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袠蟹斜芯褉褗褌: 袟邪 褋胁芯斜芯写邪褌邪 懈 胁褗褌褉械褕薪邪褌邪 褋懈谢邪
袧邪褉懈褔邪褌 袝写懈褌 袝胁邪 袝谐械褉 鈥炐愋叫� 肖褉邪薪泻, 泻芯褟褌芯 芯褑械谢褟鈥�, 蟹邪褖芯褌芯 褕械褋褌邪泄褋械褌谐芯写懈褕薪邪褌邪 褍薪谐邪褉褋泻邪 械胁褉械泄泻邪 懈屑邪 泻褗褋屑械褌邪 写邪 芯褋褌邪薪械 卸懈胁邪 胁 谢邪谐械褉懈褌械 薪邪 褋屑褗褉褌褌邪. 袩懈褕械 泻薪懈谐邪褌邪 褋懈 薪邪 写械胁械褌写械褋械褌谐芯写懈褕薪邪 胁褗蟹褉邪褋褌 泻邪褌芯 褉邪蟹泻邪蟹 蟹邪 芯褑械谢褟胁邪薪械褌芯 褋懈, 蟹邪 懈蟹褑械谢械薪懈械褌芯 褋懈 懈 蟹邪 褏芯褉邪褌邪, 薪邪 泻芯懈褌芯 械 锌芯屑芯谐薪邪谢邪 写邪 褋械 芯褋胁芯斜芯写褟褌 芯褌 褌褉邪胁屑懈褌械 褋懈.
小褉邪胁薪褟胁邪褌 鈥炐樞沸毙狙€褗褌鈥� 褋 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪褌邪 鈥炐拘残敌貉娧� 胁 褌褗褉褋械薪械 薪邪 褋屑懈褋褗谢鈥� 薪邪 袙懈泻褌芯褉 肖褉邪薪泻褗谢. 袦械薪褌芯褉褋褌胁芯褌芯 懈 锌褉懈褟褌械谢褋褌胁芯褌芯 薪邪 肖褉邪薪泻褗谢 褲 锌芯屑邪谐邪褌 写邪 锌褉械芯褋屑懈褋谢懈 锌褉械卸懈胁褟薪芯褌芯 懈 写邪 褉邪蟹斜械褉械, 褔械 鈥炐狙� 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻芯 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械 械 薪械 泻邪泻胁芯 薪懈械 芯褔邪泻胁邪屑械 芯褌 卸懈胁芯褌邪, 邪 泻邪泻胁芯 卸懈胁芯褌褗褌 芯褔邪泻胁邪 芯褌 薪邪褋鈥�.
袝写懈褌 袝谐械褉 械屑懈谐褉懈褉邪 锌褉械蟹 1949 谐. 褋褗褋 褋械屑械泄褋褌胁芯褌芯 褋懈 胁 小袗些. 袟邪胁褗褉褕胁邪 锌褋懈褏芯谢芯谐懈褟 褋 写芯泻褌芯褉邪褌 懈 泻邪褌芯 泻谢懈薪懈褔械薪 锌褋懈褏芯褌械褉邪锌械胁褌 锌芯屑邪谐邪 薪邪 锌邪褑懈械薪褌懈褌械 褋懈 写邪 芯褋胁芯斜芯写褟褌 胁褗褌褉械褕薪懈褌械 褋懈 褋懈谢懈. 孝褟 薪懈 褍褔懈, 褔械 薪褟屑邪 谐芯谢褟屑芯 懈 屑邪谢泻芯 褋褌褉邪写邪薪懈械, 懈 褔械 胁褋械泻懈 屑芯卸械 写邪 懈蟹胁褗褉胁懈 锌褗褌褟 泻褗屑 懈蟹谢械泻褍胁邪薪械褌芯 褋懈, 褋褌懈谐邪 写邪 褋懈 写邪写械 褕邪薪褋.
小褉邪胁薪褟胁邪褌 鈥炐樞沸毙狙€褗褌鈥� 褋 泻谢邪褋懈泻邪褌邪 鈥炐拘残敌貉娧� 胁 褌褗褉褋械薪械 薪邪 褋屑懈褋褗谢鈥� 薪邪 袙懈泻褌芯褉 肖褉邪薪泻褗谢. 袦械薪褌芯褉褋褌胁芯褌芯 懈 锌褉懈褟褌械谢褋褌胁芯褌芯 薪邪 肖褉邪薪泻褗谢 褲 锌芯屑邪谐邪褌 写邪 锌褉械芯褋屑懈褋谢懈 锌褉械卸懈胁褟薪芯褌芯 懈 写邪 褉邪蟹斜械褉械, 褔械 鈥炐狙� 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻芯 蟹薪邪褔械薪懈械 械 薪械 泻邪泻胁芯 薪懈械 芯褔邪泻胁邪屑械 芯褌 卸懈胁芯褌邪, 邪 泻邪泻胁芯 卸懈胁芯褌褗褌 芯褔邪泻胁邪 芯褌 薪邪褋鈥�.
袝写懈褌 袝谐械褉 械屑懈谐褉懈褉邪 锌褉械蟹 1949 谐. 褋褗褋 褋械屑械泄褋褌胁芯褌芯 褋懈 胁 小袗些. 袟邪胁褗褉褕胁邪 锌褋懈褏芯谢芯谐懈褟 褋 写芯泻褌芯褉邪褌 懈 泻邪褌芯 泻谢懈薪懈褔械薪 锌褋懈褏芯褌械褉邪锌械胁褌 锌芯屑邪谐邪 薪邪 锌邪褑懈械薪褌懈褌械 褋懈 写邪 芯褋胁芯斜芯写褟褌 胁褗褌褉械褕薪懈褌械 褋懈 褋懈谢懈. 孝褟 薪懈 褍褔懈, 褔械 薪褟屑邪 谐芯谢褟屑芯 懈 屑邪谢泻芯 褋褌褉邪写邪薪懈械, 懈 褔械 胁褋械泻懈 屑芯卸械 写邪 懈蟹胁褗褉胁懈 锌褗褌褟 泻褗屑 懈蟹谢械泻褍胁邪薪械褌芯 褋懈, 褋褌懈谐邪 写邪 褋懈 写邪写械 褕邪薪褋.
360 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2017
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August 17, 2018
**4.5 STARS **
Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity鈥�
鈥� James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
I could never find the right words and phrases to describe what a moving yet uplifting memoir this is. Edith Eger was just 16 years old in 1944 when she entered the gates of hell - Auschwitz. Her grandparents and mother and father were sent to the gas chamber under the direct orders of the infamous Josef Mengele. Under those same orders she was made to dance for Mengele. Although she was terrified, she managed to take her mind back to the outside world, back to when she used to give ballet performances for appreciative audiences. At the end of her performance for Mengele she was thrown a small loaf of bread - and though grateful that she had the extra food to share with her sister Magda and others, she was also relieved that he hadn鈥檛 bestowed the same fate on her as her beloved family members.
I won鈥檛 go into any more detail, but Edith shares her experiences in Auschwitz , and when liberation finally came, she was discovered among a pile of bodies barely alive.
Man鈥檚 inhumanity to man never fails to shock me. The ones who were fortunate enough to survive the death camps, didn鈥檛 just need medical intervention for their extreme malnutrition and other physical problems, but more importantly it was the huge psychological scars that would prove the most difficult to heal.
Edith went on to become an eminent psychologist, someone who helped people come to terms with the traumas in their lives, (and she shares many of those cases with us) but she also needed to exorcise the ghosts of her own past too!
I found when I was reading this book, that an involuntary sob would sometimes appear out of nowhere. It was excruciating to read at times, and yet I couldn鈥檛 put it down. Desmond Tutu said that this book would leave you forever changed- I鈥檓 inclined to agree. Thank you Edith for sharing your courageous and inspiring life story, it鈥檚 not something I will forget any time soon.
Thank you so Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Ebury Publishing for my Arc. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange.
Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity鈥�
鈥� James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
I could never find the right words and phrases to describe what a moving yet uplifting memoir this is. Edith Eger was just 16 years old in 1944 when she entered the gates of hell - Auschwitz. Her grandparents and mother and father were sent to the gas chamber under the direct orders of the infamous Josef Mengele. Under those same orders she was made to dance for Mengele. Although she was terrified, she managed to take her mind back to the outside world, back to when she used to give ballet performances for appreciative audiences. At the end of her performance for Mengele she was thrown a small loaf of bread - and though grateful that she had the extra food to share with her sister Magda and others, she was also relieved that he hadn鈥檛 bestowed the same fate on her as her beloved family members.
I won鈥檛 go into any more detail, but Edith shares her experiences in Auschwitz , and when liberation finally came, she was discovered among a pile of bodies barely alive.
Man鈥檚 inhumanity to man never fails to shock me. The ones who were fortunate enough to survive the death camps, didn鈥檛 just need medical intervention for their extreme malnutrition and other physical problems, but more importantly it was the huge psychological scars that would prove the most difficult to heal.
Edith went on to become an eminent psychologist, someone who helped people come to terms with the traumas in their lives, (and she shares many of those cases with us) but she also needed to exorcise the ghosts of her own past too!
I found when I was reading this book, that an involuntary sob would sometimes appear out of nowhere. It was excruciating to read at times, and yet I couldn鈥檛 put it down. Desmond Tutu said that this book would leave you forever changed- I鈥檓 inclined to agree. Thank you Edith for sharing your courageous and inspiring life story, it鈥檚 not something I will forget any time soon.
Thank you so Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Ebury Publishing for my Arc. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange.
August 14, 2020
鈥淭ime doesn鈥檛 heal. It鈥檚 what you do with time. Healing is possible when we choose to take responsibility, when we choose to take risks, and finally, when we choose to release the wound, to let go of the past or the grief鈥�.
The above excerpt is true - but that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 easy - or can be achieved by waving a magic wand- or positive thinking it alone. We鈥檇 only be fooling ourselves.
It鈥檚 more involved than simply stating a mantra.
But.... I鈥檓 getting ahead of myself.
The most important thing I can share is how extraordinary this memoir
is.
From start to finish - it鈥檚 PIERCING....ASTONISHING.....GUT WRENCHING...EYE-OPENING about experiences of the Holocaust- (no matter how many books you鈥檝e read on this topic).
Edith also gives us a very close look at what follows at the end of imprisonment, the end of the war.
-鈥楽omething鈥� will feel 鈥榥ew鈥� about The Holocaust as if reading it for the very first time.
I didn鈥檛 know who this 90 year old author was until yesterday- but her name -
*Edith Eva Eger* is a mainstay solid name in my heart & mind now. Can you image writing your first and only book at age 90? If 鈥榶es鈥�....鈥檞onderful鈥�. This woman had a story to tell!!!!
I鈥檝e read several memoirs about the Holocaust鈥攚ritten by 鈥榮urvivors鈥� whom I can 鈥榥ever鈥� forget their 鈥榥ame鈥� 鈥�
鈥淭he CHOICE鈥�, by Edith Eva Eger is a mind boggling memoir 鈥� incredibly affecting!!!!! I鈥檒l remember her name!!! And... I can鈥檛 recommend this book highly enough.
When Edith was first released from the war...she said many things...
Here are a couple of things she said:
鈥淚 AM FREE! I AM FREE!
but now I have no voice鈥�.
