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374th out of 673 books
—
445 voters
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler: A True Love Story Rediscovered
by
Trudi Kanter
The astonishing true journey of Trudi Kanter, an Austrian Jew, whose courage, resourcefulness, and perseverance kept both her and her beloved safe during the Nazi invasion is a rediscovered masterpiece.
In London, in 1984, Trudi Kanter's remarkable memoir was published by N. Spearman. Largely unread, it went out of print until it was re-discovered by a British editor in 201...more
In London, in 1984, Trudi Kanter's remarkable memoir was published by N. Spearman. Largely unread, it went out of print until it was re-discovered by a British editor in 201...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
October 9th 2012
by Scribner
(first published 1984)
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Who doesn't love buried treasure, especially when it's of the literary variety? Part love story and part intimate history of the Nazis' 1938 arrival in Vienna, Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler was originally released—and promptly forgotten—in 1984. Wandering through a bookshop a few years ago, a British editor discovered the out-of-print memoir and decided to republish it. What makes the book so instantly mesmerizing is Trudi Kanter herself, who fashioned sentences just the way she fashioned hat...more
If you read stories about the horrors of WWII and the atrocities endured by the Jewish people, this book may seem trivial and lacking. It is not that kind of story. Instead, Trudi Kanter's story begins in 1938 and details her life in Vienna as an upper-class, beautiful woman with a life of moderate luxury. She is wrapped up in the world of fashion, and is quite successful as a hat designer, with contacts all over Europe.
She is indeed Jewish and nearly on the eve (literally) of Hitler's invasion...more
She is indeed Jewish and nearly on the eve (literally) of Hitler's invasion...more
“Some Girls Some Hats and Hitler” by Trudi Kanter, published by Scribner.
Category – Autobiography/Memoir
Trudi Kanter penned her memoir of her flee from German occupation in 1984. She was living in London and her memoir was taken out of publication due to poor circulation. Her memoir was rediscovered in 2011 and now is available and should be of interest to anyone interested in the holocaust.
Trudi owned her own women’s hat company in Austria and was enjoying life. Her way of life was dashed with...more
Category – Autobiography/Memoir
Trudi Kanter penned her memoir of her flee from German occupation in 1984. She was living in London and her memoir was taken out of publication due to poor circulation. Her memoir was rediscovered in 2011 and now is available and should be of interest to anyone interested in the holocaust.
Trudi owned her own women’s hat company in Austria and was enjoying life. Her way of life was dashed with...more
Sep 26, 2012
La Stamberga dei Lettori
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mara
Una poetica vicenda di “Salvati” ce la regala Trudi Kanter, -nata in Austria a inizio '900 e morta a Londra nel 1992- con questa storia autobiografica, dedicata al marito Walter. Lieve e drammatico, fin dal titolo, il romanzo testimonia come l’intensità di un amore possa superare ostacoli incredibili; pure in un’epoca marchiata dal nazismo e dalla Guerra. Il racconto si avvale di uno stile diretto, pieno di humour. 1938. Trudi è una giovane donna bella ed entusiasta, chioma rosso fuoco, modista...more
I loved this book and I hope it eventually gets the recognition it deserves among WWII memoirs. It's not written in any kind of lofty prose but it's accessible, eventful, and emotional. I also like that a large part of the story is centered in Vienna and the city itself remains a character throughout, always recalled while the author is trying to adjust elsewhere. There are so many stories from locations like occupied Paris and war-torn Germany but relatively few from Vienna, especially one told...more
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler: A True Love Story Rediscovered by Trudi Kanter
★★★★
Amazon Synopsis: In 1938 Trudi Kanter, stunningly beautiful, chic and charismatic, was a hat designer for the best-dressed women in Vienna. She frequented the most elegant cafés. She had suitors. She flew to Paris to see the latest fashions. And she fell deeply in love with Walter Ehrlich, a charming and romantic businessman. But as Hitler’s tanks rolled into Austria, the world this young Jewish couple knew colla...more
