blindmanbaldwin 's review for:

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

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Structured in a way reminiscent of epics: there are a lot of characters over a large period of time. The titular librarian, Dita, serves as the connective tissue for all of the people suffering at Auschwitz. At first, this book's crosscutting of time and of people can be an adjustment. It doesn't take too long to understand it, and this choice works well — the people of Auschwitz live in the camp but their minds wander to the solace of memory. Books serve as a balm to the suffering; books are an act of defiance. Everything decays in the camp but the books ignite a spark within to keep them alive.

Humans living under one of the most inhumane, evil regimes ever. They want these people to die and their refusal to die is their greatest rebellion. The book succeeds in spades in dramatizing the lives and culture lost by the actions of Germany and the complicity of the world. This evil consumed millions. It's on us to stop these rising flames of hatred and bigotry again.

Are we the last ones left alive?
Are we the only human beings
To survive?…