鈥淔or more than a year I have not had the luxury to think about what hurts or doesn鈥檛 hurt. I have been able to think only about how to keep up with others, how to stay one step ahead, to get a little food here, to walk fast enough, to never stop, to stay alive, to not be left behind. Now that the danger is gone, the pain within and the suffering around me turn awareness into hallucination. A silent movie. A march of skeletons. Most of us are too physically ruined to walk. We lie on carts, we lean on sticks. Our uniforms are filthy and worn, so ragged and tattered that they hardly cover our skin. Our skin hardly covers our bones. We are an anatomy lesson. Elbows, knees, ankles, cheeks, knuckles, ribs jut out like questions. What are we now? Our bones look obscene, our eyes are caverns, Blue-black finger nails. We are trauma in motion鈥�.
The story you鈥檒l read in this book deals with a dark, difficult, and important subject ...
Edith brings forth a profound human quality relative to today.
Edith married, came over to the United States, had three children, learned English, got a degree, a PhD, taught history in Texas.
She later became a psychologist helping others overcome traumas.
The above excerpt is true - but that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 easy - or can be achieved by waving a magic wand- or positive thinking it alone. We鈥檇 only be fooling ourselves.
It鈥檚 more involved than simply stating a mantra.
But.... I鈥檓 getting ahead of myself.
The most important thing I can share is how extraordinary this memoir
is.
From start to finish - it鈥檚 PIERCING....ASTONISHING.....GUT WRENCHING...EYE-OPENING about experiences of the Holocaust- (no matter how many books you鈥檝e read on this topic).
Edith also gives us a very close look at what follows at the end of imprisonment, the end of the war.
-鈥楽omething鈥� will feel 鈥榥ew鈥� about The Holocaust as if reading it for the very first time.
I didn鈥檛 know who this 90 year old author was until yesterday- but her name -
*Edith Eva Eger* is a mainstay solid name in my heart & mind now. Can you image writing your first and only book at age 90? If 鈥榶es鈥�....鈥檞onderful鈥�. This woman had a story to tell!!!!
I鈥檝e read several memoirs about the Holocaust鈥攚ritten by 鈥榮urvivors鈥� whom I can 鈥榥ever鈥� forget their 鈥榥ame鈥� 鈥�
鈥淭he CHOICE鈥�, by Edith Eva Eger is a mind boggling memoir 鈥� incredibly affecting!!!!! I鈥檒l remember her name!!! And... I can鈥檛 recommend this book highly enough.
When Edith was first released from the war...she said many things...
Here are a couple of things she said:
鈥淚 AM FREE! I AM FREE!
but now I have no voice鈥�.
鈥淔or more than a year I have not had the luxury to think about what hurts or doesn鈥檛 hurt. I have been able to think only about how to keep up with others, how to stay one step ahead, to get a little food here, to walk fast enough, to never stop, to stay alive, to not be left behind. Now that the danger is gone, the pain within and the suffering around me turn awareness into hallucination. A silent movie. A march of skeletons. Most of us are too physically ruined to walk. We lie on carts, we lean on sticks. Our uniforms are filthy and worn, so ragged and tattered that they hardly cover our skin. Our skin hardly covers our bones. We are an anatomy lesson. Elbows, knees, ankles, cheeks, knuckles, ribs jut out like questions. What are we now? Our bones look obscene, our eyes are caverns, Blue-black finger nails. We are trauma in motion鈥�.
The story you鈥檒l read in this book deals with a dark, difficult, and important subject ...
Edith brings forth a profound human quality relative to today.
Edith married, came over to the United States, had three children, learned English, got a degree, a PhD, taught history in Texas.
She later became a psychologist helping others overcome traumas.
August 8, 2018
Dr Edith Eva Eger is an eminent psychologist whose own experiences as a Holocaust survivor helps her treat patients and allows them to escape the prisons of their own minds.
Edith Eger was just sixteen when the Nazis came to her hometown of Hungry and took the Jewish family to an interment centre and then to Auschwitz. Her parents were then sent to the gas chamber by Joseph Menele. Edith was demanded by Menele to waltz "The Blue Danube" just a few hours after her parents were murdered. Menele rewarded Edith with a small loaf of bread of which she shared with her fellow prisoners.
This is a beautifully written and very moving memoir. It has been divided into four sections: Prison, Escape, Freedom and Healing. How these people who suffered so much, could heal and then go on to make something of their lives like Edith has, beggars belief. This is one very committed woman, who became a therapist, who truly understands people's pain and forgives uniquely. This is not something I would normally read, but I'm really glad that I did. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Edith Eger for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Edith Eger was just sixteen when the Nazis came to her hometown of Hungry and took the Jewish family to an interment centre and then to Auschwitz. Her parents were then sent to the gas chamber by Joseph Menele. Edith was demanded by Menele to waltz "The Blue Danube" just a few hours after her parents were murdered. Menele rewarded Edith with a small loaf of bread of which she shared with her fellow prisoners.
This is a beautifully written and very moving memoir. It has been divided into four sections: Prison, Escape, Freedom and Healing. How these people who suffered so much, could heal and then go on to make something of their lives like Edith has, beggars belief. This is one very committed woman, who became a therapist, who truly understands people's pain and forgives uniquely. This is not something I would normally read, but I'm really glad that I did. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Edith Eger for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2020
Edith Eger鈥檚 determination and courage to survive against the odds make this a heart-breaking but powerful and inspiring read.
This is what reading is all about for me, and I am grateful to Edith Eger who generously takes her readers on a journey that is harrowing but so inspirational and motivating. I have read so many concentration camp survivor鈥檚 stories over the years and each and every one of those books have taught me something new and that is the reason I keep reading and learning and remembering this time in our world鈥檚 ugly history.
Edith鈥檚 story is so well written and her strength and courage give this book an uplifting feel. We experience through words on a page her unthinkable experiences in Nazi concentration camps and how she survived and went on to become a therapist and helped others recover from all kinds of hardship and experiences. Her remarkable ability to forgive and heal while helping others in her work is a lesson to us all.
In 1944, sixteen-year-old ballerina Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.
I loved several quotes in this book and a couple that really stood out for me are.....
I remind myself that each of us has an Adolf Hitler and a Corrie Ten Boom within us. We have the capacity to hate and the capacity to love.
The Piano that lived against the wall under her portrait is gone. The piano was so present in our daily lives that it was almost invisible, like breath. Now its absence dominates the room.
I am so glad I finally had an opportunity to read this inspiring account and another book for my favorites shelf.
This is what reading is all about for me, and I am grateful to Edith Eger who generously takes her readers on a journey that is harrowing but so inspirational and motivating. I have read so many concentration camp survivor鈥檚 stories over the years and each and every one of those books have taught me something new and that is the reason I keep reading and learning and remembering this time in our world鈥檚 ugly history.
Edith鈥檚 story is so well written and her strength and courage give this book an uplifting feel. We experience through words on a page her unthinkable experiences in Nazi concentration camps and how she survived and went on to become a therapist and helped others recover from all kinds of hardship and experiences. Her remarkable ability to forgive and heal while helping others in her work is a lesson to us all.
In 1944, sixteen-year-old ballerina Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.
I loved several quotes in this book and a couple that really stood out for me are.....
I remind myself that each of us has an Adolf Hitler and a Corrie Ten Boom within us. We have the capacity to hate and the capacity to love.
The Piano that lived against the wall under her portrait is gone. The piano was so present in our daily lives that it was almost invisible, like breath. Now its absence dominates the room.
I am so glad I finally had an opportunity to read this inspiring account and another book for my favorites shelf.
July 20, 2019
4.5
Una historia desgarradora y de superaci贸n de una mujer que a lo largo de su vida busc贸 , de manera incansable, la forma de superar su experiencia como prisionera de un campo de exterminio.
Una historia desgarradora y de superaci贸n de una mujer que a lo largo de su vida busc贸 , de manera incansable, la forma de superar su experiencia como prisionera de un campo de exterminio.
October 8, 2018
This is the memoir of Dr. Edith Eger, age 90...an internationally acclaimed psychologist and one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors. At the age of sixteen, along with her parents and sister Magda, was sent to Auschwitz.
Edie and Magda survived multiple death camps, and Edie was found barely alive in a pile of corpses when American Troops liberated the camps in 1945.
Such an extraordinary book on survival and stories of how she has helped others to heal by confronting their suffering and making the 鈥渃hoice鈥� to heal.
It took me a long time to read this because I was going online and looking up so many places and people,not that I needed to but I was just so interested since this was a true story. Dr Edith Eger is AMAZING!
Edie and Magda survived multiple death camps, and Edie was found barely alive in a pile of corpses when American Troops liberated the camps in 1945.
Such an extraordinary book on survival and stories of how she has helped others to heal by confronting their suffering and making the 鈥渃hoice鈥� to heal.
It took me a long time to read this because I was going online and looking up so many places and people,not that I needed to but I was just so interested since this was a true story. Dr Edith Eger is AMAZING!
September 5, 2017
This is a beautiful, absolutely pitch-perfect memoir by Dr. Edith Eger. I was not familiar with Dr. Eger prior to reading this, and I am grateful to her for sharing her story.
The book is organized into four sections: Prison, Escape, Freedom, and Healing. I would describe it as three parts memoir, one part therapy. It would be enough, simply for nanogeneraian Dr. Eger to tell us her story and share the important events she witnessed in her lifetime. But she is not satisfied to make this book only about her experience. She is clearly a committed therapist who understands pain and forgiveness uniquely, and has a very powerful message that to truly live a full life, we need to make the choice not only to forgive, but to forgive ourselves.
I describe the book as pitch-perfect because from the introduction, Dr. Eger explains that there is no heirarchy when it comes to suffering. She does not tell her story so that the reader will minimize their own suffering in comparison, that would just be another way of judging ourselves. As a therapist, she understands that someone whose suffering may seem superficial to others, is generally attributed to something much more deeply rooted, and representative of a much larger pain. I find it extraordinary that she is capable of empathizing with others to this extent. When you read her story, and I hope you do, you will understand the extent of her personal suffering. Not only what she endured in her youth, but as an adult coming to terms with everything she lost, and finding a way to let it be her strength, instead of imagining what her life would have been had it not been interrupted by the cruelty and injustice of the Holocaust. I can not find the words to describe the depth of her compassion.
Life is about choices, and I am guilty of the destructive thinking that Dr. Eger drescribes in the book. In my Midewestern upbringing, I was raised to take responsibility for my choices. I pride myself in this responsibility. What this book has made me realize that often in my experience, this has been a punishing idea - there are choices, and there are consequences. But life is not that simple, there are choices and more choices. Often we choose to punish ourselves. In doing so, we are imprisoning ourselves with our own beliefs - of not feeling worthy, a fear of making a bad choice... The author is open about choices she made in her own life, and that they may not have been the best ones. Everyone suffers. Everyone has endured the consequences of their own poor choices. But to live our best life, we must continue to make choices, instead of allowing ourselves to be imprisoned by our past.
Thank you, Dr. Edith Eva Eger for sharing your story and your wisdom. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Choice for review.
The book is organized into four sections: Prison, Escape, Freedom, and Healing. I would describe it as three parts memoir, one part therapy. It would be enough, simply for nanogeneraian Dr. Eger to tell us her story and share the important events she witnessed in her lifetime. But she is not satisfied to make this book only about her experience. She is clearly a committed therapist who understands pain and forgiveness uniquely, and has a very powerful message that to truly live a full life, we need to make the choice not only to forgive, but to forgive ourselves.
I describe the book as pitch-perfect because from the introduction, Dr. Eger explains that there is no heirarchy when it comes to suffering. She does not tell her story so that the reader will minimize their own suffering in comparison, that would just be another way of judging ourselves. As a therapist, she understands that someone whose suffering may seem superficial to others, is generally attributed to something much more deeply rooted, and representative of a much larger pain. I find it extraordinary that she is capable of empathizing with others to this extent. When you read her story, and I hope you do, you will understand the extent of her personal suffering. Not only what she endured in her youth, but as an adult coming to terms with everything she lost, and finding a way to let it be her strength, instead of imagining what her life would have been had it not been interrupted by the cruelty and injustice of the Holocaust. I can not find the words to describe the depth of her compassion.
