Adding my few sentences about this remarkable master of literature, diplomat, and friend to some truly mighty people.

His creation of an account of his life, spanning from early childhood until his marriage in 1969, is a literary masterpiece.

What's astonishing is his ability to "drop" names with such simple accuracy and sincerity.

For instance, Golda Meier was his friend, and when he mentioned her, it wasn't in a boastful way like "Ooo, I met Golda," but rather as a genuine friend.

His ability to re-create the fear and desolation of surviving the camps, and then recover enough of himself to not only live but also prosper, is truly a marvel.

After reading his account, I feel far richer, having gained a deeper understanding of his experiences.

However, I also find myself far shyer in assuming that I fully understand his life, as it is so complex and profound.

Elie Wiesel's work is a testament to the power of literature to convey the human experience in all its complexity and horror.

Even if I had not discovered his writing due to the Holocaust, I would still find it tiresome.

He has an exceptional eye for detail and the ability to bring things together. I pondered how he would commence this book. The image of his father is one that grabs my attention throughout and keeps drawing me back.

I sometimes wonder how people incorporate such intricate details in their writing. From my own personal experience, one must be passionate, and he undoubtedly is.

I can identify with him on certain feelings regarding not wanting to discuss one's work. I can also relate to Enns, although I don't have his upbringing.

Sometimes, when I read this book, I wonder how he managed to sleep at night. Especially the part about the train and freezing every time he heard the train whistle. Around here, there aren't many trains, but where there are an abundance of trains, I think it would be rather paralyzing.

I didn't enjoy this book, yet I also think it's beneficial to read it if you haven't read his other works because he explains how he comes up with some of the characters.

I surmised that a lot of his writing is autobiographical at present. Artistic license, I suppose. It is a lengthy read but worthwhile, and I would definitely retain this book for reference.

I must admit that I can't read many of his books simultaneously as they are somewhat dark, but I understand why he wrote them. Sometimes, when you have a story in your mind, you just have to write it.

His discussions about why some publishers didn't want to take on his work and his admission that sometimes it didn't sell well were interesting to me. People are fickle. But I know one thing for sure - I'm glad he persisted and wrote those books.

There was one comment that intrigued me when he said that if he had remained in the infirmary at Auschwitz, he might not have written those books. I don't think I believe that, but that's hindsight speaking. If he had become a journalist, I think that would have happened anyway, and then he would have written in the books.

The discussion about when the Germans arrived in his little village was a bit humorous only because I think I dozed off during part of it and kept wondering why someone was yelling about the Germans being there. Then I thought, oh, of course.

He writes these kinds of things with such vivid detail that I wonder if he slept while writing this book because there are so many elements in it that demand so much emotion.

He discusses other matters, of course, as his life progresses beyond the camp, and he does it all with remarkable clarity. I found it interesting that he repeatedly mentioned the camp as if it encompassed the entire experience.

As always, he writes with great imagery. And, as I said before, I will probably read more of his books. It's a long and good read. And there are always questions, and I don't think, as he says, we will ever know all the answers, but we can surely attempt to find them.

The early part of this literary memoir is truly captivating and engaging,

keeping me completely charmed for the most part. It offers some fascinating insights into the survivors' post-war experience,

revealing details that I was previously unaware of. However, as the story progresses and the author becomes more famous,

it starts to turn into a bit of a name-drop. Despite the fact that he never actually lived there,

he is extremely pro-Israel, which is perhaps understandable given the hope and promise that filled the early years.

At this point, I'm left wondering if I really want to read part 2.

On one hand, I'm curious to see how the story develops and if there are more interesting revelations to come.

On the other hand, the name-dropping and the one-sided stance on Israel have left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Only time will tell if I decide to pick up the next installment.

4.5 stars.

This is an excellent biography that truly captivates the reader from start to finish.

The author has done an outstanding job of presenting the life and times of the subject in a detailed and engaging manner.

Every aspect of the person's life is explored, from their humble beginnings to their rise to fame and success.

The book is filled with interesting anecdotes and personal insights that give the reader a deeper understanding of the subject's character and personality.

The writing style is clear and concise, making it easy to follow and enjoy.

Overall, this is a must-read biography for anyone interested in learning about the life and achievements of an extraordinary individual.

Highly recommended!

A quick perusal of reviews reveals two distinct camps. There are those who generally liked the work but said little of substance to justify their stance. On the other hand, there are those who criticized it for its nonlinear narrative and depressive tone. However, having reached the halfway point, I have found it to be delightful, fair-minded, and informative. While it may be more philosophical than what most readers prefer, this is understandable considering the author was a philosopher and a Jewish mystic. The telling of the story beautifully reflects his mind. The prose is often lyrical, unwrapping the tender youth with clarity and a certain compassion for self that only the wisest among us can gain for our youthful selves. The tone is conversational, often confiding in a friendly manner, drawing us into his circle not only by our interest but also by his yearning. I believe the structure is entirely appropriate for the linear development of his mind, despite individual events being teased and broken into sections. As a historical primary source, it is absolutely priceless.

Well, Wiesel himself says of the writing he considered in his youth: “Of course, I could write my memories of the camp, which I bore within me like a poison. Though I never spoke to anyone about this, it weighed upon me. I thought about it with apprehension day and night: the duty to testify, to offer depositions for history, to serve memory. What would man be without his capacity to remember? Memory is a passion no less powerful or persuasive than love. What does it mean to remember? It is to live in more than one world, to prevent the past from fading and to call upon the future to illuminate it. It is to revive fragments of existence, to rescue lost beings, to cast harsh light on faces and events, to drive back the sands that cover the surface of things, to combat oblivion and to reject death. All this I knew. And because I knew it, I told myself I should write.”

