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Post by geminii on Jan 23, 2021 21:56:24 GMT
" 27th January is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people killed in the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. It also marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp .. "With this in mind, I wondered whether any of you would be interested in reading something around any of these events that deserve to be remembered, during February ?? I'm sure we all have a few Holocaust books on our shelves, sometimes it's difficult to decide when is appropriate to read about such distressing topics .. so this could be an ideal opportunity to both remember and learn .. I have found a List on GR : www.goodreads.com/list/show/1720.Well_Written_Holocaust_BooksWould be great if we could post a synopsis & short review of our chosen reads .. As an aside, this topic would fit a number of 40BC categories too ..
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Post by auntieshizzle on Jan 24, 2021 9:56:05 GMT
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Post by geminii on Jan 24, 2021 10:28:40 GMT
Very worthwhile idea. I wrote a piece on my blog for Holocaust Memorial Day 2019 Thank you for posting - I have just read your words ..
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Post by rosemary3 on Jan 24, 2021 11:23:28 GMT
I listened to the audiobook of Schindler's List this month. A harrowing listen at any time, but it seemed to fit with what is going on in the world at the moment, and the cold weather. I don't think I could handle another one so soon, but I will follow to see what you read.
And thank you Aunteshizzle for the photo of Emalia! It looks like it probably would have been much as I imagined.
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Post by geminii on Jan 24, 2021 11:48:32 GMT
I listened to the audiobook of Schindler's List this month. A harrowing listen at any time, but it seemed to fit with what is going on in the world at the moment, and the cold weather. I don't think I could handle another one so soon, but I will follow to see what you read. I loved that Book on Audio too - fascinating and so emotional .. I don't think the film really brought to prominence how the 'list' actually worked - declaring them all as essential workers for his 'factories', and his personal cost in dealing with the Germans .. an amazing story
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Post by rosemary3 on Jan 25, 2021 12:08:45 GMT
I loved that Book on Audio too - fascinating and so emotional .. I don't think the film really brought to prominence how the 'list' actually worked - declaring them all as essential workers for his 'factories', and his personal cost in dealing with the Germans .. an amazing story
Absolutely... my memory of the film is very hazy, but I didn't realise that the protection went on for years or how much time and money he spent on keeping the local SS happy.
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peppercricket
Book Assistant
Batley Townswoman's Guild presents the Battle of Pearl Harbour
Posts: 7,075
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Post by peppercricket on Jan 25, 2021 12:24:01 GMT
Excellent blog piece. I have similar feelings regarding visiting/paying respects, etc. I went to the the Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum when it first opened and the sheer horror of walking through one of the railway carriages that was used to transport people to these camps has never left me, nor has the wall of belongings, the model of Auschwitz, etc.
How people can deny this ever happened?!
Saw the film Schindler's List once, that was enough. I sobbed and sobbed and it put me right off Ralph Fiennes.
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Post by pennylane on Jan 25, 2021 21:15:52 GMT
I am up for this will take a look at the GR list
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Post by geminii on Jan 25, 2021 21:54:56 GMT
I had never heard of Anne Frank until a work trip to Amsterdam when I was a teenager .. Whilst the males when to find bars & streets with red curtains, us girls went to find something much more 'cultural' ..
Being inside the Annexe where they hid, going behind the cupboard & up the stairs .. I can't put into words how emotional I felt .. it's the little things, like seeing the original wallpaper, where it had been written on & her pictures of Movie stars of the day, all preserved behind glass - I was compelled to find out more ..
As soon as I got home I borrowed her Book - last year a copy came into the shop, so I had to have it ..
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Post by pennylane on Jan 26, 2021 10:21:03 GMT
I had never heard of Anne Frank until a work trip to Amsterdam when I was a teenager .. Whilst the males when to find bars & streets with red curtains, us girls went to find something much more emotional .. Being inside the place where they hid, going behind the cupboard & up the stairs .. I can't put into words how I felt, it's the little things, like seeing the original wallpaper, where it had been written on etc (all behind glass etc) - I was compelled to find out more .. As soon as I got home I borrowed her Book - last year a copy came into the shop, so I had to have it .. Ah I was going to suggest reading that as I have a copy too, or another is The Book Thief, I watched the film first and so had to leave a gap before reading. But I have a few others from the list.
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Post by windysisters on Jan 26, 2021 10:32:06 GMT
It's an extensive list but I'm surprised that The Draughtsman by Robert Lautner isn't on there - I really enjoyed this one.
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Post by geminii on Jan 26, 2021 10:39:10 GMT
I had never heard of Anne Frank until a work trip to Amsterdam when I was a teenager As soon as I got home I borrowed her Book - last year a copy came into the shop, so I had to have it .. Ah I was going to suggest reading that as I have a copy too, or another is The Book Thief, I watched the film first and so had to leave a gap before reading. But I have a few others from the list. I have more on that list than I thought I would .. Happy to buddy read either of those you mention
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Post by pennylane on Jan 26, 2021 19:38:38 GMT
It's an extensive list but I'm surprised that The Draughtsman by Robert Lautner isn't on there - I really enjoyed this one. I was thinking that, and some seem to have nothing at all to do with the subject?!
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Post by pennylane on Jan 26, 2021 19:39:44 GMT
Ah I was going to suggest reading that as I have a copy too, or another is The Book Thief, I watched the film first and so had to leave a gap before reading. But I have a few others from the list. I have more on that list than I thought I would .. Happy to buddy read either of those you mention Ah I took it that you had read the Anne Frank one, either would do for me too
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Post by geminii on Feb 17, 2021 11:02:51 GMT
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank " In Amsterdam, in the summer of 1942, the Nazis forced teenager Anne Frank and her family into hiding. For over two years, they, another family and a German dentist lived in a 'secret annexe', fearing discovery. All that time, Anne kept a diary .. " An intimate record of tension and struggle, adolescence and confinement, anger and heartbreak, Anne Frank's diary is one of those unique documents, famed throughout the world, that portrays innocence and humanity, suffering and survival in the starkest and most moving terms. My review :An emotional conclusion to an amazing story .. About 35 years ago, I first met Anne at the Amsterdam House on a work trip to the City .. In my late teens, I hadn't heard of the Frank family nor the Secret Annexe .. I was so inspired by her story that I grabbed a copy of the book after the trip .. So pleased that I read this Diary again .. I think as I am older, I read this with a different perspective - seeing the growing strength and maturity in her writing .. it is because of individuals like Anne, that history is documented & real life events can be remembered - sadly, not always for the right reasons .. A great choice to revisit this in February, as a Holocaust Remembrance read .. If you've not met Anne yet, I suggest you pick up her diary and spend some time with her in the Attic - puts our current lockdown requirements into perspective .. Now I finally own a copy, it will stay on my bookshelf - no doubt to be read again .. A 5 Star read that'll leave you with a lot to contemplate and needing a handful of tissues ..
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