Life is about choices, and I am guilty of the destructive thinking that Dr. Eger drescribes in the book. In my Midewestern upbringing, I was raised to take responsibility for my choices. I pride myself in this responsibility. What this book has made me realize that often in my experience, this has been a punishing idea - there are choices, and there are consequences. But life is not that simple, there are choices and more choices. Often we choose to punish ourselves. In doing so, we are imprisoning ourselves with our own beliefs - of not feeling worthy, a fear of making a bad choice... The author is open about choices she made in her own life, and that they may not have been the best ones. Everyone suffers. Everyone has endured the consequences of their own poor choices. But to live our best life, we must continue to make choices, instead of allowing ourselves to be imprisoned by our past.
Thank you, Dr. Edith Eva Eger for sharing your story and your wisdom. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Choice for review.
August 19, 2017
I will admit that I did not expect to enjoy this book. I thought it was going to be another holocaust memoir with a hint of psychological analysis. But man, was I wrong.
This book was beautifully written, and was a struggle to put down every night. This book was a small exercise in self-help, disguised as a gorgeous memoir. The Choice has genuinely made me change how I think about life.
I would highly recommend this book.
This book was beautifully written, and was a struggle to put down every night. This book was a small exercise in self-help, disguised as a gorgeous memoir. The Choice has genuinely made me change how I think about life.
I would highly recommend this book.
February 17, 2023
Cuando sali贸 este libro en uno de los clubes de lectura en los que estoy, no sab铆a si apuntarme.
Llevo mucho tiempo sin leer nada relacionado con los campos de concentraci贸n, de hecho, desde que estuve visitando Auschwitz hace unos a帽os. 听
En diciembre tante茅 con el Ruise帽or, volviendo a leer sobre la Segunda guerra mundial y al final decid铆 que ten铆a que leer la bailarina tras leer la sinopsis. (脷ltimamente no leo sinopsis a no ser que est茅 dudosa).
La verdad es que no ha sido lo que esperaba. Esperaba algo m谩s parecido a El hombre en busca del sentido y no, para nada.
Me ha parecido un libro maravilloso, un libro terap茅utico. Porque que una persona que a los 15 a帽os fue llevada a un campo de concentraci贸n te cuente c贸mo sobrevivi贸, no solo a eso si no al despu茅s. A la culpa, al miedo constante, a la vida que no pudo vivir, es algo sin duda liberador.
Sin duda es un plus que Edith sea psicoterapeuta desde hace a帽os y durante el libro nos cuenta como las terapias de muchos pacientes, lo que le contaban, lo que hac铆a con ellos, fueron cat谩rticos para ella misma.
Es un libro duro, nunca pens茅 que aun me quedaba por leer, ver o saber algunas cosas que se hac铆an en los campos y en este libro algunas de ellas me han removido mucho. Pero a la vez es un libro que da esperanza, es luminoso, como un renacer, como ver un ave f茅nix despegar de sus cenizas.
Lloras, sufres, te emocionas, sonr铆es e incluso r铆es.
Me encantar铆a conocer a esta mujer, me encantar铆a que fuera mi terapeuta. Escribi贸 este libro a los 90 a帽os. Actualmente tiene 95 a帽os. 驴Seguir谩 haciendo en Grand Battement?
Llevo mucho tiempo sin leer nada relacionado con los campos de concentraci贸n, de hecho, desde que estuve visitando Auschwitz hace unos a帽os. 听
En diciembre tante茅 con el Ruise帽or, volviendo a leer sobre la Segunda guerra mundial y al final decid铆 que ten铆a que leer la bailarina tras leer la sinopsis. (脷ltimamente no leo sinopsis a no ser que est茅 dudosa).
La verdad es que no ha sido lo que esperaba. Esperaba algo m谩s parecido a El hombre en busca del sentido y no, para nada.
Me ha parecido un libro maravilloso, un libro terap茅utico. Porque que una persona que a los 15 a帽os fue llevada a un campo de concentraci贸n te cuente c贸mo sobrevivi贸, no solo a eso si no al despu茅s. A la culpa, al miedo constante, a la vida que no pudo vivir, es algo sin duda liberador.
Sin duda es un plus que Edith sea psicoterapeuta desde hace a帽os y durante el libro nos cuenta como las terapias de muchos pacientes, lo que le contaban, lo que hac铆a con ellos, fueron cat谩rticos para ella misma.
Es un libro duro, nunca pens茅 que aun me quedaba por leer, ver o saber algunas cosas que se hac铆an en los campos y en este libro algunas de ellas me han removido mucho. Pero a la vez es un libro que da esperanza, es luminoso, como un renacer, como ver un ave f茅nix despegar de sus cenizas.
Lloras, sufres, te emocionas, sonr铆es e incluso r铆es.
Me encantar铆a conocer a esta mujer, me encantar铆a que fuera mi terapeuta. Escribi贸 este libro a los 90 a帽os. Actualmente tiene 95 a帽os. 驴Seguir谩 haciendo en Grand Battement?
September 13, 2018
5 stars
Absorbing. Brilliant. A truly inspirational read.
What a woman! Edith Eger is now 90 years old and has given the world this outstanding memoir of her survival in Auschwitz as a teenager and then her life after WWII when she and her husband emigrated to America and all the while describing how she has dealt with being a survivor and her path to self-acceptance, self-fulfilment and inner peace. The book cover has a quote from Desmond Tutu, 鈥楢 gift to humanity. One of those rare and eternal stories that leave you forever changed.鈥� It鈥檚 hard to disagree with that sentiment.
What makes it such a great book? A few reasons for me 鈥� first and foremost, it's a remarkable story of survival in itself. I felt the timeframes of the book were just right with the first third of the book devoted to her time in the infamous concentration camp and the remaining two-thirds devoted to the rest of her life. I really liked the fact that a considerable amount was written about the few months just after the war ended and the adjustment to freedom and the brand new life Edith was facing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which is something you don鈥檛 often find with books written by holocaust survivors. Also, the writing is free flowing, engaging and very high quality. It鈥檚 a real page-turner. For me, probably the main thing that makes it so memorable is that Edith went onto to become a registered clinical psychologist and she offers such raw and honest insights into the human condition, how she coped with such a traumatic experience and what gives our lives meaning. I felt the balance in describing her own psyche and healing and the examples she gave of the many clients she has helped was just right too.
Very early on we get some insights into Edith鈥檚 firm belief about the power of the mind and our thinking and how she wants us to view her experience as a survivor鈥�..
'Why do we so often struggle to feel alive, or distance ourselves from feeling life fully? Why is it such a challenge to bring life to life? If you asked me for the most common diagnosis among the people I treat, I wouldn鈥檛 say depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, although these conditions are all too common among those I鈥檝e known, loved, and guided to freedom. No, I would say hunger. We are hungry. We are hungry for approval, attention, affection. We are hungry for the freedom to embrace life and to really know and be ourselves.
We become victims not because of what happens to us but when we choose to hold onto our victimization. We develop a victim鈥檚 mind 鈥� a way of thinking and being that is rigid, blaming, pessimistic, stuck in the past, unforgiving, punitive, and without healthy limits or boundaries. We become our own jailors when we choose the confines of the victim鈥檚 mind.
I also want to say there is no hierarchy of suffering. There鈥檚 nothing that makes my pain worse or better than yours, no graph on which we can plot the relative importance of one sorrow versus another. People say to me 鈥淭hings in my life are pretty hard right now, but I have no right to complain 鈥� it鈥檚 not Auschwitz.鈥� This kind of comparison can lead us to minimize or diminish our own suffering. Being a survivor, being a 鈥渢hriver鈥� requires absolute acceptance of what was and what is鈥︹€︹€�..I don鈥檛 want you to hear my story and say, 鈥淢y own suffering is less significant.鈥� I want you to hear my story and say, 鈥淚f she can do it, then so can I!鈥�
Edith talks us through some of the big names in psychology and psychotherapy that she gravitated towards, e.g. Rogers, Ellis, Seligman, and she came up with her own version of therapy that she labelled Choice Therapy, as freedom is about choosing compassion, humour, optimism, intuition, curiosity, and self-expression. And to be free is to live in the present. There was also a heart breaking choice that Edith had to make standing in line at Auschwitz but I won鈥檛 put in a spoiler describing what that choice was.
Nearing the end of the book it鈥檚 2010 and Edith has been invited to address an army unit returning from combat in Afghanistan to talk about her experience of trauma and how she coped and survived. She gets a little nervous stepping up to the podium but then reminds herself.....I was there to share the most important truth I know, that the biggest prison is in your own mind, and in your pocket you already hold the key: the willingness to take absolute responsibility for your life; the willingness to risk; the willingness to release yourself from judgment and reclaim your innocence, accepting and loving yourself for who you really are 鈥� human, imperfect, and whole.
It would be interesting to know how many holocaust survivors are still alive. There can't be too many, most would be well into their 80s and 90s. Edith herself is 90 and her sister Magda who was with her the whole time in Auschwitz is 95. It's so critical we get as many survivor stories published as possible while they are still alive. Thank you Edith Eger for sharing your brave and compelling story with us.
Absorbing. Brilliant. A truly inspirational read.
What a woman! Edith Eger is now 90 years old and has given the world this outstanding memoir of her survival in Auschwitz as a teenager and then her life after WWII when she and her husband emigrated to America and all the while describing how she has dealt with being a survivor and her path to self-acceptance, self-fulfilment and inner peace. The book cover has a quote from Desmond Tutu, 鈥楢 gift to humanity. One of those rare and eternal stories that leave you forever changed.鈥� It鈥檚 hard to disagree with that sentiment.
What makes it such a great book? A few reasons for me 鈥� first and foremost, it's a remarkable story of survival in itself. I felt the timeframes of the book were just right with the first third of the book devoted to her time in the infamous concentration camp and the remaining two-thirds devoted to the rest of her life. I really liked the fact that a considerable amount was written about the few months just after the war ended and the adjustment to freedom and the brand new life Edith was facing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, which is something you don鈥檛 often find with books written by holocaust survivors. Also, the writing is free flowing, engaging and very high quality. It鈥檚 a real page-turner. For me, probably the main thing that makes it so memorable is that Edith went onto to become a registered clinical psychologist and she offers such raw and honest insights into the human condition, how she coped with such a traumatic experience and what gives our lives meaning. I felt the balance in describing her own psyche and healing and the examples she gave of the many clients she has helped was just right too.
Very early on we get some insights into Edith鈥檚 firm belief about the power of the mind and our thinking and how she wants us to view her experience as a survivor鈥�..
'Why do we so often struggle to feel alive, or distance ourselves from feeling life fully? Why is it such a challenge to bring life to life? If you asked me for the most common diagnosis among the people I treat, I wouldn鈥檛 say depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, although these conditions are all too common among those I鈥檝e known, loved, and guided to freedom. No, I would say hunger. We are hungry. We are hungry for approval, attention, affection. We are hungry for the freedom to embrace life and to really know and be ourselves.
We become victims not because of what happens to us but when we choose to hold onto our victimization. We develop a victim鈥檚 mind 鈥� a way of thinking and being that is rigid, blaming, pessimistic, stuck in the past, unforgiving, punitive, and without healthy limits or boundaries. We become our own jailors when we choose the confines of the victim鈥檚 mind.
