4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Jacob's Courage, June 28, 2010
This review is from: Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story (Paperback)
I have just finished "Jacob's Courage" by Charles Weinblatt. It's a very good read, especially if you don't know much or anything about the Shoah (Holocaust). Some of the descriptions are graphic and not easy to read. And, I must unfortunately agree with "Nicholas II" that there are typos which are annoying. However, the book was written in English and proofread - presumably - in Israel where it was published. One has to assume that the proofreader did not speak English fluently. That is, of course, no excuse, but the typos are then understandable and will, I hope, be corrected in the next edition. I must also unfortunately agree with Nicholas II that some of the events did not happen when they were described in the book. For example: the "Yellow Star" was first worn in Lodz, Poland on November 16, 1939, and in Germany on September 1, 1941, whereas the Anschluss was in 1938. In Holland, where lived (I am a Jew) we had to wear the star as of April 29, 1942. Neither German nor Austrian Jews spoke much if any Yiddish. Most Germans and Austrians looked down upon the Yiddish language, considering it a sort of bastardized German which they were loath to speak. In Holland Yiddish was not spoken either, for the same reason. It is, however, indeed a language based on German, with Hebrew and Polish thrown in as well. One more thing: the word "Genocide" was not coined until 1944, by Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer and Polish Jew. Therefore Jacob and his father could not have thought the word in 1939; one cannot think of a word that does not yet exist. However, in spite of all that, it is a good book; it describes the Shoah (Holocaust) in graphic detail - perhaps too much so for some people. Both
Theresienstadt and Auschwitz are well described, as are the events there. I was in Theresienstadt myself, as a child (it was the 2nd concentration camp to which we were sent), and with my parents, so I know what went on there. Rachael's rape is certainly possible; there were more than one rape in Theresienstadt by the Germans and later by the Russians who liberated us. And certainly the Germans got away with it. As described, Rachael had no choice in the matter. Neither did the real women to whom this happened in Theresienstadt. Auschwitz is described in such graphic detail that some people may find it difficult to read and may not even believe it because this is a novel. Nevertheless what Charles Weinblatt writes about Auschwitz is true - I have a friend who was an inmate there and she described it for me on more than one occasion. The love story between Jacob and Rachael is really well described; one can definitely identify with these two young people. One can also identify with their feelings during their separation, after Jacob is recaptured and sent to Auschwitz eventually. His injury is well descibed also; it is miracle that he didn't end up in the gas chamber. Altogether it is a book that gives one a lot of information about the Holocaust, albeit in the form of a novel. One gets a good idea of what it was really like. I would recommend this book highly; the fact that I gave it only 4 stars instead of 5 is strictly because of the typos and some misspellings in the German words.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jacob's Courage: Enriching Literature, June 18, 2010
This review is from: Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story (Paperback)
Charles Weinblatt's masterpiece is a gripping story that somehow transcends the lurid details of the holocaust to find beauty in humanity. Its power makes you simultaneously want to turn the page while also wanting to escape from the revulsion of the Nazi crimes. Its both an important book from a "Never to be forgotten" standpoint, as well as a literary triumph. Like Schindler's List it may not be something that you will enjoy, but you will be enriched and proud that you read it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jacob's Courage, July 8, 2011
This review is from: Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story (Paperback)
Jacob's Courage is a heart wrenching expose of existence under the cruel rule of the Nazi's during Holocaust. The story is told in vivid detail about a young man and woman caught during a dark time in history. Their love for each other is what keeps them sane as they struggle to survive in the concentration camps of Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. The novel gives a poignant account of the hellish reality that should never be forgotten and never happen again. The story is a triumph of the human spirit over pure evil. A few reviewers have been harsh with Charles Weinblatt's novel in its accuracy of the events and timing, but they are secondary to the story. I give the book five stars for captivating me with every page.
Richard MacLeod - Author of the novel Faces in the Sand
Faces in the Sand
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