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Sasha's Reviews > Night
Night
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by
The important thing here is not to confuse this with Twilight, which is a totally different thing.
Night is the most crucial of the books I've read about the Holocaust. It's spare and unflinching and deadly. Wiesel never pulls a punch or writes an extra word. I read it as part of a Holocaust segment (I know, I know), including The Diary of a Young Girl, Comedy in a Minor Key and This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen. The latter two are terrific books in their own right. Comedy is a smaller, different sort of story, and This Way for the Gas is more savage and audacious.
It's maybe a little fashionable to like these more, because they're more literary. Wiesel is more apt to just state what happened, clearly and simply. Here's a book about what happened during the Holocaust. That makes it, for me, the definitive work about the Holocaust. There are other great books too, but this is the first one.
Little bit of a bummer though.
Night is the most crucial of the books I've read about the Holocaust. It's spare and unflinching and deadly. Wiesel never pulls a punch or writes an extra word. I read it as part of a Holocaust segment (I know, I know), including The Diary of a Young Girl, Comedy in a Minor Key and This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen. The latter two are terrific books in their own right. Comedy is a smaller, different sort of story, and This Way for the Gas is more savage and audacious.
It's maybe a little fashionable to like these more, because they're more literary. Wiesel is more apt to just state what happened, clearly and simply. Here's a book about what happened during the Holocaust. That makes it, for me, the definitive work about the Holocaust. There are other great books too, but this is the first one.
Little bit of a bummer though.
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Reading Progress
January 15, 2013
–
Started Reading
January 15, 2013
–
Finished Reading
January 22, 2013
– Shelved
January 22, 2013
– Shelved as:
reading-through-history
January 22, 2013
– Shelved as:
2013
December 29, 2013
– Shelved as:
top-100
January 2, 2015
– Shelved as:
rth-lifetime
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I'm nearly done with This Way for the Gas, which technically finishes it. I might take Genia's advice and read Primo Levi, which I see you also dug. But last time I mentioned the Holocaust I got like five "YOU MUST ALSO READ THIS" responses, so one has to stop somewhere. We'll see. (Also considering eventually reading Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust, which I hear is devastating. I've really been slacking on the non-fiction aspect of this mission lately.)How cool that Wiesel (or someone close to him) actually wrote you back! That must have been wild for you as a junior high schooler. If you find it I'd love to hear what it said. (I'd love to hear what you said, too - I bet it's totally awkward and sweet.)
Nice to be reminded of your story about Wiesel today, El!
We actually got responses back. Either from him directly, or from one of his interns/peons. I want to say it was like a blanket letter to the entire class, but a few of us got a special shout-out - I was one. Apparently my letter was very touching. I swear I had a copy of his response somewhere, and I hope to find it eventually as I start unloading stuff.
That made such an impression on me, that he (supposedly) would sign his name to a letter to a bunch of 14-year-olds. But, yeah. That seems to be the kind of guy he is.
Sorry to babble on your review. Your review is good stuff. As usual. Are you done with the Holocaust section? I can't keep up with you.