I also want to say there is no hierarchy of suffering. There鈥檚 nothing that makes my pain worse or better than yours, no graph on which we can plot the relative importance of one sorrow versus another. People say to me 鈥淭hings in my life are pretty hard right now, but I have no right to complain 鈥� it鈥檚 not Auschwitz.鈥� This kind of comparison can lead us to minimize or diminish our own suffering. Being a survivor, being a 鈥渢hriver鈥� requires absolute acceptance of what was and what is鈥︹€︹€�..I don鈥檛 want you to hear my story and say, 鈥淢y own suffering is less significant.鈥� I want you to hear my story and say, 鈥淚f she can do it, then so can I!鈥�
Edith talks us through some of the big names in psychology and psychotherapy that she gravitated towards, e.g. Rogers, Ellis, Seligman, and she came up with her own version of therapy that she labelled Choice Therapy, as freedom is about choosing compassion, humour, optimism, intuition, curiosity, and self-expression. And to be free is to live in the present. There was also a heart breaking choice that Edith had to make standing in line at Auschwitz but I won鈥檛 put in a spoiler describing what that choice was.
Nearing the end of the book it鈥檚 2010 and Edith has been invited to address an army unit returning from combat in Afghanistan to talk about her experience of trauma and how she coped and survived. She gets a little nervous stepping up to the podium but then reminds herself.....I was there to share the most important truth I know, that the biggest prison is in your own mind, and in your pocket you already hold the key: the willingness to take absolute responsibility for your life; the willingness to risk; the willingness to release yourself from judgment and reclaim your innocence, accepting and loving yourself for who you really are 鈥� human, imperfect, and whole.
It would be interesting to know how many holocaust survivors are still alive. There can't be too many, most would be well into their 80s and 90s. Edith herself is 90 and her sister Magda who was with her the whole time in Auschwitz is 95. It's so critical we get as many survivor stories published as possible while they are still alive. Thank you Edith Eger for sharing your brave and compelling story with us.
March 22, 2021
鈥淪i sobrevivo hoy, ma帽ana ser茅 libre鈥�
Edith Eger estuvo a punto de cumplir su sue帽o cuando ten铆a 16 a帽os: ser bailarina profesional. Sin embargo, su sue帽o se ve truncado cuando en marzo de 1944, en las 煤ltimas etapas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, los nazis llegaron a su casa, en la ciudad de Kosice (Hoy, Eslovaquia) y la arrestaron junto con su familia, y llevada a Auschwitz.
Muchos a帽os despu茅s, cuando asimil贸 su traum谩tica experiencia, quiso aportar su granito de arena, ayudando a otros a sanar. Es por ello que esta novela, que se mueve entre la biograf铆a y autoayuda, no es una simple descripci贸n de los acontecimientos ocurridos durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, sino un c煤mulo de experiencias personales.
Su forma de escribir me gust贸 mucho, es cruda y real, pero al mismo tiempo tiene ese algo que te engancha y que hace que quieras leer m谩s. La novela est谩 narrada en primera persona por supuesto desde el punto de vista de Edith.
La novela no cuenta con una trama propiamente dicha, sino que est谩 dividida en cuatro partes: la prisi贸n, la huida, la libertad y la curaci贸n. A trav茅s de las cuales nos cuenta la historia de una mujer real, que sobrevivi贸 a la guerra y decidi贸 compartir sus cicatrices. No es un libro de guerra, sino de paz, de aprender a superar cada obst谩culo e intentar centrarte en las cosas buenas que te ofrece la vida.
En definitiva, es una historia de supervivencia y de superaci贸n personal. Es tan impactante como , una historia tan real como cruel, con sucesos de un pasado que nunca dejan de sorprenderme.
鈥淣o existe una jerarqu铆a del sufrimiento. No hay nada que haga que mi dolor sea mejor o peor que el tuyo, no existe ninguna gr谩fica en la que podamos plasmar la importancia relativa de un pesar respecto a otro.鈥�
Edith Eger estuvo a punto de cumplir su sue帽o cuando ten铆a 16 a帽os: ser bailarina profesional. Sin embargo, su sue帽o se ve truncado cuando en marzo de 1944, en las 煤ltimas etapas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, los nazis llegaron a su casa, en la ciudad de Kosice (Hoy, Eslovaquia) y la arrestaron junto con su familia, y llevada a Auschwitz.
Muchos a帽os despu茅s, cuando asimil贸 su traum谩tica experiencia, quiso aportar su granito de arena, ayudando a otros a sanar. Es por ello que esta novela, que se mueve entre la biograf铆a y autoayuda, no es una simple descripci贸n de los acontecimientos ocurridos durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, sino un c煤mulo de experiencias personales.
Su forma de escribir me gust贸 mucho, es cruda y real, pero al mismo tiempo tiene ese algo que te engancha y que hace que quieras leer m谩s. La novela est谩 narrada en primera persona por supuesto desde el punto de vista de Edith.
La novela no cuenta con una trama propiamente dicha, sino que est谩 dividida en cuatro partes: la prisi贸n, la huida, la libertad y la curaci贸n. A trav茅s de las cuales nos cuenta la historia de una mujer real, que sobrevivi贸 a la guerra y decidi贸 compartir sus cicatrices. No es un libro de guerra, sino de paz, de aprender a superar cada obst谩culo e intentar centrarte en las cosas buenas que te ofrece la vida.
En definitiva, es una historia de supervivencia y de superaci贸n personal. Es tan impactante como , una historia tan real como cruel, con sucesos de un pasado que nunca dejan de sorprenderme.
鈥淣o existe una jerarqu铆a del sufrimiento. No hay nada que haga que mi dolor sea mejor o peor que el tuyo, no existe ninguna gr谩fica en la que podamos plasmar la importancia relativa de un pesar respecto a otro.鈥�
May 14, 2021
Es un libro sobre la supervivencia, no solamente f铆sica, sino tambi茅n emocionalmente. La autora nos explica c贸mo lleg贸 a curarse, a nivel f铆sico pero sobretodo a nivel psicol贸gico.
Nos explica en primera persona sus vivencias desde el momento en que se empez贸 a perseguir a los Jud铆os, su paso por Auschwitz, sus sentimientos, sus emociones en cada momento a lo largo de su vida.
Es un libro que te hace sentir mucho, empatizar con el miedo y el sufrimiento, incluso la ira.
Psicol贸gicamente hablando, es un libro maravilloso, sin duda de los mejores que he le铆do (en este caso escuchado en audiolibro). C贸mo una persona que ha sufrido tant铆simo, es capaz de seguir hacia adelante, perdonar y ayudar a los dem谩s, sin duda un ejemplo que deber铆amos seguir todos.
Nos explica en primera persona sus vivencias desde el momento en que se empez贸 a perseguir a los Jud铆os, su paso por Auschwitz, sus sentimientos, sus emociones en cada momento a lo largo de su vida.
Es un libro que te hace sentir mucho, empatizar con el miedo y el sufrimiento, incluso la ira.
Psicol贸gicamente hablando, es un libro maravilloso, sin duda de los mejores que he le铆do (en este caso escuchado en audiolibro). C贸mo una persona que ha sufrido tant铆simo, es capaz de seguir hacia adelante, perdonar y ayudar a los dem谩s, sin duda un ejemplo que deber铆amos seguir todos.
February 20, 2019
At the age of 16, Edith Eva Eger, Edie to her friends, was living in Kosice, Slovakia when she, along with one of her two sisters, her mother and father were forced to leave their home behind, and removed to a labor camp, followed by their transfer to Auschwitz. It was the last day she would ever see her mother, and where her parents were executed.
鈥漇urvivors don鈥檛 have time to ask, 鈥榃hy me?鈥� For survivors, the only relevant question is, 鈥榃hat now?鈥欌€�
Dr. Josef Mengele has requested entertainment by one of the new arrivals, and the girls in this group have pushed her forward knowing he is looking for someone to dance for his entertainment, the orchestra gathering outside. Addressing her as 鈥渓ittle dancer,鈥� he commands, 鈥漝ance for me.鈥�
鈥滺e never takes his eyes off me, but he attends to his duties as he watches. I can hear his voice over the music. He discusses with the other officer which ones of the hundred girls present will be killed next. If I miss a step, if I do anything to displease him, it could be me. I dance. I dance. I am dancing in hell. I can鈥檛 bear to see the executioner as he decides our fates. I close my eyes.鈥�
He tosses her a loaf of bread 鈥� a gesture that will save her life.
This is not only a memoir of her life in Auschwitz, of how she managed to survive in this literal concentration camp, but also the story of her healing after, her life after, and how she has a unique insight into helping others escape their own 鈥渃oncentration camps,鈥� the things that hinder us, prevent us from living life to the fullest. She also shares stories about patients and their challenges, and some of their breakthroughs. A memoir that shows a path to self-acceptance, and healing, she has shared a path toward freedom from past fears, from the anger, injustice, unresolved grief, and the 鈥漟reedom to enjoy the full rich feast of life.鈥�
Edith Eger will celebrate her 92nd this September 29th after publishing her memoir just weeks after her 90th birthday. She is an amazing woman with an incredible story to share.
Many thanks, once again, to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!
鈥漇urvivors don鈥檛 have time to ask, 鈥榃hy me?鈥� For survivors, the only relevant question is, 鈥榃hat now?鈥欌€�
Dr. Josef Mengele has requested entertainment by one of the new arrivals, and the girls in this group have pushed her forward knowing he is looking for someone to dance for his entertainment, the orchestra gathering outside. Addressing her as 鈥渓ittle dancer,鈥� he commands, 鈥漝ance for me.鈥�
鈥滺e never takes his eyes off me, but he attends to his duties as he watches. I can hear his voice over the music. He discusses with the other officer which ones of the hundred girls present will be killed next. If I miss a step, if I do anything to displease him, it could be me. I dance. I dance. I am dancing in hell. I can鈥檛 bear to see the executioner as he decides our fates. I close my eyes.鈥�
He tosses her a loaf of bread 鈥� a gesture that will save her life.
This is not only a memoir of her life in Auschwitz, of how she managed to survive in this literal concentration camp, but also the story of her healing after, her life after, and how she has a unique insight into helping others escape their own 鈥渃oncentration camps,鈥� the things that hinder us, prevent us from living life to the fullest. She also shares stories about patients and their challenges, and some of their breakthroughs. A memoir that shows a path to self-acceptance, and healing, she has shared a path toward freedom from past fears, from the anger, injustice, unresolved grief, and the 鈥漟reedom to enjoy the full rich feast of life.鈥�
Edith Eger will celebrate her 92nd this September 29th after publishing her memoir just weeks after her 90th birthday. She is an amazing woman with an incredible story to share.
Many thanks, once again, to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!
September 12, 2018
full 5 stars book
It鈥檚 a great mix of holocaust, biography, psychology, though it鈥檚 mostly her personal story, with various family members, and to a lesser extent some of her patients included. It鈥檚 extremely readable and it flows beautifully, and I didn鈥檛 want to put it down.
It鈥檚 a compelling account, and it鈥檚 powerful, and for me with 鈥減unches to the gut鈥� emotional.
It seems that she wants readers/others to feel empowered by her story and with what she鈥檚 learned about healing and living, but my depressed and anxious feelings were brought up, though I definitely also saw ways to use what she teaches and models.
The 鈥渞eveal鈥� toward the end was fine for me because it was something she hadn鈥檛 remembered, so it felt as though the reader was learning it when she did and didn鈥檛 feel manipulative.
I鈥檓 so glad that she wrote this book, and in this format/form and with this content. It鈥檚 an indispensable addition to the Holocaust memoir genre, and one of the very best.
She does have a co-writer but I never got the feeling that I wasn鈥檛 directly hearing her voice.
