Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland

18 reviews

rumay's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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Everyone should read this. It offers an intriguing account of the life of a person who has been too hidden in the world of Holocaust survivors. It describes the atrocities Auschwitz and helps a person begin to understand what it may have been like. You can tell Freeland has so much care for Vrba, and has put so much research into the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Deportation

Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, War, Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Sexual content

retswerb's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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A powerful and gripping telling of the story of a young man who was imprisoned at Auschwitz and escaped to tell the world what was happening within.

The horrors of a Nazi concentration camp are hard to even comprehend. They are told here in a matter of fact, unflinching manner that is sometimes overwhelming. 

I hadn’t realized the degree to which the outside world was in the dark regarding what was happening inside the concentration camps. The amount of denial (some driven by pure racism) is staggering in hindsight. 

Freed land does an excellent job of telling Rudy’s story, including the damaged man he became in his later life. A book I won’t forget for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, Deportation

beccarwolf's review against another edition

4.0

dark informative tense slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Suicide

Moderate: War

Minor: Alcoholism

julied's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, War, Deportation

lilybear3's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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This is a very emotional and heavy read, but incredibly important.  Every person who is able, should read it.  It is heartbreaking, infuriating, and painful to read Rudi and Fred's accounts.  I don't know the right words to properly talk about this book other than we should continue to learn from those who have experienced things first hand.  We also see the how vital the bridge between knowledge and belief is.  Those combined spur action.

Rudi and Fred's accounts should be added among those of Primo Levi, Anne Frank, Elie Weisel, and more.  Their commitment to remembering every little detail gives us a glimpse of the horrors.  Their story, among the millions of victims, should be remembered and honored.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Minor: Abortion

sarahww's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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 I don't tend to read a lot of books about World War II, fiction or nonfiction, but I listened to this on audio as a part of my literary roundup challenge on StoryGraph since it was a Gifford Nonfiction Award finalist. I could not be more glad that I did. This is one of, if not the most important books I've ever read. It is unflinching in its descriptions, riveting in its storytelling, and an overall incredibly insightful look into the horrors of the Holocaust. Undoubtedly a hard read (or listen, which I did enjoy and would recommend). I can't believe I had never heard of Rudolf Vrba before reading this book, and I hope this gets out to as many people as possible.

Freedland does an incredible job of telling Vrba's story in a way that is both researched and informative while also being wildly readable. This book reads like fiction without the hyperbole or creative liberty. I felt ill while listening more often than not, but I would read this book and recommend it again and again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Antisemitism

Moderate: Child death, Suicide

joyfulfoodie's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring tense fast-paced

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Most of what I have learned about the holocaust previously has been from a German or Danish perspective. I have read and seen very little from southern regions or directly from Jewish experience. I spent most of this book feeling like I was learning it all fresh for the first time. It is deeply horrifying - the details, dates, near misses, disbelief, apathy, and inaction. 
A critical viewpoint and masterfully presented history, this reads as both narrative and textbook. It flows steadily and easily; though by no means easy content it is easy to lose yourself in it and read extensively… I finished it in 5 days.
If you have any interest in biographies, Jewish history, or understanding the events of the holocaust, then this is a must read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, War, Classism, Deportation

Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail

linguaphile412's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racism, Violence, Antisemitism, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Torture, Grief

Minor: Cancer