★★★★
Amazon Synopsis: In 1938 Trudi Kanter, stunningly beautiful, chic and charismatic, was a hat designer for the best-dressed women in Vienna. She frequented the most elegant cafés. She had suitors. She flew to Paris to see the latest fashions. And she fell deeply in love with Walter Ehrlich, a charming and romantic businessman. But as Hitler’s tanks rolled into Austria, the world this young Jewish couple knew colla...more
A quick read and pretty un-put-downable! This memoir reminded me of another WWII-era one, SUMMER AT TIFFANY, possibly because the story of a Viennese hat designer with a complicated love life seemed in the frothier category. By turns romantic, suspenseful and tragic, Kanter recounts the fateful time when she was trying to get out of Vienna after Hitler marched in. Most of the job fell on her shoulders. Her lover-turned-2nd-husband Walter, like many, hesitated to uproot and leave their home and c...more
Some Girls Some Hats and Hitler By Trudi Kanter A beautiful, poetic memoir of a young gorgeous woman living in Vienna in 1938. Trudi is a stylish, sharp hat designer with her own successful boutique. She is in love with Walter and her intelligent, kind parents live nearby. They live an exciting yet simple life in a lively city that is filled with art and culture and romance. Through the eyes of this young woman we read of the destruction of this life, of this city and all Trudi knows and loves a...more
The title grabbed me and then the story sucked me in. This was compelling, lyrical writing and very hard to put down. In the 1980s Trudi Kanter self-published the story of her escape from WWII Vienna with her husband Walter. The book then fell into obscurity. Thankfully, it was rediscovered and published by Scribner. From the introduction by Linda Grant:
"...There was...an instinctive shrinking away from accounts of the war that did not treat it with the seriousness and solemnity of historians. T...more
"...There was...an instinctive shrinking away from accounts of the war that did not treat it with the seriousness and solemnity of historians. T...more
The overall story is interesting but the writing style is horrible. Difficult to follow direction of thought as situations require interpretation that is not common knowledge in today's society and country. There is a lot if self promotion of author's sexual prowess and desirability. It didn't relate to the storyline, in most cases and seemed self congratulatory. At the same time, the author's "true love" tended toward vanity as well. She didn't trust him with fidelity and it seemed to almost be...more
I wanted to really like this book... I tried very hard to like it a lot.
I think the fact that I started this book and got to the third chapter , then switched to reading The Snow Child (got to third chapter), then switched to reading Terry Pratchet ( which I finished )then went back to 'some girls some hats' and read a couple more chapters ... then switched to The Two Week Wait ( which I absolutely devoured) then bought and read and enjoyed all of The book of tomorrow ... then reluctantly went b...more
I think the fact that I started this book and got to the third chapter , then switched to reading The Snow Child (got to third chapter), then switched to reading Terry Pratchet ( which I finished )then went back to 'some girls some hats' and read a couple more chapters ... then switched to The Two Week Wait ( which I absolutely devoured) then bought and read and enjoyed all of The book of tomorrow ... then reluctantly went b...more
Trudi Kanter's memoir is a touching love story. A milliner, a hat designer, a Jewess, Trudi was much in demand. She traveled to Paris to see the latest trends and returned to her beloved Vienna to design and sew for her enthusiastic customers.
But the rumbles of war became louder and Hitler's march brought him nearer and nearer. She managed to stay one step ahead of Hitler as he marched through Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria. But freedoms began to disappear. Visa applications were rejected. Jew...more
But the rumbles of war became louder and Hitler's march brought him nearer and nearer. She managed to stay one step ahead of Hitler as he marched through Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria. But freedoms began to disappear. Visa applications were rejected. Jew...more
This isa very interesting memoir. It doesn't go in extreme detail of what happened to the Jews in Austria in World War 2 but it is one woman's experience of trying to get out of the country, with the man she loves dearly, and her parents.