It鈥檚 a very quotable book including:
鈥淗ow easily a life can become a litany of guilt and regret, a song that keeps echoing with the same chorus, with the inability to forgive ourselves. How easily the life we didn鈥檛 live becomes the only life we prize. How easily we are seduced by the fantasy that we are in control, that we were ever in control, that the things we could or should have doneor said have the power, if only we had done or said them, to cure pain, to erase suffering, to vanish loss. How easily we can cling to 鈥� worship 鈥� the choice we think we could or should have made.鈥�
and
鈥淪o often when we are unhappy it is becasue we are taking too much responsibility or we are taking too little. Instead of being assertive and choosing clearly for ourselves, we might become aggressive (choosing for others) or passive (letting others choose for us), or passive-aggressive (choosing for others by preventing them from achieving what they are choosing for themselves).鈥�
and
鈥淭ime doesn't heal. It鈥檚 what you do with the time. Healing is possible when we choose to take responsibility, when we choose to take risks, and finally, when we choose to release the wound, to let go of the past or the grief.鈥�
It鈥檚 a great mix of holocaust, biography, psychology, though it鈥檚 mostly her personal story, with various family members, and to a lesser extent some of her patients included. It鈥檚 extremely readable and it flows beautifully, and I didn鈥檛 want to put it down.
It鈥檚 a compelling account, and it鈥檚 powerful, and for me with 鈥減unches to the gut鈥� emotional.
It seems that she wants readers/others to feel empowered by her story and with what she鈥檚 learned about healing and living, but my depressed and anxious feelings were brought up, though I definitely also saw ways to use what she teaches and models.
The 鈥渞eveal鈥� toward the end was fine for me because it was something she hadn鈥檛 remembered, so it felt as though the reader was learning it when she did and didn鈥檛 feel manipulative.
I鈥檓 so glad that she wrote this book, and in this format/form and with this content. It鈥檚 an indispensable addition to the Holocaust memoir genre, and one of the very best.
She does have a co-writer but I never got the feeling that I wasn鈥檛 directly hearing her voice.
It鈥檚 a very quotable book including:
鈥淗ow easily a life can become a litany of guilt and regret, a song that keeps echoing with the same chorus, with the inability to forgive ourselves. How easily the life we didn鈥檛 live becomes the only life we prize. How easily we are seduced by the fantasy that we are in control, that we were ever in control, that the things we could or should have doneor said have the power, if only we had done or said them, to cure pain, to erase suffering, to vanish loss. How easily we can cling to 鈥� worship 鈥� the choice we think we could or should have made.鈥�
and
鈥淪o often when we are unhappy it is becasue we are taking too much responsibility or we are taking too little. Instead of being assertive and choosing clearly for ourselves, we might become aggressive (choosing for others) or passive (letting others choose for us), or passive-aggressive (choosing for others by preventing them from achieving what they are choosing for themselves).鈥�
and
鈥淭ime doesn't heal. It鈥檚 what you do with the time. Healing is possible when we choose to take responsibility, when we choose to take risks, and finally, when we choose to release the wound, to let go of the past or the grief.鈥�
April 17, 2021
TODO MUNDO deveria ler esse livro. Principalmente nesse momento de mundo.
December 25, 2022
9'5/10 猸愨瓙猸愨瓙猸�
Dolorosamente bello.
Dicen que la realidad supera la ficci贸n, y este libro es un crudo ejemplo de ello. Edith Eger (escritora) no ha necesitado inventar una historia, simplemente contar su vida.
Edith y la coautora Esm茅 Schwall Weigand plasman, en poco m谩s de 400 p谩ginas, el testimonio de Edith sobre lo vivido en Auschwitz y su largo camino hacia la curaci贸n. Su pluma revela su trayectoria como psic贸loga, convirtiendo su relato en una inspiradora fuente de superaci贸n y supervivencia. Como si de un libro de autoayuda se tratase.
Su lectura es muy interesante, engancha, y est谩 repleta de lecciones de vida. Deber铆a ser libro de obligada lectura por su valor hist贸rico y por como una superviviente es capaz de convertir el dolor en una herramienta para sanar. Recomendado a todo ser humano. De los mejores libros que he le铆do.
Dolorosamente bello.
Dicen que la realidad supera la ficci贸n, y este libro es un crudo ejemplo de ello. Edith Eger (escritora) no ha necesitado inventar una historia, simplemente contar su vida.
Edith y la coautora Esm茅 Schwall Weigand plasman, en poco m谩s de 400 p谩ginas, el testimonio de Edith sobre lo vivido en Auschwitz y su largo camino hacia la curaci贸n. Su pluma revela su trayectoria como psic贸loga, convirtiendo su relato en una inspiradora fuente de superaci贸n y supervivencia. Como si de un libro de autoayuda se tratase.
Su lectura es muy interesante, engancha, y est谩 repleta de lecciones de vida. Deber铆a ser libro de obligada lectura por su valor hist贸rico y por como una superviviente es capaz de convertir el dolor en una herramienta para sanar. Recomendado a todo ser humano. De los mejores libros que he le铆do.
February 20, 2021
携泻 斜懈 褌芯 薪械 蟹胁褍褔邪谢芯 谐褍褔薪芯, 邪谢械 褟 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪谢邪 芯写薪褍 蟹 薪邪泄泻褉邪褖懈褏 褨 薪邪泄褨薪褌懈屑薪褨褕懈褏 泻薪懈谐 褍 褋胁芯屑褍 卸懈褌褌褨.
袣薪懈谐邪, 褟泻邪 屑褨褋褌懈褌褜 胁 褋芯斜褨 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 胁褨写锌芯胁褨写械泄, 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 胁褨写胁械褉褌芯褋褌褨, 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 锌芯褟褋薪械薪褜.
袙芯薪邪 蟹芯胁褋褨屑 薪械 锌褉芯 袗褍褕胁褨褑, 邪 锌褉邪胁懈谢褜薪褨褕械 薪械 谢懈褕械 锌褉芯 薪褜芯谐芯. 袙芯薪邪 锌褉芯 褌芯泄 胁械谢懈泻懈泄 泻芯薪褑械薪褌褉邪褑褨泄薪懈泄 褌邪斜褨褉 褟泻懈泄 屑懈 薪芯褋懈屑芯 胁 褋芯斜褨 - 薪邪褕 胁谢邪褋薪懈泄 屑芯蟹芯泻 褨 褌褨 "胁褨褉褍胁邪薪薪褟" 锌褉芯 褋械斜械, 褖芯 屑懈 褌褍写懈 胁泻谢邪写邪褦屑芯馃挃
袉 芯褋褜 褑褟 屑邪谢械薪褜泻邪 蟹 胁懈谐谢褟写褍, 邪谢械 薪邪褋泻褨谢褜泻懈 褋懈谢褜薪邪 写褍褏芯屑 卸褨薪泻邪, 蟹邪锌褉芯褕褍褦 薪邪褕 薪邪 褕谢褟褏 锌褨蟹薪邪薪薪褟. 袘邪 薪邪胁褨褌褜 斜械褉械 蟹薪邪褦褌械 蟹邪 褉褍泻褍 褨 薪邪 褋胁芯褦屑褍 锌褉懈泻谢邪写褨 锌芯泻邪蟹褍褦, 褖芯 蟹薪邪褔懈褌褜 褌褨泻邪褌懈 褌邪 谐芯褉芯写懈褌懈褋褟 胁褨写 蟹谢邪 胁 屑懈薪褍谢芯屑褍. 效懈屑 褌芯 胁褋械 芯斜芯胁'褟蟹泻芯胁芯 锌芯胁械褉薪械褌褜褋褟.
袘芯 卸 写芯锌芯泻懈 屑懈 薪械 锌芯写懈胁懈屑芯褋褟 泄芯屑褍 胁 芯褔褨 褨 薪械 胁懈蟹薪邪褦屑芯, 褖芯 胁芯薪芯 斜褍谢芯, 胁褋械 薪械 屑懈薪械 褨 薪械 蟹胁褨谢褜薪懈褌褜 薪邪褋馃挃
袣薪懈谐邪, 褟泻邪 屑褨褋褌懈褌褜 胁 褋芯斜褨 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 胁褨写锌芯胁褨写械泄, 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 胁褨写胁械褉褌芯褋褌褨, 褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 锌芯褟褋薪械薪褜.
袙芯薪邪 蟹芯胁褋褨屑 薪械 锌褉芯 袗褍褕胁褨褑, 邪 锌褉邪胁懈谢褜薪褨褕械 薪械 谢懈褕械 锌褉芯 薪褜芯谐芯. 袙芯薪邪 锌褉芯 褌芯泄 胁械谢懈泻懈泄 泻芯薪褑械薪褌褉邪褑褨泄薪懈泄 褌邪斜褨褉 褟泻懈泄 屑懈 薪芯褋懈屑芯 胁 褋芯斜褨 - 薪邪褕 胁谢邪褋薪懈泄 屑芯蟹芯泻 褨 褌褨 "胁褨褉褍胁邪薪薪褟" 锌褉芯 褋械斜械, 褖芯 屑懈 褌褍写懈 胁泻谢邪写邪褦屑芯馃挃
袉 芯褋褜 褑褟 屑邪谢械薪褜泻邪 蟹 胁懈谐谢褟写褍, 邪谢械 薪邪褋泻褨谢褜泻懈 褋懈谢褜薪邪 写褍褏芯屑 卸褨薪泻邪, 蟹邪锌褉芯褕褍褦 薪邪褕 薪邪 褕谢褟褏 锌褨蟹薪邪薪薪褟. 袘邪 薪邪胁褨褌褜 斜械褉械 蟹薪邪褦褌械 蟹邪 褉褍泻褍 褨 薪邪 褋胁芯褦屑褍 锌褉懈泻谢邪写褨 锌芯泻邪蟹褍褦, 褖芯 蟹薪邪褔懈褌褜 褌褨泻邪褌懈 褌邪 谐芯褉芯写懈褌懈褋褟 胁褨写 蟹谢邪 胁 屑懈薪褍谢芯屑褍. 效懈屑 褌芯 胁褋械 芯斜芯胁'褟蟹泻芯胁芯 锌芯胁械褉薪械褌褜褋褟.
袘芯 卸 写芯锌芯泻懈 屑懈 薪械 锌芯写懈胁懈屑芯褋褟 泄芯屑褍 胁 芯褔褨 褨 薪械 胁懈蟹薪邪褦屑芯, 褖芯 胁芯薪芯 斜褍谢芯, 胁褋械 薪械 屑懈薪械 褨 薪械 蟹胁褨谢褜薪懈褌褜 薪邪褋馃挃
August 10, 2020
鈥淪urvivors don't have time to ask, "Why me?" For survivors, the only relevant question is, "What now?鈥�
I can鈥檛 believe that such a small little book (287 pages) can pack such a big punch! I think this memoir and self-help text is life-changing and incredibly inspiring. If you only read one book this year make it this one.
The first third of The Choice is a description of Edith鈥檚 family life and her arrival at Auschwitz at the age of 16. As in the devil is in the detail, and some of the images she shares will be forever etched in my mind. We sometimes forget that even in the worst of times people are still human, and I loved how she was able to show how teenage girls even managed to have some fun by having a topless competition even in the most dire of situations.
The middle part of the book focuses on her liberation from the camp and how she tries to seamlessly fit back into daily live just carrying on as if nothing has changed, and the toll this takes on her emotional wellbeing. Most of the WW2 Jewish memoirs end once they are released and reading about how quickly everyone was just supposed to go back to normal without going through a process of grieve and healing adds a valuable extra element to this story.
The last third looks at case studies from her work as psychologist and serves as a practical guide to healing. Her message about not being in charge of what happens to you, but being able to choose how you react to events, is something that I have always lived by, but she adds many layers and looks at many other interconnected themes which I鈥檝e not considered before.
