ourselves from judgment, but how fervant our survival instinct can be during the most horrible and trying of times.
I recommend it for readers of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs!
Average customer rating:
- This tells it like it is
- a one-sided look at a many-sided region
- An unforgettable and highly recommended compilation
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How Long O Lord?: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Voices from the Ground and Visitons for the Future in Israel/Palestine
Maurine Tobin
Manufacturer: Cowley Publications
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Blood Brothers, exp. ed.
ASIN: 1561012149 |
Book Description
In this collection of essays, the authors have brought together a group of peacemakers -- Christian, Jewish, and Muslim -- whose religious convictions compel them towards peace in Israel/Palestine.
Customer Reviews:
This tells it like it is.......2004-01-05
As a frequent traveller to Israel/Palestine and having met most of the authors of the essays collected, I am amazed at how well each from each writer's perspective have represented reality as I have come to understand the reality on the ground.
Israel's safety and a safe place for Jews is of prime importance. But safety cannot come without an equal passion for justice. Pithily put: Sow Justice, Reap Security.
It is important that the voices represented in this collection be heard. The daily headlines tell part of the story. This is another part and one that makes the story more complete.
a one-sided look at a many-sided region.......2003-12-02
This book does indeed include essays written by Jews, Christians and Muslims. Do not, however, assume from this that it is in any sense objective or that it examines the Middle East from all sides. This is a book in which Jewish, Christian and Muslim critics of Israel all have a chance to write about everything that they see as being wrong with Israel. No one who has been following the Middle East is in any danger of learning anything new. Those who are new to the issue are, however, likely to be puzzled by the divergence between the picture presented here and reality as we know it.
It is, after all, in the territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority that editors of opposition newspapers are kneecapped, their printing presses smashed. It is in the PA-controlled territories that people are are tried and sentenced without benefit of counsel and that individuals suspected of sympathy with Israel are routinely murdered by vigilante gangs. It is in Palestinian schools that children are taught to become suicide bombers. And Palestinian television that broadcasts racist canards about Jews.
Meanwhile it is in Israel that Muslims vote and elect representatives to Parliament. In Israel that Muslim women are equal to Muslim men before the courts.
In Israel there is a free press, an independent judiciary, and a school system that makes real efforts to teach tolerance.
That said, Israel is no more perfect thatn any other country. If you want to see all of the warts, this is your book.
Do be careful, however, about accepting the facts as presented. Whole sections would have to be shelved in the fiction section of an honest library.
An unforgettable and highly recommended compilation.......2003-09-15
Collaboratively compiled by Maurine and Robert Tobin, How Long O Lord? is an impressive anthology of writings by Christians, Jews, and Muslims concerning the need for a just peace in Israel and Palestine. Confronting commonly held assumptions, examining all sides of the issues and attempting to untangle a complex web of conflict, power struggle, and the desperate search for hope, How Long O Lord? an unforgettable and highly recommended compilation offering understanding into a deadly, enduring, multifaceted conflict.
Books:
- A Boy Called Slow (Paperstar Book)
- A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People: From the Time of the Patriarchs to the Present
- A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900
- A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900
- A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East
- A Sport and a Pastime: A Novel
- American Holocaust: The Conquest of the New World
- Annals of the World: James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History
- Annals of the World: James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History
- Atlas Of Shipwrecks & Treasure
Books Index
Books Home
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Stories of Deliverance: Speaking with Men and Women Who Rescured Jews from the Holocaust`
The Righteous: The Unsung Heroes of the Holocaust
Unveiled : The Hidden Lives of Nuns
A Secret Life: The Polish Officer, His Covert Mission, and the Price He Paid to Save His Country
