Tomi: A Childhood Under the Nazis [Hardcover]

Tomi Ungerer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1998

Previously published to wide acclaim in France and Germany, "Tomi: A Childhood Under the Nazis" is lavishly illustrated with documents, photos, writings, and artwork that describe the Nazi phenomonon up close--from a child's innocent but surprisingly discerning perspective. 60 photos, 40 in color.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

One of the minences grises of children's literature recasts memoirs originally published in French and German for this lively, sardonic account of the multiple occupations of his native Alsace in WWII. Ungerer views those ``absurd and tragic time s'' from both adult and childish perspectives, recalling his mother's taste for practical jokes and unfailing ability to charm her way around the demands of officialdom, describing the radical changes imposed on every aspect of daily life by the Nazis and the quiet, clever Alsatian resistance, regarding all of the armies, including the ``gallinaceous'' French and aloof, insensitive American, as invadersif sometimes welcome ones. Due in part to his own family's habit of never throwing anything away, and in part to gifts from readers of the foreign-language editions, the author supplies a mind-boggling array of illustrations: photos, postcards, cartoons, advertisements, stamps, posters, old school assignments, childhood drawings, propaganda leaflets, souven irs, and more, many reproduced in full-color, nearly all at least partly translated in explanatory captions. Ungerer does not deny the prison camps, anti-Semitism, and general terror of the experience, but serves up more tributes here than indictmentsand by looking for the humor, or at least the irony, in every situation, he effectively demonstrates the triumph of spirit over circumstance. (Memoir. 11-15) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

Tomi is a child's-eye view of occupation and war; but it is also a visual record kept by a gifted youngster witnessing the world around him. It is, in its own fashion, reminiscent of the movie star photos Anne Frank tacked to the walls of her Amsterdam room, a promise of maturity and a different world. -- The Boston Globe, Robert Taylor

Product Details

• Hardcover: 175 pages
• Publisher: Roberts Rinehart Pub (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570981639
• ISBN-13: 978-1570981630
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,426,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A View of Alsace, December 7, 1999

By 

Mr. David Logan (Strasbourg, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tomi: A Childhood Under the Nazis (Hardcover)

As an American living in Alsace, France, I am interested in how WWII affected this area of hot dispute. Tomi Ungerer's memoir is informative concerning the Nazi occupation, and his ability to paint a vivid picture of Alsace, gives the reader a wonderful introduction to this unique area. His pictoral display, which ranges from his own childhood artwork to advertisements and newspaper clippings, brings that period of history to life. This book is a quick read because of his use of illustrations in telling his story. I highly recommend this book to others that want to learn more about WWII and the unique Alsatian culture.