What writer could remain unmoved by such words?

*

At completion, I find myself truly sad that I won't be picking up this work again to hear the most utterly human voice I think I've ever conversed with. The book is, in so many ways, a conversation between one of the greatest thinkers of our time, someone who stood at the signposts of history and testified with humility, candor, and courage, and the simple reader. I found it completely charming, reverentially committed to preserving people for history, equally poetic and incisive. How perfect that it began with his connection to his parents and siblings and ended with his connection to his wife and children - friends, experiences, careers, work, but always the aleph and beth - family.

I have a high tolerance for philosophy and mysticism, so take my review for what it is. Having read the portrait of his soul by his own hand, however, I look forward to reading his fiction and rereading Night with a much deeper understanding of his milieu at its writing. Truly, he is one of the greatest human beings I could imagine meeting and definitely one of the 5 people with whom I'd love to share an afternoon sitting outside at a cafe in Paris.

This man truly has a penchant for writing long and drawn-out stories!

At the beginning, I was quite intrigued by the first half of the book. It held my attention and made me eager to know what would happen next. However, as I delved deeper into the narrative, I gradually started to feel a bit bored.

Don't misunderstand me. The man is indeed amazing in many ways. His creativity and imagination are remarkable. But his writing style, being so long-winded, sometimes makes it a bit of a struggle to stay engaged.

Perhaps if he could trim down some of the excessive details and streamline the story, it would make for a more captivating read. Nevertheless, I still appreciate his efforts and the unique world he has created within the pages of the book.

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If Wiesel's books were not already on my to-read list, I would not continue to read them.

I have this particular thing about wanting to move books from the to-read list by actually reading them rather than just removing them because I no longer have the desire to read them.

For Wiesel, in this memoir, he employs his typical non-linear chronological approach. Although I am still not a fan of this style, it does work much better for the memoir format than it does for the novel format.

I continue to find Wiesel's overwhelming pessimism rather oppressive. In this book, he even engages in pessimistic foreshadowing. This often takes the form of self-deprecating comments that almost come off as bragging.

For such a long memoir, Wiesel spends an excessive amount of time on historical and political events that are only tangentially related to his life. This helps him avoid delving too deeply into introspection, which also seems to be typical of Wiesel.

Lastly, the shift in person (from first to third) in the very last few pages I found to be quite off-putting. The book felt like it ended on the wrong note, slightly off-kilter.

Overall, while there are some aspects of the book that I can appreciate, such as the use of the non-linear chronological approach in the memoir format, the overwhelming pessimism, the excessive focus on tangential events, and the awkward shift in person at the end all contribute to my less than favorable opinion of this work.

This is an excellent book that offers a truly fascinating exploration.

One of the most interesting aspects is the in-depth discussion of Yiddish. Yiddish has a rich and complex history, and this book delves into how its usage declined significantly after World War II.

The author provides detailed insights into the various factors that contributed to this decline, such as the impact of the Holocaust, the changing social and political landscape, and the assimilation of Jewish communities.

By examining these aspects, the book not only sheds light on the fate of Yiddish but also offers a broader perspective on the historical and cultural changes that took place during that period.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Yiddish, Jewish history, or the study of language and culture. It is engaging, informative, and thought-provoking, and it will leave readers with a deeper understanding and appreciation of this important topic.

He has had a truly fascinating life.

His experiences seem to stretch on and on, and it can be quite a challenge to keep up with him at times. This is mainly because he is extremely wordy, which makes it difficult to follow his train of thought.

Moreover, his stories don't always unfold in a chronological order. As a result, it becomes rather hard to determine precisely where certain events took place in his life.

However, this is the very first time I have come across an author who has written with such remarkable detail about his perspective on the Holocaust. In particular, his questions regarding the long silence of the rest of the world are truly thought-provoking.

I can also understand his anger towards God. His willingness to continue celebrating the traditions of his faith, despite being extremely angry at God for permitting the extermination of his people, really moved me.

Furthermore, I was highly impressed with his insistence that survivors share their stories. This is crucial so that the world will never forget and can't simply pretend with embarrassment that the Holocaust never happened.

This will be my back-to-school read!

After a long three months, I have finally completed reading this book. It has been an incredibly intense experience. This book is truly a must-have. It is so touching that if I hadn't read it in public places, I might have shed tears.

The story is filled with rich and vivid characters, and the plot unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each chapter brings new surprises and emotions. It explores themes that are both relatable and thought-provoking.

As I was reading, I found myself completely immersed in the world of the book. I could feel the emotions of the characters as if they were my own. It made me reflect on my own life and experiences.

I can't wait to start school and share this amazing book with my friends. I'm sure they will love it just as much as I do.

I have to admit that I really disliked this book.

It was filled with an excessive amount of self-absorbed, stream of consciousness, diary-quality prose.

It seemed to detail absolutely everything he had ever read, every single person he had ever spoken to, every trip he had ever taken, every thought he had ever had, and every word he had ever spoken.

Moreover, his narrative constantly shifted back and forth in time, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to track the events chronologically or even determine his age at the time of those events.

To my mind, this book was severely lacking in literary quality.

Although I must concede that my opinion might be somewhat influenced by the fact that I read this book after having read "My Promised Land" by Ari Shavit, which I found to be beautifully written.

If you are already deeply fascinated by Elie Wiesel, then perhaps you may find some enjoyment in this book.

However, for the rest of us, it is highly doubtful.