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Stephen's Reviews > Night
Night
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by
Stephen's review
bookshelves: classics, easton-press, audiobook, history, life-changers, literature, classics-americas, non-fiction, world-war-the-sequel, 1954-1969
Mar 18, 2010
bookshelves: classics, easton-press, audiobook, history, life-changers, literature, classics-americas, non-fiction, world-war-the-sequel, 1954-1969
This book is a hard, righteous slap in the conscience to everyone of good will in the world and should stand as a stark reminder of both: (1) the almost unimaginable brutality that we, as a species, are capable of; and (2) that when it comes to preventing or stopping similar kinds of atrocities or punishing those that seek to perpetrate such crimes, WE ARE OUR BROTHERS' KEEPERS and must take responsibility for what occurs "on our watch."
This remarkable story is the powerful and deeply moving account of Ellie Wiesel's personal experiences as a Hungarian Jew who is sent with his entire family to the infamous Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and later Buchenwald. The most chilling aspect of the narrative for me was the calm, casual way that so many of the nightmarish events that Elie witnesses were performed. For example, early on in the account, Elie is separated from his Mother and sisters (never to see them again). This life-altering, traumatically painful action is done so quickly and in such an off-handed, bureaucratic manner by the Nazis that trying to grasp the reality of it made me physically sick.
That was only the beginning. Elie goes on to chronicle his subsequent attempts not to be separated from his father and the horrors he was forced to witness and endure. Along the road of this terrifying journey, we hear in Elie's own words of the growing disgust of his 13 year old self for both mankind and for God and how he eventually lost completely his own humanity in his resolve to do whatever he had to in order to stay alive.
Written in a simple, unsentimental style (which makes the horrors described seem somehow more shocking), this is one of those important life-changing books that I believe everyone should read.
HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
This remarkable story is the powerful and deeply moving account of Ellie Wiesel's personal experiences as a Hungarian Jew who is sent with his entire family to the infamous Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and later Buchenwald. The most chilling aspect of the narrative for me was the calm, casual way that so many of the nightmarish events that Elie witnesses were performed. For example, early on in the account, Elie is separated from his Mother and sisters (never to see them again). This life-altering, traumatically painful action is done so quickly and in such an off-handed, bureaucratic manner by the Nazis that trying to grasp the reality of it made me physically sick.
That was only the beginning. Elie goes on to chronicle his subsequent attempts not to be separated from his father and the horrors he was forced to witness and endure. Along the road of this terrifying journey, we hear in Elie's own words of the growing disgust of his 13 year old self for both mankind and for God and how he eventually lost completely his own humanity in his resolve to do whatever he had to in order to stay alive.
Written in a simple, unsentimental style (which makes the horrors described seem somehow more shocking), this is one of those important life-changing books that I believe everyone should read.
HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
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Reading Progress
March 18, 2010
– Shelved
March 31, 2010
–
Started Reading
April 1, 2010
–
Finished Reading
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Alex wrote: "The Yellow Star of Jewish GhettoDeep into my skin is set to
Six million weeping yellow stars
Are in my heart as painful scars
They radiate such burning light
Like sun, which rose amidst the Night..."
That is wonderfully moving, Alex. Is this your own piece?
Yes, thank You Stephen (Steve ?) !Best Regards,
Alex
Alex wrote: "Yes, thank You Stephen (Steve ?) !Best Regards,
Alex"
Either is fine but most call me Steve.
Take care,
Steve
Few days ago (on May 9) my "old country" (former USSR as I knew it ) was celebrating Victory Day.This year on June 22 will be also 70 years since the war came to USSR.
May be that is why I was little bit over sensitive to issues related to that period ;-)
Both my mother and my late father were all 900 days of blockade in besieged by Germans Leningrad. Hitler did not storm it because he wanted entire population of Leningrad to die out - 600,000 did indeed die from hunger, shelling and air bombardments ...
Alex -I understand and you have every right to be proud of your history. I can certainly see why you would have very srong feelings about that period and I would not intentionally ever try to offend. I read a lot and write a lot of reviews and I often make jokes or use humor to make people laugh, but I will certainly never try to offend and always try to be respectful of other peoples opinions.
Thanks for sharing a bit of your family's history with me.
Take care,
Steve
It was the first lesson in the Old Testament with Cain and Abel, was written in Deuteronomy - love thy neighbour as thyself, and emphasised by Jesus - we are our brothers' keeper. Everyone hears, but no one listens.