It is written in a style that is very like a fiction book...but it is just the writer's style and it makes the story very engaging. She is totally focused on making herself and the man she loves (and marries) safe. This thought obsesses her and causes her to fra...more
It is written in a style that is very like a fiction book...but it is just the writer's style and it makes the story very engaging. She is totally focused on making herself and the man she loves (and marries) safe. This thought obsesses her and causes her to fra...more
JOY...READ. THIS. BOOK. If you want to understand what it was really like to live under the Nazis...not yet another fictional black and white account.
This is real.
The world of chic Vienna is so well conveyed and with charm and grace...elegant prose... and we see and imagine the life Trudi had..and it is fun to read. Yes. Fun.
Then, all gets turned around but instead of writers who use hindsight...we wee how Trudi fights back for her business and her family and people do help her...it is remarkabl...more
This is real.
The world of chic Vienna is so well conveyed and with charm and grace...elegant prose... and we see and imagine the life Trudi had..and it is fun to read. Yes. Fun.
Then, all gets turned around but instead of writers who use hindsight...we wee how Trudi fights back for her business and her family and people do help her...it is remarkabl...more
I really enjoyed reading this woman's telling of her experience. Talented, brave and bright, she managed to save herself, her husband and her parents from the devastating experience of the Nazis. Never giving up, it impressed me so much. It makes me realize how trivial some of the things we allow ourselves to be upset over - people have suffered such things and we are capable of carrying on over nothing. I don't even know what made me buy it, I think that the title captured my curiosity and I'm...more
This excellent WWII memoir was originally self-published in 1984, the author died in 1992, and it was recently rediscovered and republished. It is written beautifully in a clear, yet descriptive style. The harrowing journey of Trudi and her husband from Nazi occupied Austria to England, surviving the Blitz, rescuing her parents and others, as well as her creative life as a milliner are told in an honest voice, never leaving out her fears and moments of bad temper.I would have loved to have been...more
I really love this book. It is one of the best read.
It is a short novel that reflects the reality of the life of a Jew before, during, and after WWII. The author uses a lot of understatement to describe unfortunate events happened to her friends and family. Although these events were understated, readers understand immediately what had happened to them. I find these understatements are very effective and powerful. Maybe events happened during WWII were too harsh for the author to describe in de...more
It is a short novel that reflects the reality of the life of a Jew before, during, and after WWII. The author uses a lot of understatement to describe unfortunate events happened to her friends and family. Although these events were understated, readers understand immediately what had happened to them. I find these understatements are very effective and powerful. Maybe events happened during WWII were too harsh for the author to describe in de...more
I'm definitely in the minority with how I felt regarding this book. It wasn't that I didn't like the topic or what the author was saying. It was the style in which the book was written. It was much more "conversational" in its style, which I had a very hard time with. The author jumped around in her "message" which left me incredibly frustrated. The other thing was that she was too descriptive in how she described scenes, incidents, etc. I must admit that I felt like I was speaking with my grand...more
If the title of this Holocaust memoir makes Hitler seem inconsequential it’s because, well, he is. Yes, there’s fear laced in these pages, but there is joy here, too. At times, the prose is so lively it is almost sunny – bursting with the scenery of Austria, Paris and London. Trudi Katner is not one to hide in the shadows, to cower from her hunters and hope for mercy. No, she is a woman of action – a leading lady in Parisian society, a fashionista, a business woman. She has the foresight, as ear...more
If there is one character in literature who I keep being reminded of in my reading, it's Holly Golightly. Trudi (Ehrlich) Katnter could be the Holly Golightly of World War II survivalists. Her city is Vienna. Her talent is hat-making. Her writing style is delightful and big-eyed. She gets her man and sincerely loves him despite other suitors steadily popping up, she's insanely jealous, and her quick and resourceful mind and can-do attitude save the day countless times, and...she knows class.
Thi...more
Thi...more
As reviewed in Localiez by me...
