Books : Forgotten Voices of the Holocaust: A New History in the Words of the Men and Women Who Survived (Forgotten Voices/Holocaust)

Rating: - Excellent if heartrending
Much of what I wish to say has already been said but I just wanted to add my rating and say that this is an excellent book that manages to give an excellent view of the holocaust from start to finish. I found the final sections particularly moving.

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Rating: - Mans Inhumanity to Man
This book has had such an effect on me. It is sad, harrowing, horrifying, and, worst of all, TRUE!! I just can't begin to imagine how it must have been for these poor people, who were persecuted, degraded, humiliated and executed and all by other 'human' beings. We like to think of ourselves as so clever, so superior, and that we are good people. Not so. Although we know some of what happened in these concentration camps, and we know how the Jews and other ethnic minorities sufferred, we like to sweep it under the carpet. It's in the past. It's history. It's over. Well, it may be in the past, but it will never be over. It is an indelible stain on the face of humanity, and how anyone can try to deny it ever happened is beyond me. Read these eye-witness accounts of what happened. There is no way that these atrocities can ever be denied. I just find it utterly incomprehensible that anyone survived the holocaust, let alone went on to lead their lives, marry, have children. How they managed to triumph over such adversity defies belief. Their spirit and will to live was incredible. It's not like this happened centuries ago. It was 12 years before I was born. When I look at it like that, it is so scary that these things could happen in our 'enlightened' society. And for what? What was the reason for these appalling acts on these victims? It makes me angry, and very, very sad. We must never, ever forget what happened to these people, and how they sufferred. Their voices must never be stilled. When they are all gone, this book and others like it must be read by all, so that nothing is lost. Prejudice and hatred still exist in the world, and acts of extreme violence are committed daily somewhere, but we must never accept this as the norm. No person has the right, and should never have the power, to decide the fate of others. No person should be able to take everything that is human, decent, kind, away from others, and no one should EVER cause human sufferring to others, as was caused in the holocaust. I am ashamed to admit that I never really gave much thought to the World Wars, and I knew practically nothing about the scale of the sufferring. Now, I do know. I will never forget that all those involved gave everything, and paid a terrible price. I firmly believe that this book should be on the national curriculum so that each and every one of us knows what happened, and so that we can learn, and ensure that it never happens again. I just feel so humble reading this book, and so grateful for all the things that I have and take for granted. I just can't believe that these things happened, that the world knew, and it was allowed to continue. I feel ashamed, and so very sorry. Not an enjoyable read, but a necessary one, I think.

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Rating: - Very Good Book
Another good book from the Imperial War Museum. Easy to pick up due to the way the book is structured. Moving accounts from Holocaust survivors on there experiences in various concentration camps. Schindlers List & The Pianist prompted me to buy this book and while I cannot say that I enjoyed it, I can say that I am glad that I have read it. I cannot beleive that at my age (40) I knew so little on what went on during that era.

A must read book.

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Rating: - Never Forget!
This is one of my all time favourite books, it really shows the horrors that went on in Europe during the war that many people are unaware of. It's very easy to follow even though it's a collection of so many peoples memories. I'm even using it as the basis of my third year dissertation work.
I would very highly recommend this to anyone, whether they've read a lot around the subject of the Holocaust, and especially if they haven't, as because there are so many peoples memories it really gives a broad and detailed view of what happened from all aspects of the camps and ghettos, right up to after the war.

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Rating: - Haunting, terrifying and essential reading
There is little that I can add that other reviewers have not already said. It is not possible to understand what drove the Nazis to do such terrible things, but this book gives those who suffered at their hands a voice. It does not make for easy reading. It made me cry more then once and I did feel a lasting impact from it. It is crucial to learn about the holocaust, however, since with the world being as it is, it is not unfesible that history will repeat itself.