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gwalt118's review against another edition
1.0
It was definitely interesting, but it was very much like a textbook. If you're not very interested in the Holocaust and events surrounding it, you will not like this book. It also follows one person's journey very closely, so it you don't like memoirs, I wouldn't recommend it either. In terms of the writing, it was put together very uniquely with an interesting style that had biblical implications all throughout the book. It was great in some aspects, but not so much in others. I didn't finish the book, and it isn't often that I don't finish a book.
ericfheiman's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a fair amount of Holocaust literature since college and thought I had reached my saturation point for one lifetime. But this book had been mentioned in so many different contexts recently that I decided to finally take it on. I'm extremely glad I did.
It's 500+ pages of densely packed small type (the hardcover version, anyway) and every sentence seems carefully considered. The story is simple, the journey it goes on is anything but: After being told repeatedly by relatives of the strong resemblance to his great uncle Shmiel Jäger who, with his wife and 4 daughters, perished in Poland during World War II, the author decides to embark on a mission to find out exactly what happened to them. With his siblings and colleagues often in tow, Mendelsohn takes a winding, three-plus year trek through Poland, Australia, Denmark, and Israel to uncover the story.
The intensely intimate and personal angle in which this book attacks the Holocaust is what makes it such a rich and unforgettable experience. It's as much a book about family and identity as it is a chronicle of an oft-discussed dark period of 20th century history. Highly recommended.
It's 500+ pages of densely packed small type (the hardcover version, anyway) and every sentence seems carefully considered. The story is simple, the journey it goes on is anything but: After being told repeatedly by relatives of the strong resemblance to his great uncle Shmiel Jäger who, with his wife and 4 daughters, perished in Poland during World War II, the author decides to embark on a mission to find out exactly what happened to them. With his siblings and colleagues often in tow, Mendelsohn takes a winding, three-plus year trek through Poland, Australia, Denmark, and Israel to uncover the story.
The intensely intimate and personal angle in which this book attacks the Holocaust is what makes it such a rich and unforgettable experience. It's as much a book about family and identity as it is a chronicle of an oft-discussed dark period of 20th century history. Highly recommended.
kishka's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
caitlinmchugh24's review against another edition
5.0
I have read many books of Holocaust literature and history, but this is unique for the lens in which it portrays the Holocaust and the aftermath for those who are looking for personal history. By placing searching for the lost as part of the story, it shows how difficult it is to find one's family history. It also places the search for the "lost" and the Holocaust in the context of both the Torah and the classics, which gives it more of an anchor and meaning to the reader. I think it is written like the author is speaking the story, which is very interesting and keeps your attention.
However, the sentences were extremely long and I was confused after a while of who was who. There needs to be more genealogical tables to explain who is related to who since the author discusses relatives not on the genealogical table in the book. Additionally, the complete detailed story of what happened to the 6 family members and those involved in their lives would be helpful at the conclusion of the book.
I also read the copy without the appendix, which includes information about Bronia's fate,
which I did miss.
However, the sentences were extremely long and I was confused after a while of who was who. There needs to be more genealogical tables to explain who is related to who since the author discusses relatives not on the genealogical table in the book. Additionally, the complete detailed story of what happened to the 6 family members and those involved in their lives would be helpful at the conclusion of the book.
I also read the copy without the appendix, which includes information about Bronia's fate,
which I did miss.
tricebrown's review against another edition
4.0
Very intimate. Loved the connections to the Torah throughout.
aemesserlie's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book at a used book store and because it fit right in to my interest in Holocaust accounts, I picked it up without looking in to any reviews. I wish I had. The subject matter is interesting, but the writing is terrible. Mendelsohn rambles, uses in appropriate italics, and utilizes about a million commas. This feels like a manuscript more than a finished product; there is a serious need for some rigorous editing here.
bibliophile1085's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
beebythesea's review against another edition
5.0
Deeply thoughtful, tragically adventurous, poignantly honest...not to mention indulgently educational and remarkably patient ~ loved this treasure of a book that delves deeply into the emotional struggle between Holocaust survivors and the six million lives that are irretrievable and potentially forgotten without those who can still learn and share the stories of how they lived even more so than the stories of how they died. Meaningful to the point of brutality, a heartfelt search for life...I am truly grateful to Mendelsohn for sharing with me his search for the history of the Bolechow Jews as well as his personal family journey. I will never forget the real people who shared here in this place, this book, who survived and struggled with their survival and the fact that it really truly is "impossible to know" so many aspects of the lost.