Day is a profound work that delves into the mind of Eliezer, a journalist and Holocaust survivor. After being hit by a taxi and hospitalized, he spends his time reflecting on his life and the horrors of the Holocaust. At times, he is even close to welcoming death.
Eliezer ponders deep questions such as whether life has meaning after Auschwitz and if hope is still possible in a universe that seems cursed. For a young survivor like him, who has witnessed more of life and death than most of his elders, suicide can be as tempting as love or faith.
I have a deep love for this entire trilogy. It is not meant to be uplifting; rather, it is a powerful and beautifully written account of the Holocaust. These novels may be physically small, but they carry an immense amount of weight.
I am truly baffled by those who give this work one or two stars and leave comments like it \\"wasn't entertaining\\" or \\"I couldn't empathize\\" or that it was a \\"disappointment\\". It seems they fail to understand the true essence and significance of these stories.
As Wiesel so poignantly wrote, \\"I was thinking: to go far away, where the roads leading to simplicity are known not merely to a select group, but to all; where love, laughter, songs, and prayers carry with them neither anger nor shame; where I can think about myself without anguish, without contempt; where the wine, Kathleen, is pure and not mixed with the spit of corpses; where the dead live in cemeteries and not in the hearts and memories of men.\\"
I wholeheartedly recommend these books to everyone. They should not be read for entertainment or an uplifting story. Instead, we should read them to learn from the experiences of a Holocaust survivor and walk away grateful that Wiesel had the courage to write these powerful accounts.
My Rating ★★★★★
See the best books I read in 2021 https://smittenforfiction.wordpress.com/2022/03/08/best-books-2021/
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"An excellent follow up to Wiesel's Night" is a powerful and poignant statement. Wiesel's "Night" is a harrowing account of his experiences during the Holocaust, and any work that claims to be a follow-up must be of great significance. It could potentially explore different aspects of the Holocaust, such as the aftermath, the psychological impact on survivors, or the lessons that can be learned from this tragic event. Such a follow-up could also shed light on the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity. It might offer a more in-depth look at the individuals who lived through the Holocaust, their stories, and their struggles. Additionally, it could serve as a reminder of the importance of never forgetting the atrocities that occurred and of working towards a more just and peaceful world.
As a reader, I am truly grateful for authors like Mr. Wiesel. He has the courage to bare his soul and let us into his life, regardless of how excruciatingly painful it may be. His works are a testament to his strength and his willingness to share his experiences with the world. As a writer myself, I am humbled by his example. His courage and determination to tell the truth, no matter how difficult, inspire me to do the same in my own writing.
As a human being, the amount of pain and suffering in this world can be overwhelming. It often feels as if there is no hope and that the darkness will never end. However, the resilience of men and women like Mr. Wiesel gives me hope. His belief that "peace is our gift to each other" is a powerful reminder that even in the midst of chaos and destruction, there is still the possibility of good. I long to make this my life's goal, to give peace to my fellow humans, even those who may seek to harm me.
I am so very grateful for Mr. Wiesel. Through his honest, painful, and unflinching novels, he has helped me see that fighting for peace, understanding, and hope is not a foolish endeavor in the face of suffering and madness. Instead, it is essential. His words, "Love that makes everything complicated. While hate simplifies everything. Hatred puts accents on things and beings, and on what separates them. Love erases accents," remind us that love is always stronger than hate. We who choose love over hate must never forget this truth.
A beautiful book, but one that I would define as "very strange".
The reason is that, as can already be understood from the back cover, the plot of this story is just a pretext to talk about something else. And indeed, the plot, in itself, is meager (a car accident reopens the protagonist's past). Moreover, the characters in the book all speak in a very serious, profound way, in a way that creates a somewhat surreal/strange effect.
This is not a criticism.
It is just the reason why reading this book has been an experience outside my usual. Very strange.
But it is a book that must be read. It addresses the drama of a Holocaust survivor.
How much pain can a man endure? Can love redeem from pain?
The ending is very ambiguous. Very powerful.
It is a book that can be read in a few hours, but that sticks with you.
"Credo che se potessi dimenticare, mi odierei"
"La sofferenza fa risaltare quello che l’uomo possiede di più volgare, di più vile. Nella sofferenza si deve superare una tappa, al di là della quale ci si abbrutisce; si sacrificherebbe la propria anima e soprattutto quella del prossimo per un boccone di pane, per un minuto di calore, per un secondo di oblio e di sonno. I santi muoiono prima della fine della storia. Gli altri, coloro che arrivano fino alla fine del loro destino, non osano più guardarsi allo specchio."
"Se non possono farne un dio, gli uomini rifiutano chi ha conosciuto la sofferenza allo stato puro, chi dice: «Ho sofferto non perché fossi Dio, né perché fossi un santo che voleva imitarlo, ma unicamente perché sono un uomo, un uomo come voi, con le sue debolezze, le sue vigliaccherie, i suoi peccati, le sue ribellioni e le sue ridicole ambizioni», costui fa loro paura, perché li fa vergognare."
"Se la tua sofferenza infanga gli altri, coloro che ti circondano, coloro che ripongono in te la loro ragione di esistere, allora ammazzala, soffocala. (...) L’uomo ha il dovere di continuare a camminare, a cercare, a valutare, a tendere la mano, a offrirsi, a inventare."
“If men cannot make a god out of it, they reject the one who has known suffering in its pure state […], this one makes them afraid, because he makes them ashamed. They move away from him as from a guilty person. As from the one who usurps the place of God to illustrate the great void that awaits us at the end of every destiny.” (p. 98)
This profound statement reveals the complex relationship between humanity and those who have experienced extreme suffering. When faced with someone who has endured pain in its most raw form, people often react with fear and shame. They are reluctant to confront the reality of that suffering, perhaps because it forces them to acknowledge their own vulnerability and the limitations of their understanding. Instead of empathizing, they distance themselves, treating the sufferer as if they were somehow at fault. This behavior is a way for them to avoid the discomfort and uncertainty that comes with confronting the unknown. It is as if they believe that by pushing the sufferer away, they can also push away the possibility of their own similar experiences. However, in doing so, they miss the opportunity to learn from the sufferer and to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.