Customer Reviews

Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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

Jacob's Courage is a powerful story of love in the midst of one of the most terrible times in human history.We all know about Holocaust, we all know about the huge amount of innocent lives that were lost. It was a terrible time. Weinblatt's own family were among the many victims.

This story about two young people in love in a time that was beyond painful, is about hope, courage and above all humanity.
Imagine being a Jew, that too a teenage Jew at that time. A normal teenager has so many dreams, hope, plans about the future. But what about a young Jew in 1939?

The love story was beautiful and touching. This was such an emotional read. Weinblatt's vivid descriptions of the time beautifully entwines with the love story.Jacob's Courage is a powerful story of how love does conquer all .No matter how hard the times are, love and humanity never lose their power.

There are parts are the novel which are very disturbing and graphic. But that is what makes the novel more realistic. The point is not painting a fairy tale picture but presenting only the truth of what happened. Its after all the Holocaust we are talking about.

Jacob's Courage is a powerful novel which makes us realize the importance of humanity . At the end , you will appreciate your life a bit more.

Overall:
Heartrending and Captivating

Recommended?
Yes! Especially to those interested in reading and knowing more about the Holocaust.

I've read many, many Holocaust books but this is my least favorite. He said the same things over and over, and I did not think the book had a good flow. There were times that I was not sure what the time period was. He went back and forth with the characters and I could not tell if a week had passed or perhaps months. He had a good story but just could not pull it together. It should have been shorter. I finished it, but I was glad when it was done.

This historic novel offers a well researched love store set in the middle of the horror that was Nazi Germany in the 30's and 40's. The book is well thought out and written but suffers somewhat from numerous typos/editing miscues. Hopefully a second edition will correct what the publisher missed to make it truly a thought provoking read. The historic references appear to be well researched. Hats off to a fine first effort from Mr. Weinblatt.

Imagine being seventeen years old. The world is before you and anything is possible. You come from a great family and have a wonderful relationship with your dad. Best of all, you are in love for the first time in your life and have been swept completely off your feet. You have met your soul mate and now the most difficult thing for you is to separate yourself from them while you go off to school to study medicine. Life is beautiful and your future is exciting.

But life is not beautiful. It is 1939 and you are a Jew in Austria. Your future deteriorates quickly as the Nazis move into Austria and you are forced to move into a Jewish ghetto. Members of your family die one by one, you are shot in the leg and crippled for life, and the love of your life is raped and she becomes pregnant with her attacker's child. How would you maintain your will to live? What would keep you going?

Not since I read Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place have the horrors of the Holocaust been brought to life for me in such vivid detail. Charles Weinblatt takes you to Nazi Germany through the lives of Jacob Silverman and Rachel Goldberg, two young people whose world is torn apart at a time in their lives when it should be blossoming. Weinblatt holds your attention as this young couple tries to make sense of what is happening and find a reason to live in spite of the madness that surrounds them.

Reading the book had a dual impact on me. There were times when I couldn't put the book down as I read about their escape through a collapsing tunnel. Other times I had to set it down after reading about Jacob's mother dying in the gas chamber at Auschwitz. Weinblatt does a masterful job of touching your emotions throughout the book by placing you inside the lives of Jacob and Rachel.

The events that took place in this story happened 70 years ago but we should never forget. I recommend you pick up a copy of this book and a box of tissues. Get ready for a good cry and a heart warming ending as Jacob and Rachel find the courage to live.

-- Rick Rodgers, CFP®, author of The New Three-Legged Stool: A Tax Efficient Approach to Retirement Planning

As I read `Jacob's Courage", I was struck with how much it reminded me of one of the greatest books of the 20th Century.

I can't add any more to the reviews here about how well Weinblatt has painted a picture with words of the horrors of the holocaust. He has done so in a haunting and evocative way. Even though he has done and excellent job of putting the reader in the shoes of Jacob and Rachel, much of their experience during the holocaust has been written before.

So what's unique about Weinblatt's book? I'll tell you.

In 1956, Viktor Frankl wrote a book called "Man's Search for Meaning" based on his experiences as a Nazi concentration camp inmate. In his book he describes his method of finding a reason to live - to believe in something beyond oneself - that kept him and others alive during a terror, that today, we could hardy imagine.

"Jacob's Courage" is a personal, real life example of this method based on real people of Weinblatt's family that validates Frankl's beliefs.

In his book, Frankl quotes from the Song of Solomon. "Set me like a seal upon thy heart, love is as strong as death." (Song of Solomon 8:6)

The love that grows between Jacob and Rachel is what sustains them through the horrors of life in a Nazi death camp. They find the power of love - believing in something beyond themselves - their love for each other. We all could learn a lesson from these two teenagers coming of age and faced with the greatest existential threat to life.

Jacob's Courage is a compassionate story of young love that continues to build despite horrendous circumstances. The dipictions of events are well described and I felt as though I was a bystander throughout it all. Charles Weinblatt must have gone to great lengths doing research for his book. Attention to detail was great and I felt the horror, sorrow, sadness, insanity and fortitude that the characters of the book were experiencing. It left me thinking after I put the book down wanting to keep reading although time would not permit.
Although many books, both fiction and nonfiction, have been written about this heinous time in history, this one is unique in its story and message.

Jacob's Courage, by Charles S. Weinblatt, mixes the atrocities of
World War II and the holocaust with the hope and courage of a young
couple in love. Weinblatt weaves such detail into his story that the
reader comes away with a powerful sense of what life was like for the
Jews during this horrible period in history. Weinblatt's knowledge of
the slums the Jews were initially forced into, then the death camps
that followed, is masterful. While the story can be incredibly bleak
at times, Weinblatt uses Jacob and Rachael's intense love for each
other to lift the mood and give us all something to hope for.

Jacob's Courage may be a work of fiction but it shines a spotlight on
the truth. Anyone interested in World War II, the Holocaust, Jewish
history, or a love story, should pick up Jacob's Courage.