A Boring Evening At Home [Hardcover]

Gerda Weissmann Klein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

The book is a glimpse into the life of Gerda Klein, and into the thoughts that have always vindicated her belief that the most treasured place on earth is home, and that the most beautiful and desirable aim for people is to spend "a boring evening" there with family

"I have been in a place for six incredible years, where winning meant a crust of bread and to live another day. Since the blessed day of my liberation I have asked the question, Why am I here?...
In my mind’s eye I see those years and faces of those who never knew the magic of a boring evening at home. On their behalf I wish to thank you for honoring their memory, and you cannot do that in a better way than when you return to your homes tonight to realize that each of you who knows the joy of freedom is a winner. On their behalf I wish to thank you with all my heart."
-- Remarks by Gerda Weissmann Klein, accepting the Oscar for the documentary One Survivor Remembers, at the Sixty-eighth Annual Academy Awards in 1996

Editorial Reviews

Review

Gerda Weissman Klein is a gift you give yourself. -- Rita Schaefer; President, McDougal Littell

The words of inspiration, wisdom & love provided by Gerda have given us the hope to carry on. -- Frank DeAngelis; Principal, Columbine High School

You help us transcend the terror of night and fog, to see where no other lantern shines. -- DePaul University

About the Author

Gerda Weissmann Klein is a Holocaust survivor. She is the author of All But My Life, in print for 40 years in 40 editions, which has attained the status of a classic, The Hours After: Letters of Love and Longing in War’s Aftermath, The Blue Rose, Promise of a New Spring, and A Passion for Sharing, which earned its author the Valley Forge Freedom Award. In 1996, Klein was one of five women to receive the prestigious international Lion of Judah award in Jerusalem. More recently, she was featured on the cover of a McDougall-Littel educational textbook, The Americans, alongside such other notable figures as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, and Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf. Klein’s constant striving for the preservation of human rights and dignity has earned her five Doctorates of Humane Letters, along with countless other awards. Her recent television appearances include 60 Minutes, Oprah, and CBS Sunday Morning.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 150 pages
• Publisher: Leading Authorities Press (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971007888
• ISBN-13: 978-0971007888
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Uplifting Read!, July 26, 2004

By 

WV3613 "WV3613" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Boring Evening At Home (Hardcover)

The third book written by Gerda Weissman Klein, A Boring Evening At Home, chronicles her life in America after the Holocaust. Her first book, All But My Life, is the classic story of her survival during World War II. The Hours After: Letters of Love and Longing in War's Aftermath is her own love story with Kurt Klein, a German born American soldier who liberated her from a concentration camp.

This book, a collection of vignettes, delves into the complex and contrasting emotions Klein experiences at different points throughout her life as a result of her Holocaust survival. At times she feels guilt about her survival, yet Klein is gifted with the ability to find beauty and delight in simple daily activities such as buying bread, and celebrating New Years' Eve.

Family weaves her stories together; she speaks of ones lost and also found after the war. She reminisces about her childhood in Poland and the family that did not survive. Klein's relationship with her uncle, her last living relative and a man with a flair for life, makes a particularly amusing narrative.

Despite huge tragedy in her life, Gerda Weissman Klein took hope and inspiration from being able to lead a normal life. It is an uplifting story of life after a dark period in history, and a woman who bore no resentment, but learned to appreciate even A Boring Evening At Home. I recommend this book for everyone; it has a universal message that is uplifting and will make you take an extra moment to appreciate the small joys of everyday life and family.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another inspiring work by Klein, July 26, 2004

By 

Nittany lion (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Boring Evening At Home (Hardcover)

After reading Gerda Weissmann Klein's classic All But My Life, I couldn't wait to dig into A Boring Evening at Home. It came as no surprise that this collection of stories is equally as moving and inspiring, and each memory uniquely shares Klein's reflections and thoughts on her life post-Holocaust. In this uplifting work, Klein's words bring appreciation to even the smallest things in life, whether it be a loaf of bread or a simple evening spent at home with the family.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories that everyone can identify with, May 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Boring Evening At Home (Hardcover)

Gerda Klein has the ability to put together stories that pull fromher historic past, yet identify with everyone who reads them. In a collection of very well written stories, Klein reminds readers what the important things in life are: love, family, honesty, loyalty, and friendship. This book can be read and enjouyed by people of all ages.