Wonderful book! It is truly an amazing piece of literature that offers a wealth of knowledge about Elie Wiesel. This particular work provides just a tantalizing taste of the profound and moving story that Wiesel has to tell. Through his words, we are able to catch a glimpse into his experiences during one of the darkest periods in human history. The book not only educates us about the atrocities of the Holocaust but also about the strength and resilience of the human spirit. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of this tragic event and the man who lived through it. Wiesel's writing is both powerful and poignant, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. I highly recommend this book to all.

Elie Wiesel's struggle with God is an incredibly profound journey that has had a significant impact on me.

His account in the book reveals the depth of his inner turmoil and the challenges he faced in maintaining his faith during the most harrowing of circumstances.

The way he grapples with the question of why a loving God would allow such atrocities to occur is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.

It forces the reader to confront their own beliefs and assumptions about the nature of God and the meaning of suffering.

I love this book because it not only tells a powerful story but also makes me reflect on my own spiritual journey.

It shows me that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope and that our faith can be strengthened through struggle.

Elie Wiesel's words have stayed with me long after I finished reading, and I continue to be inspired by his courage and his unwavering commitment to truth and justice.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in exploring the themes of faith, suffering, and the human spirit.

Elie Wiesel's autobiography is an incredibly interesting and poignant read.

It delves deep into his experiences during the Holocaust, a time when he lost several members of his family.

His accounts of being a prisoner in Auschwitz and Buchenwald are both harrowing and eye-opening.

Through his words, we can understand the pain, suffering, and trauma that he endured.

His viewpoints are shaped by these experiences, and they offer a unique perspective on the horrors of the Holocaust.

Elie's story serves as a reminder of the importance of remembering and learning from history, so that such atrocities never happen again.

It is a powerful testament to the human spirit and the ability to survive and persevere in the face of extreme adversity.

Reading his autobiography is not only an educational experience but also a deeply moving one that will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.

Wiesel has led an amazing life, which is truly remarkable.

Perhaps that's why I had higher expectations from his memoir. His writing style is indeed quite good. The memories seem to ramble and skip around, as if each one leads him down a different and unexpected rabbit trail. But then again, that's exactly how our memories often work in real life. So, in that sense, I find his writing style to be quite effective.

However, at various points in the book, it reads more like a laundry list. Wiesel doesn't fully develop the stories, which makes it a bit challenging for the reader to become truly engaged with him on a deeper level. It's as if we're just skimming the surface of his experiences rather than delving into the heart and soul of them.

Nonetheless, despite these drawbacks, Wiesel's memoir still offers valuable insights into his extraordinary life and the events that shaped him.

Incredible book that presents the author's personal history as well as his theological and philosophical thoughts and questions.

It offers a unique perspective, delving deep into the author's inner world. The glossary at the back of the book is truly a great asset. It really helped with all of the Jewish terminology, making it easier for readers to understand the text.

However, I still had to google other terms and names of people to gain a more comprehensive understanding. The author spends a relatively short amount of time addressing his Holocaust experience since he wrote about it in his book "Night."

Nonetheless, this book is quite a valuable lesson. It explores the aftermath of the Holocaust for Jews around the world, as well as the creation of the state of Israel and all of the complex politics that surrounded it. It provides insights into the historical, social, and political context, making it a must-read for those interested in these topics.

Overall, this book is a fascinating and thought-provoking read that offers a wealth of information and perspectives.

I found this memoir to be less captivating than Night. However, it still presents a harrowing portrayal of the events leading up to transport and the numerous difficulties that the survivors had to face long after the immediate aftermath of liberation.

The audiobook, which is performed by the author himself, is read with such intense emotion that at times, it brought me to tears.

\\n  “Wherever my life took me, a part of me would remain in that street in front of my empty house, awaiting the order to depart. I see my little sister. I see her with her rucksack, so cumbersome, so heavy. I see her and an immense tenderness sweeps over me. Never will her innocent smile fade from my soul, never will her glance cease to sear me. I tried to help her. She protested. Never will the sound of her voice leave my heart. She was thirsty, My little sister was thirsty. Her lips were parched, pearls of sweat formed on her clear forehead. “I can wait,” she said, smiling. My little sister wanted to be brave, and I wanted to die in her place. I seldom speak of her in my writing, for I dare not. My little sister with her sunbathed golden head is my secret.”\\n

This book was chosen as part of the Twelve Tasks of the Festive Season book challenge. For Task the Sixth: The Hanukkah, I created a list of four books and assigned a dreidel symbol to each one. I then googled "spin the dreidel" and gave it a spin. The book that the dreidel chose was this memoir. It has provided me with a deeper understanding of the horrors of the Holocaust and the strength and courage of the survivors.

Although Wiesel allocates some time to his Holocaust experiences and his most renowned work, the majority of this book consists of a meandering collection of stories about Wiesel's life in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period, Wiesel was a struggling journalist rather than a secular saint.

