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eesti23's review against another edition
3.5
"How can I be useful to you?"
"How can I support you as you take responsibility for yourself?"
I had expected The Choice: Embrace the Possible to really move and inspire me. Instead I was left feeling lukewarm. This is a difficult subject and Edith Ever is clearly a brave, strong, and amazing woman. Her story is split into two parts: the war and her work. There wasn't much new when it came to the war portion. We've heard most of these stories before. The difference here is that these are Edith's stories and Edith's experience of them.
Overall, an important story and an okay book. Just not as motivational as I was expecting.
Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, and War
Moderate: Torture and Death of parent
bookedbyelizabeth's review
4.75
CW: genocide, death, trauma, loss of loved ones, violence, PTSD, antisemitism, racism, depression, panic attacks; mentions of rape, addiction, infidelity, eating disorder (recommend looking up on Storygraph for more CW).
The Choice is an inspiring, powerful, challenging memoir of a Holocaust survivor and a testament to resilience, inner strength, and healing from trauma. Dr. Eger experienced unspeakable horrors and darkness, and she not only survived Auschwitz but then embarked on an incredible healing journey. She immigrated to the United States where she became a psychiatrist in order to help others with their trauma.
Her path wasn’t easy as she coped with her grief, guilt, and PTSD while trying to move forward and build a new life for herself and her family. But she learns to make the choice to face the trauma, to accept what happened, to forgive herself, and to heal. The past can neither be changed nor forgotten, but the present is in our control.
This book was difficult to read and made me emotional several times. It was a lot to take in, and I made sure to read slowly and took my time reflecting after finishing the book. It made me think about how her lessons could apply to my own life. I was in complete awe of Dr. Eger’s journey, her strength, her wisdom, and her compassion.
Also, International Holocaust Rememberence Day is coming up on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Berkenau. I remember learning about the Holocaust in history class, reading Night by Elie Wiesel, and taking a field trip to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. I think memoirs and exhibits help us remember the humanity in historical events and remind us that it really wasn’t all that long ago. Antisemitism existed before the Holocaust and has continued after, and it shouldn’t be minimized or ignored.
Graphic: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Genocide, Death, Antisemitism, War, Violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Religious bigotry
charlyhannah's review
4.75
Graphic: Antisemitism, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Genocide
astridrv's review against another edition
Graphic: Antisemitism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, and Pedophilia
kbaxter21's review
5.0
Graphic: Death, Torture, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Emotional abuse
mayapetrick's review
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Rape
Minor: Infidelity and Infertility
strawberrysheepie's review
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Rape, and War
pixiebix's review
4.5
This is absolutely, undeniably a book for everybody who has ever suffered—and so everybody on this earth—to read.
The Choice is so much more than a memoir of an Auschwitz survivor. This is a diary of the light that can be found in darkness; of trauma, reconciliation of trauma, and rebirth; of the forgiveness of your torturers (whether they be the SS soldiers of Nazi Germany’s concentration camp, your childhood abuser, or the friend who didn’t invite you to a meal with your group); of the resilience, self-respect, and strength that comprise forgiveness; of the reality of the darkness of trauma, and the fact that only you can liberate yourself from that very mental cage; of the power of choice; of the sacredness of the present.
This is truly the most transformative non-fiction I have ever read. I hope this book finds itself in many more hands than it already has.
Graphic: Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Minor: Excrement, Cannibalism, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Suicide
amberinbookland's review
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
cuppa_curiositea's review
4.75
There are both good and terrible things that I will never forget because of this book, and I don't regret it at all. I was less engaged in the last few chapters that focused on client experiences, but I still plan to read the "sequel" The Gift when I get a chance.
Graphic: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Grief