Customer Reviews

I Shall Live: Surviving the Holocaust 1939-1945

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
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A possibly biased review because I am related to Henry Orenstein, but I'll do my best to be honest:
I love the book! A couple years ago, I read it for a social studies project. I found out a lot about my family while learning about the horror of reality of that era. I believe Henry Orenstein must have been incredibly brave and clever to escape 5 Nazi camps without any serious injury or disease. I'm proud to say that he is still living today.

The author is fantastic, and his book should be a movie. It is a story so brutal and ugly, that it leaves one depressed about humankind. Yet, I am inspired by the story. That Henry could survive and find some beauty in the world. I feel, through his book, that I lived through the Holocaust period. My hope is that, had I, I would have been as brave as he or his Mrs. Lipinska. I admire this man. And he is a hellava writer. He doesn't, in his story, ponder and ponder his fate. He simply gives the clear facts, succinctly, of his ordeal. It is the reader who is left to ponder and ponder the atrocity of it all. Also, Orenstein intersperses his views, throughout the story, on events that might have changed the course of the war. I find these intriguing.
Colleen Cochran

I read this book a few years ago and was deeply impressed with the story. The author's voice is wry and humorous despite the incredibly dark experience he has endured. It's really a holocaust experience with a twist in that the ironic way that Henry Orenstein survives is key to what makes the story special. This book is well worth a read, especially considering the passing of the generation of people who suffered through those horrific times.

When you label people subhuman, you may find yourself at the mercy of their very human cunning. "I Shall Live: Surviving the Holocaust Against All Odds" reflects on the Orensteins, who survived their ordeal in World War II by defying the higher Nazi plan with a brilliant hoax. A unique holocaust survival story based on wise scheming and determination, "I Shall Live" is not a read to be overlooked for history collections focusing on the Holocaust.

This is a well written personal history of a terrifying time most of us can only imagine. Mr. Orenstein does an amazing job of telling us chronologically what happened to him and those closest to him. What amazed me throughout was the deep vein of hope that was palpable no matter how bad things seemed to be. Perhaps Mr. Orenstein, his family and friends were not always optimistic about their chances but they seemed to remain faithful to one another, their beliefs and their undying faith that the evil that was pervasive during WWII would be beaten down eventually.

I have a deep love of WWII history that was sparked by works of Stephen Ambrose and has crossed over to numerous authors and survivor's stories since. Mr. Orenstein has made his daily life much more visible than some have by focusing on how he dealt with life day in and day out.

To all of the survivors of war, bless you and be strong. Tell your story!

i had to read this book for an english project. at first i didnt really know if it look good until i started really reading it. Henry Orenstein lead a very interesing life so it was a good book