Here is one of the more engaging stories: Wiesel and several colleagues decide to explore the American West and visit an Indian reservation. He writes: "The man who welcomed us in a tent adorned with feathers and other tribal insignia could have emerged from a movie. Tall, upright, impassive, and majestic, he had a slow, dignified gait and a weathered, angular face. We hung on his every word as he expounded on the Indian concept of life and death. He was respectful, and he commanded respect. At one point, he requested us to sign his visitor's book." After Wiesel signs in Hebrew, the man replies "Sholom Aleichem" (peace be upon you) in Yiddish. The man was actually a Holocaust survivor who, after various adventures, "moved to Arizona and earned his livelihood as an Indian during the day while remaining a Jew at night."

This story showcases the unexpected intersections and connections that Wiesel encounters in his life, adding an element of intrigue and surprise to his narrative. It also highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of identity, as the man navigates between two distinct cultural and historical experiences.

Finally, I have finished. I am truly thankful to have had a glimmer into this man's world.

It has been an eye-opening experience, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that shape his life.

Through this brief encounter, I have gained a newfound appreciation for the complexity and individuality of each person.

This man's world is filled with unique stories, dreams, and challenges that I may never fully understand, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed a small part of it.

It serves as a reminder that there is so much more to people than what meets the eye, and that by taking the time to look closer, we can discover a wealth of hidden depth and beauty.

As I move forward, I will carry with me the lessons learned from this experience and strive to approach others with a greater sense of curiosity and empathy.

I didn't finish this book because of the truly overwhelming sadness it conveys.

It is a narrative that demands to be shared, and by someone who actually experienced it. Elie Wiesel's tale documents his family's ordeal during the period when they were forcibly taken to a German concentration camp. The story is exquisitely written.

His profound sadness and intense pain were simply more than I could bear. I will make an attempt to read it again at a different juncture in my life.

I believe that with time and perhaps a different state of mind, I will be better able to understand and appreciate the significance of this powerful account.

For now, I need to step back and process the emotions that this book has stirred within me.

I know that when I return to it, I will be approaching it with a newfound respect and a deeper sense of empathy for the experiences that Elie Wiesel and his family endured.

Nobel laureate. Thinker. Writer. Survivor. Teacher. Student.

This remarkable book is a unique blend of memoir and plea. In memoir style, he vividly describes his life journey and the emotions that accompanied it. He also makes a passionate plea to humanity, urging us to treat each other with greater kindness and respect. Additionally, the book delves into his unwavering dedication to studying and understanding his faith. It's not about finding answers, but rather about exploring the profound questions that lie at the heart of our existence.

Early in the book, Wiesel shares his harrowing experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. One aspect that particularly stands out is his emphasis on how the prisoners, despite the unimaginable horrors they endured, continued to practice their faith. They persisted in studying, praying, and maintaining their spiritual connection, demonstrating an extraordinary strength of character.

Interestingly, Wiesel does not dwell on his many accomplishments or the goals he has achieved. Instead, he focuses on what he perceives as moments of weakness and failure. While his humility is admirable, at times, I found myself longing to know more about the positive impact his writings and advocacy have had.

As Wiesel grew older, his life took on a more ordinary quality, much like the rest of us. Like most people, he remembers the intense passions of his youth with great clarity: his childhood, his love for his family and people, and the pain of their loss. As the years passed, his "work" became more complex, with numerous steps and a blurring of the time line. However, I do not mean to downplay the significance of his work or his experiences. After all, no one is immune to the passage of time, and I believe Wiesel would concur.

I have truly relished Wiesel's contributions to literature ever since I first delved into Night many years ago.

His autobiographical memoir enriches his autobiographical, albeit fictionalized, novels by presenting the factual experiences that underlie those novels.

This book offers his perspective on the history he witnessed, especially his encounter with the Holocaust and how it has shaded the remainder of his life.

I deeply valued learning about his studies and those Jewish scholars who nurtured and instructed him.

The memoir persists after the war, encompassing his studies, the development of his career as a journalist and novelist, his personal battles, and concludes with his eventual marriage, all shedding light on the historical events he endured.

However, the latter part of the narrative somewhat stalls as he details the intricacies of Yiddish publishing and the personalities that influenced the publication of his works and their reception among diverse Jewish communities globally.

Since this portion of the narrative is relatively minor compared to the magnitude and influence of the world events crucial to Israel and the international Jewish community, the book is highly worthy of being read.

The first half of this memoir is an absolute must-read!

It offers a captivating and engaging account that truly draws the reader in. The details and stories shared are so vivid and interesting that one can't help but be hooked from the very beginning.

However, as we reach the second half, things take a bit of a turn. It starts to get long and tedious. The narrative seems to drag on, and the excitement that was present in the first half begins to wane.

Perhaps some of the ideas could have been presented in a more concise manner, or maybe there were just too many unnecessary details included. Whatever the reason, it becomes a bit of a struggle to get through the second half without losing focus or interest.

Despite this, the memoir still has its merits, and the first half alone makes it worth considering. But it's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks in the second half before diving in.