A profound message from a inspirational person.
鈥淣o matter how frustrating or boring or constraining or painful or oppressive our experience, we can always choose how we respond.鈥�
December 13, 2018
This book is more than a holocaust memoir. Look at the title--. It does detail the author鈥檚 holocaust experiences, but it goes further. Its primary focus concerns how to live life after surviving a trauma, any trauma. It is more about living than it is about death. The tone of the book is positive, not negative. Changing the past is not possible, but actively choosing how you wish to live the future is.
The introduction outlines what the book will cover--Edith Eger's philosophy on how to live life, her holocaust experiences and her case work as a licensed clinical psychologist helping others. The book does do what it says it will do, and it does it well. It grabbed my attention from start to finish!
The case studies to which the author refers do not deal with the holocaust. They deal with a variety of psychological problems, for example those related to anorexia, breast cancer, licentious sexual behavior, drinking problems, PTSD after the Vietnam war and loss of a mother. In each case the author explains the methods she used to help each patient. Each case is different and each case pulls you in and she examines what the case has taught her. Being a psychologist is a learning process. Being a psychologist helped her understand herself, but the process took years. What is constant in all the examples is her belief that an individual must take their life in their own hands, choose and actively make choices.
Those who have survived the holocaust have much to teach us, particularly because she is a psychologist. Holocaust literature does not shy away from horrible reality, but it at the same time can show how to appreciate and live the life given us. This book does exactly this. I love the attitude and the title is perfect.
Tovah Feldshuh reads the audiobook wonderfully. Edith Eger鈥檚 Hungarian accent is well drawn. Five stars for the narration, just as for the book!
The introduction outlines what the book will cover--Edith Eger's philosophy on how to live life, her holocaust experiences and her case work as a licensed clinical psychologist helping others. The book does do what it says it will do, and it does it well. It grabbed my attention from start to finish!
The case studies to which the author refers do not deal with the holocaust. They deal with a variety of psychological problems, for example those related to anorexia, breast cancer, licentious sexual behavior, drinking problems, PTSD after the Vietnam war and loss of a mother. In each case the author explains the methods she used to help each patient. Each case is different and each case pulls you in and she examines what the case has taught her. Being a psychologist is a learning process. Being a psychologist helped her understand herself, but the process took years. What is constant in all the examples is her belief that an individual must take their life in their own hands, choose and actively make choices.
Those who have survived the holocaust have much to teach us, particularly because she is a psychologist. Holocaust literature does not shy away from horrible reality, but it at the same time can show how to appreciate and live the life given us. This book does exactly this. I love the attitude and the title is perfect.
Tovah Feldshuh reads the audiobook wonderfully. Edith Eger鈥檚 Hungarian accent is well drawn. Five stars for the narration, just as for the book!
May 20, 2019
Para quien siga mis rese帽as habitualmente, no ser谩 una sorpresa que diga que me encantan las novelas ambientadas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Las que est谩n bien escritas y son respetuosas, evidentemente. Pero tambi茅n es cierto que, en los 煤ltimos tiempos, hay una afluencia algo exagerada de novelas tipo 芦El/la lo-que-sea de Auschwitz禄, casi llegando a un punto en que me parece frivolizar con uno de los mayores horrores de la historia reciente del mundo. Quiz谩 por eso ten铆a 芦La bailarina de Auschwitz禄 desde hace meses en el ebook, pero no me decid铆a a empezarla. Y menos mal que lo hice porque, aunque el t铆tulo recuerde a muchos otros..., esta historia es diferente.
Para empezar, es la historia real de su autora, Edith Eger, una bailarina h煤ngara que bail贸 para Mengele en Auschwitz y, en parte, salv贸 su vida por ello. Pero sobre todo porque lo que encontramos en las p谩ginas de este libro no es una historia rom谩ntica (m谩s o menos realista) que encuentra su final feliz con la liberaci贸n de los campos y el reencuentro de sus protagonistas. Para nada. Es una aut茅ntica biograf铆a de la autora, en la que el tiempo en Auschwitz ocupa apenas una cuarta parte de las p谩ginas. El resto es su historia de supervivencia, de perd贸n, de culpabilidad del superviviente y de lucha. Un tratado de psicolog铆a en el que la propia autora introduce los paralelismos entre sus emociones y las de los pacientes que trat贸 en su experiencia cl铆nica en Estados Unidos, mucho despu茅s del final de la guerra. Un libro para paladear despacio (es bastante cortito) y aprender mucho de 茅l sobre la vida. Me ha recordado mucho (y creo que esto es lo mejor que puedo decir sobre la novela) a 芦Si esto es un hombre禄, de Primo Levi.
Para empezar, es la historia real de su autora, Edith Eger, una bailarina h煤ngara que bail贸 para Mengele en Auschwitz y, en parte, salv贸 su vida por ello. Pero sobre todo porque lo que encontramos en las p谩ginas de este libro no es una historia rom谩ntica (m谩s o menos realista) que encuentra su final feliz con la liberaci贸n de los campos y el reencuentro de sus protagonistas. Para nada. Es una aut茅ntica biograf铆a de la autora, en la que el tiempo en Auschwitz ocupa apenas una cuarta parte de las p谩ginas. El resto es su historia de supervivencia, de perd贸n, de culpabilidad del superviviente y de lucha. Un tratado de psicolog铆a en el que la propia autora introduce los paralelismos entre sus emociones y las de los pacientes que trat贸 en su experiencia cl铆nica en Estados Unidos, mucho despu茅s del final de la guerra. Un libro para paladear despacio (es bastante cortito) y aprender mucho de 茅l sobre la vida. Me ha recordado mucho (y creo que esto es lo mejor que puedo decir sobre la novela) a 芦Si esto es un hombre禄, de Primo Levi.
April 6, 2022
袉写械邪谢褜薪邪 泻薪懈谐邪 写谢褟 褑懈褏 褔邪褋褨胁. 袙芯薪邪 胁褌褉懈屑褍胁邪谢邪 屑械薪械 薪邪 锌谢邪胁褍 褨 写芯锌芯屑邪谐邪谢邪 锌芯褟褋薪懈褌懈 褋胁芯褩 褉械邪泻褑褨褩.
September 17, 2024
Una autobiograf铆a muy dura y emocionante, con la que he aprendido MUCH脥SIMO
La autora cuenta su historia de supervivencia en el Holocausto y todo su proceso posterior de curaci贸n鉂わ笍鈥嶐煩�
Me ha parecido tan fuerte y tan maravilloso al mismo tiempo鈥� la piel de gallina en muchas partes
No le pongo 5猸愶笍 porque el final se me ha hecho un poquito m谩s pesado, pero por lo dem谩s, es un libro incre铆ble que os recomiendo mucho. Creo que todo el mundo deber铆a leerlo鈽濓笍
Esta historia te cuenta la vida de Edith y te ense帽a a valorar mucho m谩s la tuya 馃
La autora cuenta su historia de supervivencia en el Holocausto y todo su proceso posterior de curaci贸n鉂わ笍鈥嶐煩�
Me ha parecido tan fuerte y tan maravilloso al mismo tiempo鈥� la piel de gallina en muchas partes
No le pongo 5猸愶笍 porque el final se me ha hecho un poquito m谩s pesado, pero por lo dem谩s, es un libro incre铆ble que os recomiendo mucho. Creo que todo el mundo deber铆a leerlo鈽濓笍
Esta historia te cuenta la vida de Edith y te ense帽a a valorar mucho m谩s la tuya 馃
January 15, 2019
This was a very moving and emotional read. Learning about Edith鈥檚 experience throughout WWII and being a survivor. Later in life she becomes a psychologist and tells the stories of many of her patients, and how through healing them, she helped to heal herself.
I have only given 3 stars, as although a good read with some great messages, I thought there was too many accounts of the people she had treated, and personally I got a little bored of reading them.
I have only given 3 stars, as although a good read with some great messages, I thought there was too many accounts of the people she had treated, and personally I got a little bored of reading them.
November 4, 2024
Ha sido un libro durillo de leer, sobre todo la 1陋 parte, siendo esta la parte que m谩s me emocion贸.
La 2陋 parte, es m谩s su historia de superaci贸n y de como ayud贸 con su experiencia y su profesi贸n de Psic贸loga,, a superar problemas cotidianos de pareja,, superaci贸n por perdida de familiares y dem谩s.
Muchas son historias de sus pacientes, estuvo bien pero ya no fue lo mismo, la menos para mi.
Valoraci贸n: 8/10
Sinopsis: Eger ten铆a diecis茅is a帽os cuando los nazis invadieron su pueblo de Hungr铆a y se la llevaron con el resto de su familia a Auschwitz. Al pisar el campo, sus padres fueron enviados a la c谩mara de gas y ella permaneci贸 junto a su hermana, pendiente de una muerte segura. Pero bailar El Danubio azul para Mengele salv贸 su vida, y a partir de entonces empez贸 una nueva lucha por la supervivencia. Primero en los campos de exterminio, luego en la Checoslovaquia tomada por los comunistas y, finalmente, en Estados Unidos, donde acabar铆a convirti茅ndose en disc铆pula de Viktor Frankl. Fue en ese momento, tras d茅cadas ocultando su pasado, cuando se dio cuenta de la necesidad de curar sus heridas, de hablar del horror que hab铆a vivido y de perdonar como camino a la sanaci贸n.
Su mensaje es claro: tenemos la capacidad de escapar de las prisiones que construimos en nuestras mentes y podemos elegir ser libres, sean cuales sean las circunstancias de nuestra vida.
芦Este libro es un regalo para la humanidad. Una de esas historias 煤nicas y eternas que nunca quieres terminar de leer y que te cambian la vida para siempre.禄 Desmond Tutu, premio Nobel de la Paz
La 2陋 parte, es m谩s su historia de superaci贸n y de como ayud贸 con su experiencia y su profesi贸n de Psic贸loga,, a superar problemas cotidianos de pareja,, superaci贸n por perdida de familiares y dem谩s.
Muchas son historias de sus pacientes, estuvo bien pero ya no fue lo mismo, la menos para mi.
Valoraci贸n: 8/10
Sinopsis: Eger ten铆a diecis茅is a帽os cuando los nazis invadieron su pueblo de Hungr铆a y se la llevaron con el resto de su familia a Auschwitz. Al pisar el campo, sus padres fueron enviados a la c谩mara de gas y ella permaneci贸 junto a su hermana, pendiente de una muerte segura. Pero bailar El Danubio azul para Mengele salv贸 su vida, y a partir de entonces empez贸 una nueva lucha por la supervivencia. Primero en los campos de exterminio, luego en la Checoslovaquia tomada por los comunistas y, finalmente, en Estados Unidos, donde acabar铆a convirti茅ndose en disc铆pula de Viktor Frankl. Fue en ese momento, tras d茅cadas ocultando su pasado, cuando se dio cuenta de la necesidad de curar sus heridas, de hablar del horror que hab铆a vivido y de perdonar como camino a la sanaci贸n.
Su mensaje es claro: tenemos la capacidad de escapar de las prisiones que construimos en nuestras mentes y podemos elegir ser libres, sean cuales sean las circunstancias de nuestra vida.
芦Este libro es un regalo para la humanidad. Una de esas historias 煤nicas y eternas que nunca quieres terminar de leer y que te cambian la vida para siempre.禄 Desmond Tutu, premio Nobel de la Paz
August 31, 2018
I once had the opportunity to hear Christopher Reeves speak after he was paralyzed from his neck down. He was confined to a wheelchair, dependent on a ventilator to breath and yet I was totally amazed at all he had accomplished after his accident...how he did not allow his body to imprison him. Tears flowed through out the audience as he shared his story . I do not think anyone could leave that day without being inspired.
