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readinginaz's review
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating read. Kanter provides a different look into WW2. The information she provides on her various experiences, from her struggle to leave Austria to the struggle with being accepted in a new country, is eye-opening.
101mystic's review against another edition
5.0
I generally don't read memoirs. But this was a heart breaking tale of love and bravery in the very best of ways. Well Trudi's words aren't excessive, wordy, flowing, or descriptive the very simplicity of the writing almost makes the story that much more real. You get a feel of the mood and the characters and the visions without wading through words of description. And I totally cried at the end.
whatsnonfiction's review
5.0
I loved this book and I hope it eventually gets the recognition it deserves among WWII memoirs. It's not written in any kind of lofty prose but it's accessible, eventful, and emotional. I also like that a large part of the story is centered in Vienna and the city itself remains a character throughout, always recalled while the author is trying to adjust elsewhere. There are so many stories from locations like occupied Paris and war-torn Germany but relatively few from Vienna, especially one told by someone with a lifelong love for the city. Unlike some other stories of Jewish survival in the face of Nazi persecution, hers isn't remarkable and unbelievable - just clever and careful and that makes it interesting; so often I've read about Jewish survivors who are described simply, like "obtained a visa, escaped to Britain before things got too bad". It wasn't that simple and her story details it.
And I love her storytelling voice - she's honest, even when it doesn't make her look good. She's overt and sexual with a lot of depth and human connection while maintaining enviable cleverness and intelligence.
I read, maybe in the intro, that it might not have gotten as many accolades because of her writing about men and clothes. She writes about these but never shallowly, more in connection to a greater picture, and it establishes her as a person with a firmly rooted life and loves - excellent in her line of work and deeply passionate in her life.
It does suffer from an atrocious title though.
And I love her storytelling voice - she's honest, even when it doesn't make her look good. She's overt and sexual with a lot of depth and human connection while maintaining enviable cleverness and intelligence.
I read, maybe in the intro, that it might not have gotten as many accolades because of her writing about men and clothes. She writes about these but never shallowly, more in connection to a greater picture, and it establishes her as a person with a firmly rooted life and loves - excellent in her line of work and deeply passionate in her life.
It does suffer from an atrocious title though.
myworldtoread's review against another edition
4.0
This book seemed like it was told through journal entries as opposed to a straight novel, so it got/sounded disjointed at times. Even though it was hard to understand and connect with the characters, I still enjoyed the story. It was refreshing to read a Holocaust/WWII story with a happy ending.
uberbutter's review
4.0
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler: A True Love Story Rediscovered by Trudi Kanter
★★★★
Amazon Synopsis: In 1938 Trudi Kanter, stunningly beautiful, chic and charismatic, was a hat designer for the best-dressed women in Vienna. She frequented the most elegant cafés. She had suitors. She flew to Paris to see the latest fashions. And she fell deeply in love with Walter Ehrlich, a charming and romantic businessman. But as Hitler’s tanks rolled into Austria, the world this young Jewish couple knew collapsed, leaving them desperate to escape.
This memoir may not be the most elegantly written but it’s a good one. Trudi’s sentences are often chopped and short. Since she wrote this nearly 50 years after the events, it’s fairly obvious she writes only what she remembers. There’s snippets of information here and there, no fluff added in. The facts are there and despite it all she recollects a decent amount. I thought this was a great read. A hidden gem. This book was first published in the 1980s but quickly forgotten until it was found and republished in 2011. This isn’t a memoir just about survival but about love and what one will do to save those they love.
★★★★
Amazon Synopsis: In 1938 Trudi Kanter, stunningly beautiful, chic and charismatic, was a hat designer for the best-dressed women in Vienna. She frequented the most elegant cafés. She had suitors. She flew to Paris to see the latest fashions. And she fell deeply in love with Walter Ehrlich, a charming and romantic businessman. But as Hitler’s tanks rolled into Austria, the world this young Jewish couple knew collapsed, leaving them desperate to escape.
This memoir may not be the most elegantly written but it’s a good one. Trudi’s sentences are often chopped and short. Since she wrote this nearly 50 years after the events, it’s fairly obvious she writes only what she remembers. There’s snippets of information here and there, no fluff added in. The facts are there and despite it all she recollects a decent amount. I thought this was a great read. A hidden gem. This book was first published in the 1980s but quickly forgotten until it was found and republished in 2011. This isn’t a memoir just about survival but about love and what one will do to save those they love.
dashausfrau's review
3.0
I couldn't finish this one. It was written in such an every day style (because it was every day- she was there) that it somehow made the Holocaust even more horrible & I couldn't handle it right now.
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