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suffianr
10th September 2002, 17:48
Some heavy reading, anyone?

I've just read two books by Primo Levi, "If This is a Man" & "The Truce" which are imho the most powerful and perhaps horrifying accounts of Nazi death camps, written from the perspective of an Italian Jewish survivor from Aushwitz, after WWII.

I don't usually fancy reading stuff about the Holocaust, well, mainly because it's been covered so much in the last quarter of the previous century that it's practically impossible to not know anything about it.

Everyone's read Anne Frank, watched Schindler's List, and is constantly reminded of the atrocities by the media. Not to say that I'm insensitive or cynical, but most of it's been done before.

The two books, however, absolutely must be read by anyone from our generation who claims to understand or even realize the true horrors of what happened in those camps. Sobering and frightening, but definitely recommended reading.

Anyone else read 'em?

Menshevik
15th September 2002, 04:00
Is This A Man is certainly one of the most harrowing books I've ever read. Levi's writing really is incredible, but I prefer Man's Search For Meaning a little more. I think Elie Wiesel is also a great Holocaust survivor writer, but he's over rated.

If you want a completely unbiased, uncentimental account of life in the camps (well Auschwitz really) read The Kingdom of Auschwitz by Otto Friedrech. It might be out of print so you'll probably have to find it online, but do look it up. It gives you an outlook into the entire functioning of this notorious death camp, from the perspective of guards as well as prisoners.