Amazing as it is, Edy Eger and her book have impacted me even more. Not only for her own heart wrenching, horrific story of her survival as a prisoner of war at one of the worst concentration camps in history, but for her story of her life鈥檚 work in teaching people how to 鈥渆scape the concentration camps of their own minds. 鈥�
Some books we hold dear to our hearts for the touching stories or for how they made us feel. It is the rare book that comes along that gives us new eyes to see and shares tools that can impact our daily life. 鈥� The Choice Embrace the Possible 鈥� is that kind of book. Tucked within its pages you will find hope, healing and wisdom. We are blessed to have Edy Eger in our midst. I am blessed to have been able to read her book. I have to share this last thought. No matter what I would write here, I could not do this book justice.
Amazing as it is, Edy Eger and her book have impacted me even more. Not only for her own heart wrenching, horrific story of her survival as a prisoner of war at one of the worst concentration camps in history, but for her story of her life鈥檚 work in teaching people how to 鈥渆scape the concentration camps of their own minds. 鈥�
Some books we hold dear to our hearts for the touching stories or for how they made us feel. It is the rare book that comes along that gives us new eyes to see and shares tools that can impact our daily life. 鈥� The Choice Embrace the Possible 鈥� is that kind of book. Tucked within its pages you will find hope, healing and wisdom. We are blessed to have Edy Eger in our midst. I am blessed to have been able to read her book. I have to share this last thought. No matter what I would write here, I could not do this book justice.
June 29, 2020
An emotional read especially the ordeal of the sisters trying to survive the terrible place Auschwitz a story that should never be forgotten.馃尮
April 20, 2020
This book began as a roadmap for dealing with trauma and suffering amid societal upheaval -- in her case, the Holocaust. Given our current situation, I resonated with that. I'm thinking not only of our pandemic and the required social distancing and economic crisis, but also the tragicomedy of our having a wannabe totalitarian leader here in America who plays the segments of our population against each other, no matter how many lives will be lost. Under such circumstances, what good will it do for the culture to continue celebrating victimhood as a stand-in for virtue and pitching social warriors against each other? The author has something to say that's pertinent to all of that, albeit from an individual, psychological perspective. The true battle lines are interior. The battles must be fought internally and not via external blame, as we are so focused on doing. Thank you for that, Edith Eger. As for the Holocaust part of the book, read this one, not the awful Tattooist of Auschwitz; this one is the real thing. Nevertheless I don't think this is really a Holocaust book; it's a book on how to be free. Therein lie my criticisms. I think the book could have benefited from the author's asking herself what kind of book it was to be. She bowed to Holocaust convention to recount it all, then to memoir convention to relate her subsequent life sequentially, and, finally, when case histories didn't connect clearly to her main thrust, the book leaned toward being a how-to therapy book. Not to mention a pinch of famous-therapists-I-have-known. I bogged down at times but each time picked back up, and I appreciate the main message despite some distractions. Three-and-a-half stars.
December 1, 2023
Este libro me parece indispensable para la vida. Aprend铆 un sinf铆n de cosas que en verdad me marcaron.
A ver, creo que hay tres cosas que debo decir de este libro:
Primero, creo que es uno de esos testimonios indispensables de una superviviente del holocausto. Es muy detallado y tiene una perspectiva muy enriquecedora de la vida. Sin embargo el siguiente punto es lo que hace que este libro sobresalga entre muchos del g茅nero.
Segundo, este libro no se detiene 煤nicamente en el proceso por el cual logr贸 sobrevivir en el campo de concentraci贸n sino que explora las consecuencias a corto, mediano y largo plazo de dicho trauma. Es simplemente impresionante y adem谩s, como ya dije, sumamente valioso para la historia tener todo esto plasmado.
Finalmente creo que los valores, y reflexiones, que la autora posee y plasma en este libro son universales. Uno aprende much铆simo del dolor y la alegr铆a que Edith emite. Temas de venganza, odio, amor, familia, discriminaci贸n, migraci贸n, etc.
En fin, creo que este libro lo deber铆an leer todo el mundo al menos una vez en la vida. No dir茅 que es igual de valioso que 鈥淓l hombre en busca del sentido鈥� pero si es muy valioso.
A ver, creo que hay tres cosas que debo decir de este libro:
Primero, creo que es uno de esos testimonios indispensables de una superviviente del holocausto. Es muy detallado y tiene una perspectiva muy enriquecedora de la vida. Sin embargo el siguiente punto es lo que hace que este libro sobresalga entre muchos del g茅nero.
Segundo, este libro no se detiene 煤nicamente en el proceso por el cual logr贸 sobrevivir en el campo de concentraci贸n sino que explora las consecuencias a corto, mediano y largo plazo de dicho trauma. Es simplemente impresionante y adem谩s, como ya dije, sumamente valioso para la historia tener todo esto plasmado.
Finalmente creo que los valores, y reflexiones, que la autora posee y plasma en este libro son universales. Uno aprende much铆simo del dolor y la alegr铆a que Edith emite. Temas de venganza, odio, amor, familia, discriminaci贸n, migraci贸n, etc.
En fin, creo que este libro lo deber铆an leer todo el mundo al menos una vez en la vida. No dir茅 que es igual de valioso que 鈥淓l hombre en busca del sentido鈥� pero si es muy valioso.
July 29, 2019
Este libro deber铆a ser lectura obligatoria en los institutos.
April 11, 2021
Wow! What an incredible read! This is one of the best books that I鈥檝e ever read. It鈥檚 certainly the best that I鈥檝e read this year and in the longest while.
In 1944, when Edith Eger was sixteen, she and her family were sent from Kassa, Hungary to Auschwitz. I connected with her right from the start. Her story was deep, rich, and powerful. If you鈥檙e tired of reading WWII/holocaust books, don鈥檛 be turned off. This is not your typical WWII memoir. Obviously, those parts were painful and hard to get through. I had to put the book down many times. What makes this book unique is that it moves beyond that that dreadful time. This is a memoir, but it鈥檚 not just a WWII memoir.
It鈥檚 a memoir, but it also has some non-preachy self-help aspects to it. This is the part where she describes her work as a clinical psychologist. For me, it鈥檚 helped to subtly change the way that I wish to live my life. While reading it, I would talk about it often with my family. I mentioned how she reminds me of a female Viktor Frankl, another favorite of mine. It turns out that they were friends for decades. I feel blessed to have read both books, both of which I plan on re-reading.
When reading a book, I always read the preface or intro. I read the acknowledgements at the end also. I was pleasantly surprised with this one. One of the individuals mentioned in the acknowledgments is a former friend of mine!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Addictions
鈥溾€� when we anesthetize our feelings, with eating or alcohol or other compulsive behaviors, we just prolong our suffering.鈥�
Assertive
鈥淭o be passive is to let others decide for you. To be aggressive is to decide for others. To be assertive is to decide for yourself. And to trust that there is enough, that you are enough.鈥�
Choice
鈥淲e cannot choose to have a life free of hurt. But we can choose to be free, to escape the past, no matter what befalls us, and to embrace the possible.鈥�
鈥溾€� we have a choice: to pay attention to what we鈥檝e lost or to pay attention to what we still have.鈥�
Feelings
鈥溾€� feelings, no matter how powerful, aren鈥檛 fatal. And they are temporary. Suppressing the feelings only makes it harder to let them go. Expression is the opposite of depression.鈥�
Forgiveness
鈥淭o forgive is to grieve鈥攆or what happened, for what didn鈥檛 happen鈥攁nd to give up the need for a different past.鈥�
鈥淵ou can live to avenge the past, or you can live to enrich the present.鈥�
Freedom
鈥淎nswer the most important questions at the start of any journey towards freedom:
What am I doing now?
Is it working?
Is it bringing me closer to my goals, or farther away?鈥�
鈥淲hen you have something to prove, you aren鈥檛 free.鈥�
Healing
鈥淭ime doesn't heal. It鈥檚 what you do with the time. Healing is possible when we choose to take responsibility, when we choose to take risks, and finally, when we choose to release the wound, to let go of the past or the grief.鈥�
鈥淣o one heals in a straight line.鈥�
鈥溾€� healing isn鈥檛 about recovery; it鈥檚 about discovery. Discovering hope in hopelessness, discovering an answer where there doesn鈥檛 seem to be one, discovering that it鈥檚 not what happens that matters鈥攊t鈥檚 what you do with it.鈥�
Hierarchy of Suffering
鈥溾€� there is no hierarchy of suffering. There鈥檚 nothing that makes my pain worse or better than yours, no graph on which we can plot the relative importance of one sorrow versus another. People say to me, 鈥楾hings in my life are pretty hard right now, but I have no right to complain鈥攊t鈥檚 not Auschwitz.鈥� This kind of comparison can lead us to minimize or diminish our own suffering. Being a survivor, being a 鈥榯hriver鈥� requires absolute acceptance of what was and what is. If we discount our pain, or punish ourselves for feeling lost or isolated or scared about the challenges in our lives, however insignificant these challenges may seem to someone else, then we鈥檙e still choosing to be victims. We鈥檙e not seeing our choices. We鈥檙e judging ourselves. I don鈥檛 want you to hear my story and say, 鈥楳y own suffering is less significant.鈥� I want you to hear my story and say, 鈥業f she can do it, then so can I!鈥欌€�
Hunger
鈥淚f you asked me for the most common diagnosis among the people I treat, I wouldn鈥檛 say depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, although these conditions are all too common among those I鈥檝e known, loved, and guided to freedom. No, I would say hunger. We are hungry. We are hungry for approval, attention, affection. We are hungry for the freedom to embrace life and to really know and be ourselves.鈥�
Losing a Child (or any Loved One for that matter)
鈥淲hen we buried my child, you told me two things that I鈥檝e never forgotten. You said, 鈥楲ife will be good again.鈥� And you said, 鈥業f you can survive this, you can survive anything.鈥� I鈥檝e said those phrases to myself over and over.鈥�
鈥淚f we stay in a state of perpetual mourning, we are choosing a victim鈥檚 mentality, believing I鈥檓 never going to get over it. If we stay stuck in mourning, it is as though our lives are over too.