This one is on my "too painful to read" list. Not sure I'll ever have the courage to do so.
I cried when I read it the first time. There are still parts of it that choke me up. Teaching it was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
Petra X wrote: "It was the first lesson in the Old Testament with Cain and Abel, was written in Deuteronomy - love thy neighbour as thyself, and emphasised by Jesus - we are our brothers' keeper. Everyone hears, b..."So true, Petra. So true.
Lea wrote: "This one is on my "too painful to read" list. Not sure I'll ever have the courage to do so."Lea, I completely understand the feeling, but I would still recommend you do it. Just have your family around for frequent hugs and mood enhancers.
Kat wrote: "I cried when I read it the first time. There are still parts of it that choke me up. Teaching it was one of the hardest things I've ever done."Wow...I can't imagine trying to teach this. Just having to sort through my own feelings was tough enough. To then have to talk about them and teach it...kudos to you, Kat.
It was a very difficult book to teach. I taught it to seniors, so the focus was very much on what human beings are capable of doing to each other. My explicit goal was teaching them acceptance of all people as they got ready to leave high school. It's such an important concept today, considering the polarization of society based on politics, sexuality, religion, etc. The students seemed to feel the impact of the lesson because of the close relation to current events.
That's wonderful, Kat. You should be extremely proud to have been instrumental in imparting that kind of lesson to people.
My youngest daughter is scheduled to read this for school this year and I am a bit worried. This book is on my all time greatest list and I still remember being stunned and returning to this book in my mind for weeks and even years after reading it. It is definitely a book every human being should read for exactly the reasons you stated. My concern is that my daughter (going into 9th grade) is very sensitive. She leaves the room during the news if the stories are upsetting. I am going to have to read this one with her over the summer, I think. This is so much more than just a book.
Excellent review Stephen. I could not have conveyed it better myself.
Read this once and have taught lessons on it in the classroom. In the times we now live in, I would like to read it again, drawing on Mr. Wiesel's experience, philosophy, and wisdom as to the importance of helping and accepting others
I agree with you, this book shows horrible things. It's so true that some small moments that seem so minute can change our lives so monumentally. It was hard to read this book, because like you said, it all seems so casual for the Nazi's, and Eli writing the book, and that gives it a whole new perspective. Also, I agree that everyone should read this book to better inform themselves of some of the stories behind the Holocaust. It was also a slap in the face for me that people could do all those horrible things and that people could sit back and watch. Your word choice was exquisite, it added a lot to the review. I like how you added a lot of depth, but I feel that you could have added at least a little bit more of your personal feelings. Overall though, it was an amazing review, and added more to my perspective of the book, thank you.
I completely agree. I like how you added that what this book is suppose to remind us about. We are to never forget this tragic event. I feel like you should have added more about what Ellie endured during this event. I think you did a great job describing what this book focused on though.
I completely agree. The way that Elie wrote the story seemed so almost detached, that it hardly seemed real. I felt like I was watching the Walking Dead or something as I read it and that made me feel that much more disturbed. I couldn't imagine loosing everything, and it was so shocking as I read I could hardly bear it. In this way I really disliked the book. But i agree, it is something everybody should read and experience.
Great Review! You captured all great aspects of the book Night. Your review doesn't spoil too much of the book, which is great because most good reviews don't. It's almost like a movie trailer in just words, no pictures or anything, as you give important yet subtle details from the book. Overall, a very great review for a very great book. You deserve a medal of some sort, "Best Review of the book, Night", haha.
it is really moving and crazy how Ellie wrote about his times and personal experiences. It is really crazy how he went through all this and could write about it.
I think it’s time for me to reread this one again, as a grim reminder.
Deep into my skin is set to
Six million weeping yellow stars
Are in my heart as painful scars
They radiate such burning light
Like sun, which rose amidst the Night
The Night of Death, the Night of Sin
The Night of Crimes against my kin
Yet through the covers of that Night
These yellow stars did shine so bright
With cry, which spreads through Universe,
Six million voices strong eternal curse
To beasts, with swastika on sleeves
To killers, torturers and thieves
Who brought such Shame on Human Race
Which no one ever will erase
Six million weeping yellow stars
Are in my heart as painful scars
I want the World to feel my pain
For Jewish lives being lost in vain