So many stories about Europe during World War II have been published that it is sometimes difficult choosing which ones to read or just how many. As of late, the trend in publishing seems to be toward more unique stories chronicling the events from a different angle. This is one such tale. Originally published in the 80’s and recently rediscovered, it is the tale of Trudi and Walter two industrious young people in Vienna.
Trudi is a fashionista although that word...more
So many stories about Europe during World War II have been published that it is sometimes difficult choosing which ones to read or just how many. As of late, the trend in publishing seems to be toward more unique stories chronicling the events from a different angle. This is one such tale. Originally published in the 80’s and recently rediscovered, it is the tale of Trudi and Walter two industrious young people in Vienna.
Trudi is a fashionista although that word...more
The story behind this book is an unusual one. It was printed by a small press, went out of print and was found in a used bookshop and reprinted. The publisher can't even find a copyright holder.
While not the best written of Holocaust memoirs, it does give you a different perspective. Trudi Ehrlich was a well-to-do Jewish milliner in Vienna when she first heard the rumblings from her friends to get out of town. Quickly. Though the life she leads is somewhat trivial in the greater scheme of things...more
While not the best written of Holocaust memoirs, it does give you a different perspective. Trudi Ehrlich was a well-to-do Jewish milliner in Vienna when she first heard the rumblings from her friends to get out of town. Quickly. Though the life she leads is somewhat trivial in the greater scheme of things...more
Trudi Kantor's story puts a very human face on the suffering of WW II. The reactions of ordinary people to the invasion of Austria, Poland, and France. Their difficulties dealing with bureaucracy on both sides, and the incredible role of luck in determining who lived is very clear. Her description of the aftermath of a night of bombing in London on the street where she lived is searing. I couldn't put this book down It made me sad to learn that the story ends with her husband's death in 1960.
I thought the first part of the book was poorly edited. The second half was interesting, fast paced and engaging. I liked it because it is something different from what i have read in the past in regard to Hitler's regime. It was fascinating to read a story from a hat designer's point of view, her personal experiences and how she talked about the fashion industry in the 30s. The story is like a breath of fresh air!
Received as an ARC from the publisher. A very quick read but the thoughts will be with you for a long time. It reads almost like a poetic diary. A young Austrian-Jewish woman hat designer tells of her life just prior to WWII, her escape across Europe, her marriage, her friends, and finally her life in England during the Blitz. The author died in 1992, and it's a shame she never wrote more books.
While not great literature, an interesting account of World War II as seen through the eyes of one Austrian woman, a hat designer, desperate to flee her homeland as the Nazis advance. This true story centers around the romance between Trudi and Walter and their escape to England as the Nazis invade Austria. They also managed to rescue Trudi's aging parents.
This small biography is told as a romantic and sometimes scary tale of getting out of Vienna during the rise of Nazism in 1937. You are introduced to the world of Trudi Kanter, a high end milliner when hats were fashionable. An interesting personal account that reveals a resilient and cunning survivor.
-Kathy C.
-Kathy C.
This is a memoir of a fashionable, Jewess hat maker in Austria. She tells about living through the Nazi take over and of her escape to England.
It isn't a great literary work, but it is a story that should be heard. One about the average (yet, stylish) person surviving the awful persecution of a madman.
It isn't a great literary work, but it is a story that should be heard. One about the average (yet, stylish) person surviving the awful persecution of a madman.
This is a pretty quick read. Captures the tension and angst of Vienna when the Nazi's invaded. It's frightening to read of the things done to people simply due to their religion. I've read a lot of holocaust memoirs and this one is a good chronicale of the effects of this on people's everyday lives early in the Nazi assault on Europe.
Trudi has a nice style of writing with feeling. She was a strong person and was a survivor. She did what she had to do and thought on her feet to figure out how to survive. Unlike her husband. He seemed completely inept and he wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for Trudi.
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“After you died, I kept your wardrobe locked, with all your clothes inside, all your lovely ties. The scent of you. I sat inside this wardrobe when I missed you so much.”
—
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Sep 14, 2012 06:57am