Put a picture of Jeremy in the living room. Don鈥檛 go to the cemetery to mourn his loss. Find a way to connect with him right there in your house. Set aside fifteen or twenty minutes every day to sit with him. You can touch his face, tell him what you鈥檙e doing. Talk to him. And then give him a kiss and go on about your day.鈥�
Personal Responsibility
鈥淲hen we abdicate taking responsibility for ourselves, we are giving up our ability to create and discover meaning. In other words, we give up on life.鈥�
Post-Traumatic Stress (Disorder)
鈥淚 was having a flashback, that the unnerving physical sensations鈥攔acing heart, sweaty palms, narrowing vision鈥擨 experienced that day (and that I will continue to experience many times in my life, even now, in my late eighties) are automatic responses to trauma. This is why I now object to pathologizing post-traumatic stress by calling it a disorder. It鈥檚 not a disordered reaction to trauma鈥攊t鈥檚 a common and natural one. But I wish I had known that I wasn鈥檛 a damaged person, that I was suffering the fallout of an interrupted life.鈥�
The Present
鈥溾€� to be free is to live in the present. If we are stuck in the past, saying, 鈥業f only I had gone there instead of here,鈥� or 鈥業f only I had married someone else,鈥� we are living in a prison of our own making. Likewise, if we spend our time in the future, saying, 鈥業 won鈥檛 be happy until I graduate,鈥� or 鈥業 won鈥檛 be happy until I find the right person.鈥� The only place where we can exercise our freedom of choice is in the present.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to assign blame to the perpetrators. Nothing is gained if we close our eyes to wrong, if we give someone a pass, if we dismiss accountability. But as my fellow survivors taught me, you can live to avenge the past, or you can live to enrich the present. You can live in the prison of the past, or you can let the past be the springboard that helps you reach the life you want now.鈥�
鈥淭he only place where we can exercise our freedom of choice is in the present.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 control other people, and we can鈥檛 control the past.鈥�
Regrets
鈥淭here are an infinite number of things you could have done differently in your life. Those choices are done, the past is gone, nothing can change that.鈥�
Revenge
鈥淲hen we seek revenge, even non-violent revenge, we are revolving, not evolving.鈥�
Running Away
鈥溾€� running away doesn鈥檛 heal pain. It makes the pain worse.鈥�
Survivors
鈥淪urvivors don鈥檛 have time to ask, 鈥榃hy me? For survivors, the only relevant question is, 鈥榃hat now?鈥欌€�
鈥淪urvivors could continue to be victims long after the oppression had ended, or they could learn to thrive.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 erase the pain. But we are free to accept who we are and what has been done to us, and move on.鈥�
Thoughts
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know where we鈥檙e going, we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen, but no one can take away from you what you put in your own mind.鈥�
Three Questions
鈥淏efore you say or do something, ask, Is it kind? Is it important? Does it help?鈥�
Victim
鈥淎 good definition of being a victim is when you keep the focus outside yourself, when you look outside yourself for someone to blame for your present circumstances, or to determine your purpose, fate, or worth.鈥�
Victimhood
鈥溾€� suffering is universal. But victimhood is optional.鈥�
鈥淭here is a difference between victimization and victimhood. We are all likely to be victimized in some way in the course of our lives. At some point we will suffer some kind of affliction or calamity or abuse, caused by circumstances or people or institutions over which we have little or no control. This is life. And this is victimization. It comes from the outside. It鈥檚 the neighborhood bully, the boss who rages, the spouse who hits, the lover who cheats, the discriminatory law, the accident that lands you in the hospital. In contrast, victimhood comes from the inside. No one can make you a victim but you. We become victims not because of what happens to us but when we choose to hold on to our victimization.鈥�
鈥淲e develop a victim鈥檚 mind鈥攁 way of thinking and being that is rigid, blaming, pessimistic, stuck in the past, unforgiving, punitive, and without healthy limits or boundaries.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 easier to hold someone or something else responsible for your pain than to take responsibility for ending your own victimhood.鈥�
What-If
鈥淚t鈥檚 a dangerous game to play what-if with the past.鈥�
White Supremacists
鈥溾€� most of the members of white supremacist groups in America lost one of their parents before they were ten years old. These are lost children looking for an identity, looking for a way to feel strength, to feel like they matter.鈥�
In 1944, when Edith Eger was sixteen, she and her family were sent from Kassa, Hungary to Auschwitz. I connected with her right from the start. Her story was deep, rich, and powerful. If you鈥檙e tired of reading WWII/holocaust books, don鈥檛 be turned off. This is not your typical WWII memoir. Obviously, those parts were painful and hard to get through. I had to put the book down many times. What makes this book unique is that it moves beyond that that dreadful time. This is a memoir, but it鈥檚 not just a WWII memoir.
It鈥檚 a memoir, but it also has some non-preachy self-help aspects to it. This is the part where she describes her work as a clinical psychologist. For me, it鈥檚 helped to subtly change the way that I wish to live my life. While reading it, I would talk about it often with my family. I mentioned how she reminds me of a female Viktor Frankl, another favorite of mine. It turns out that they were friends for decades. I feel blessed to have read both books, both of which I plan on re-reading.
When reading a book, I always read the preface or intro. I read the acknowledgements at the end also. I was pleasantly surprised with this one. One of the individuals mentioned in the acknowledgments is a former friend of mine!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Addictions
鈥溾€� when we anesthetize our feelings, with eating or alcohol or other compulsive behaviors, we just prolong our suffering.鈥�
Assertive
鈥淭o be passive is to let others decide for you. To be aggressive is to decide for others. To be assertive is to decide for yourself. And to trust that there is enough, that you are enough.鈥�
Choice
鈥淲e cannot choose to have a life free of hurt. But we can choose to be free, to escape the past, no matter what befalls us, and to embrace the possible.鈥�
鈥溾€� we have a choice: to pay attention to what we鈥檝e lost or to pay attention to what we still have.鈥�
Feelings
鈥溾€� feelings, no matter how powerful, aren鈥檛 fatal. And they are temporary. Suppressing the feelings only makes it harder to let them go. Expression is the opposite of depression.鈥�
Forgiveness
鈥淭o forgive is to grieve鈥攆or what happened, for what didn鈥檛 happen鈥攁nd to give up the need for a different past.鈥�
鈥淵ou can live to avenge the past, or you can live to enrich the present.鈥�
Freedom
鈥淎nswer the most important questions at the start of any journey towards freedom:
What am I doing now?
Is it working?
Is it bringing me closer to my goals, or farther away?鈥�
鈥淲hen you have something to prove, you aren鈥檛 free.鈥�
Healing
鈥淭ime doesn't heal. It鈥檚 what you do with the time. Healing is possible when we choose to take responsibility, when we choose to take risks, and finally, when we choose to release the wound, to let go of the past or the grief.鈥�
鈥淣o one heals in a straight line.鈥�
鈥溾€� healing isn鈥檛 about recovery; it鈥檚 about discovery. Discovering hope in hopelessness, discovering an answer where there doesn鈥檛 seem to be one, discovering that it鈥檚 not what happens that matters鈥攊t鈥檚 what you do with it.鈥�
Hierarchy of Suffering
鈥溾€� there is no hierarchy of suffering. There鈥檚 nothing that makes my pain worse or better than yours, no graph on which we can plot the relative importance of one sorrow versus another. People say to me, 鈥楾hings in my life are pretty hard right now, but I have no right to complain鈥攊t鈥檚 not Auschwitz.鈥� This kind of comparison can lead us to minimize or diminish our own suffering. Being a survivor, being a 鈥榯hriver鈥� requires absolute acceptance of what was and what is. If we discount our pain, or punish ourselves for feeling lost or isolated or scared about the challenges in our lives, however insignificant these challenges may seem to someone else, then we鈥檙e still choosing to be victims. We鈥檙e not seeing our choices. We鈥檙e judging ourselves. I don鈥檛 want you to hear my story and say, 鈥楳y own suffering is less significant.鈥� I want you to hear my story and say, 鈥業f she can do it, then so can I!鈥欌€�
Hunger
鈥淚f you asked me for the most common diagnosis among the people I treat, I wouldn鈥檛 say depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, although these conditions are all too common among those I鈥檝e known, loved, and guided to freedom. No, I would say hunger. We are hungry. We are hungry for approval, attention, affection. We are hungry for the freedom to embrace life and to really know and be ourselves.鈥�
Losing a Child (or any Loved One for that matter)
鈥淲hen we buried my child, you told me two things that I鈥檝e never forgotten. You said, 鈥楲ife will be good again.鈥� And you said, 鈥業f you can survive this, you can survive anything.鈥� I鈥檝e said those phrases to myself over and over.鈥�
鈥淚f we stay in a state of perpetual mourning, we are choosing a victim鈥檚 mentality, believing I鈥檓 never going to get over it. If we stay stuck in mourning, it is as though our lives are over too.
Put a picture of Jeremy in the living room. Don鈥檛 go to the cemetery to mourn his loss. Find a way to connect with him right there in your house. Set aside fifteen or twenty minutes every day to sit with him. You can touch his face, tell him what you鈥檙e doing. Talk to him. And then give him a kiss and go on about your day.鈥�
Personal Responsibility
鈥淲hen we abdicate taking responsibility for ourselves, we are giving up our ability to create and discover meaning. In other words, we give up on life.鈥�
Post-Traumatic Stress (Disorder)
鈥淚 was having a flashback, that the unnerving physical sensations鈥攔acing heart, sweaty palms, narrowing vision鈥擨 experienced that day (and that I will continue to experience many times in my life, even now, in my late eighties) are automatic responses to trauma. This is why I now object to pathologizing post-traumatic stress by calling it a disorder. It鈥檚 not a disordered reaction to trauma鈥攊t鈥檚 a common and natural one. But I wish I had known that I wasn鈥檛 a damaged person, that I was suffering the fallout of an interrupted life.鈥�
The Present
鈥溾€� to be free is to live in the present. If we are stuck in the past, saying, 鈥業f only I had gone there instead of here,鈥� or 鈥業f only I had married someone else,鈥� we are living in a prison of our own making. Likewise, if we spend our time in the future, saying, 鈥業 won鈥檛 be happy until I graduate,鈥� or 鈥業 won鈥檛 be happy until I find the right person.鈥� The only place where we can exercise our freedom of choice is in the present.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to assign blame to the perpetrators. Nothing is gained if we close our eyes to wrong, if we give someone a pass, if we dismiss accountability. But as my fellow survivors taught me, you can live to avenge the past, or you can live to enrich the present. You can live in the prison of the past, or you can let the past be the springboard that helps you reach the life you want now.鈥�
鈥淭he only place where we can exercise our freedom of choice is in the present.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 control other people, and we can鈥檛 control the past.鈥�
Regrets
鈥淭here are an infinite number of things you could have done differently in your life. Those choices are done, the past is gone, nothing can change that.鈥�
Revenge
鈥淲hen we seek revenge, even non-violent revenge, we are revolving, not evolving.鈥�
Running Away
鈥溾€� running away doesn鈥檛 heal pain. It makes the pain worse.鈥�
Survivors
鈥淪urvivors don鈥檛 have time to ask, 鈥榃hy me? For survivors, the only relevant question is, 鈥榃hat now?鈥欌€�
鈥淪urvivors could continue to be victims long after the oppression had ended, or they could learn to thrive.鈥�
鈥淲e can鈥檛 erase the pain. But we are free to accept who we are and what has been done to us, and move on.鈥�
Thoughts
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know where we鈥檙e going, we don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen, but no one can take away from you what you put in your own mind.鈥�
Three Questions
鈥淏efore you say or do something, ask, Is it kind? Is it important? Does it help?鈥�
Victim
鈥淎 good definition of being a victim is when you keep the focus outside yourself, when you look outside yourself for someone to blame for your present circumstances, or to determine your purpose, fate, or worth.鈥�
Victimhood
鈥溾€� suffering is universal. But victimhood is optional.鈥�
鈥淭here is a difference between victimization and victimhood. We are all likely to be victimized in some way in the course of our lives. At some point we will suffer some kind of affliction or calamity or abuse, caused by circumstances or people or institutions over which we have little or no control. This is life. And this is victimization. It comes from the outside. It鈥檚 the neighborhood bully, the boss who rages, the spouse who hits, the lover who cheats, the discriminatory law, the accident that lands you in the hospital. In contrast, victimhood comes from the inside. No one can make you a victim but you. We become victims not because of what happens to us but when we choose to hold on to our victimization.鈥�
鈥淲e develop a victim鈥檚 mind鈥攁 way of thinking and being that is rigid, blaming, pessimistic, stuck in the past, unforgiving, punitive, and without healthy limits or boundaries.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 easier to hold someone or something else responsible for your pain than to take responsibility for ending your own victimhood.鈥�
What-If
鈥淚t鈥檚 a dangerous game to play what-if with the past.鈥�
White Supremacists
鈥溾€� most of the members of white supremacist groups in America lost one of their parents before they were ten years old. These are lost children looking for an identity, looking for a way to feel strength, to feel like they matter.鈥�
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