A Nightmare in History: The Holocaust 1933-1945 [Paperback]

Miriam Chaikin (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Explains the roots of Nazi anti-Semitism by telling the long history of prejudice against the Jews and traces the step-by-step process the Nazis devised for making all of Europe Judenrein--a place without Jews.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aided by archival photographs, Chaikin presents in 12 fact-filled chapters a stirring portrait of an unforgettable period. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10 A sober and somber chronology of a period in contemporary history that Chaikin appropriately labels a ``nightmare.'' The story of the havoc and tragedy caused by Hitler in 12 years is documented in relentless chronology that spares readers little. The book opens with a brief (necessarily simplified) history of anti-Semitism from the time of Jesus through the Middle Ages up to the 1917 Russian Revolution. Hitler's methods of making first Germany and then Europe ``Judenrein'' (free of Jews) by creating ghettos; the organized ``Aktions,'' a code word for using machine guns to shoot masses of people; and the death camps are graphically described. A series of short sentences effectively punctuate and underline the horror, but Chaikin's use of incomplete sentences and sentences that frequently begin with ``And'' or ``Or'' is somewhat disconcerting. The focus is not on how and why the world community allowed the nightmare to happen. For example, Neville Chamberlain's meeting with Hitler and the politics of appeasement are not described. The bibliography, which includes Meltzer's Never to Forget (Harper, 1976) , is designed to allow readers to fill in those gaps. What is hammered home is what happened to the Jews of Europe from 1933 through 1945, and what steps were taken after the war to deal with it. Amy Kellman, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (April 20, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395615801
• ISBN-13: 978-0395615805
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,799,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD BOOK, October 17, 2009

By 

Animal Lover (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Nightmare in History: The Holocaust 1933-1945 (Paperback)

This is a really informative book. I am really into all the WW2 and Holocaust books and movies. I have to say that this is one of my favorites. If you are new to the Holocaust and WW2 this is the book for you to read. great for teenagers.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1st peiod reading -A nightmare in history, December 11, 2001

By 

David N. 1st period. (Grand Island, NE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Nightmare in History: The Holocaust 1933-1945 (Paperback)

Imagne for a second that you are sleeping in yuor house. Suddenly a squad of men come in and hold you at gun point. They kill all of your family members, strip you of all you close and leave you for embarssment in the middle of the street and before they leve they put a star tattoo on your head. They do this all because you are jewish.
In this book, you learn abotu the horrific events of the holocaust. Hitler had a plan called the final step in which the final goal was to wipe out all jewish people in Germany. Adolf had many ways of clereing out the jews. One was simply shooting them. Another burnig down they're house while they are inside of it. Another was a gas chamber. Last but most sickening , submiting them to sick, human experiametaion.
Tjis is a very good book but not for people who get disocrded easily.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1st peiod reading -A nightmare in history, December 11, 2001

By 

David N. 1st period. (Grand Island, NE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Nightmare in History: The Holocaust 1933-1945 (Paperback)

Imagne for a second that you are sleeping in yuor house. Suddenly a squad of men come in and hold you at gun point. They kill all of your family members, strip you of all you close and leave you for embarssment in the middle of the street and before they leve they put a star tattoo on your head. They do this all because you are jewish.
In this book, you learn abotu the horrific events of the holocaust. Hitler had a plan called the final step in which the final goal was to wipe out all jewish people in Germany. Adolf had many ways of clereing out the jews. One was simply shooting them. Another burnig down they're house while they are inside of it. Another was a gas chamber. Last but most sickening , submiting them to sick, human experiametaion.
Tjis is a very good book but not for people who get disocrded easily.