The Thief of Auschwitz

The Thief of Auschwitz

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4.16 of 5 stars 4.16  ·  rating details  ·  82 ratings  ·  36 reviews
"The camp at Auschwitz took one year of my life, and of my own free will I gave it another four."

So begins The Thief of Auschwitz, the much-anticipated new novel from Jon Clinch, award-winning author of Finn and Kings of the Earth.

In The Thief of Auschwitz, Clinch steps for the first time beyond the deeply American roots of his earlier books to explore one of the darkest m...more
Paperback, 274 pages
Published January 15th 2013 by unmediated ink
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Mary Beth
Jan 27, 2013 Mary Beth marked it as to-read
Jon Clinch has written another novel for my top ten list. The Thief of Auschwitz is as beautifully written as all of his books, but the style is much more spare and unadorned - like the setting where the story unfolds. In all Holocaust books the suffering of the victims is overwhelming, but in this story the inhumanity of the Nazis is equally horrifying in its detached, measured cruelty. Somehow, though, the novel manages to be uplifting. One thing the Nazis couldn't destroy was the loving tie b...more
Nancy
Dec 09, 2012 Nancy marked it as to-read
A family of four, Jacob, the father a barber; Eidel, the mother a very talented artist; Max, the 14-yr old son, big for his age and Lydia, a little slower and asthmatic but a beautiful child. They are taking a train ride like no other – to Auschwitz. Yes, they are Jews. Their trials, brief moment of happiness bring together an epic tale of love and sacrifice. Bittersweet reunions of a sort and the ultimate escape by one of them.
This story was so moving to me that I actually cried through quite a...more
W
Oct 25, 2012 W rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2012-read, arc
The whole continent was on its last legs, shot full of holes and staggering forward, trying with every last bit of strength not to fall into its own grave.

(Fictional) Auschwitz survivor and painter, Max, recalls the time he and his family spent in Auschwitz and the lengths his parents went through to ensure his safety.

In a fascinating mix of historical fiction, art history, and the touching tale of family love, peppered with just a bit of dark humor, this novel manages to bring to the reader th...more
Brian Sweany
Oh but for that elusive fifth star, a conscious decision in reviewing THE THIEF OF AUSCHWITZ for which I'm admittedly being unfair to Jon Clinch. I found it impossible to review this book in a vacuum, outside the context of the vast swath of Holocaust literature that precedes it obviously, but also outside the context of the author's short but prodigious career.

From Anne Frank to Elie Wiesel to the newly rediscovered Hans Fallada, the voices of the Holocaust cast long shadows over this canon of...more
Jen
The Thief of Auschwitz by Jon Clinch is an ARC sent by Kelley & Hall. Clinch took an unusual step in self-publishing this novel: could have been risky-- but maybe not, because he had already made a name for himself with his first novel Finn, which was "named a best book of the year by the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune and the Christian Science Monitor." Other critical acclaim came from the ALA, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Kirkus.

I can't say that I "liked" Finn, but I appr...more
Kristi (Books and Needlepoint)
This is one of those books that I don't know where to begin in trying to review it. The subject matter is of such significance, that my meager words will pale greatly in comparison.

Max is only 14 years old when his family is taken to Auschwitz. They had been moving from place to place for awhile, only putting off what I believe they knew was inevitable. They lose Lydia the first day there, as children aren't consider viable. Max is only saved due to his size - he is able to pass for 18 and so...more
Kris
Told in two intertwining narratives, The Thief of Auschwitz takes readers on a dual journey: one into the death camp at Auschwitz with Jacob, Eidel, Max, and Lydia Rosen; the other into the heart of Max himself, now an aged but extremely vital—and outspoken—survivor. Max is a renowned painter, and he’s about to be honored with a retrospective at the National Gallery in Washington. The truth, though, is that he’s been keeping a crucial secret from the art world—indeed from the world at large, and...more
Debbie
The story starts in 1942 when the Rosen family with no other alternative arrives at the train station to Auschwitz where for the next year through death, humiliation, degradation and torture their lives are documented. The story is told in excruciatingly painful words to read but also with all the humanness that makes this such an important novel. We’re introduced to all sorts of characters from the soldiers to the prisoners, from the truly cruel to those who’s cruelty resulted from the circumst...more
Christian
If you want a page turner, this is definitely one of them.

It's a powerful story of the Holocaust from a fictional point of view. There are two stories taking place. The first follows the Rosen family: Jacob, Eidel, Lydia and Max as they endure living in Auschwitz and the second story is Max, many years later as he is about to be featured at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Lydia dies upon arrival. Max and Jacob are laborers and Eidel works in a mess hall. Later, Max and Jacob work at a...more
Lisa
Clinch has the gentle touch necessary to tell a tale like this, one of the millions of small stories that make up such a staggeringly big one. He steers clear of pathos or melodrama, instead using his story to bear witness to the significance of one family's lives. That it also happens to be a captivating -- all right, I'll say it: entertaining -- book doesn't discount its seriousness at all. The tale of Jacob, Eidel, Max, and Lydia Rosen is a reminder that while storytelling generally can't sav...more
Sestearns
This new book from Jon Clich was an unexpectedly fast read for me (almost finished it in one sitting). It manages to convey the harsh realities of World War II concentration camp life, the value of art and the acts and impact of love, while using a sly, sardonic humor to avoid becoming too dark and too depressing. Central to the novel is a painting of young girl bathed in sunlight and the novel itself seems to glow with that same sunlight, contrasting the darkness and shadows all around it. The...more
Foreword Reviews
"There is nothing forgiving in the landscape of The Thief of Auschwitz, yet Jon Clinch renders a portrait that is at once redemptive and enduring. One might wonder what more could be said about one of the most brutal moments in mankind’s history. Clinch answers with an evocative story that reminds us that it is because of the impermanence of evil that we are able to sustain ourselves in its midst. Maybe most remarkably, The Thief of Auschwitz is also a love story." -- Chris Henning

ForeWord Revie...more
Amantha
I finished this book this morning and immediately marked it as finished on Goodreads and gave it a four-star rating. After lunch, when I was more lucid, I couldn't really think of why I would give it a four. Yes, it was good. It was intriguing. There was nothing outstandingly terrible about it...yet nor was there anything outstandingly wonderful.

In modern times, Max Rosen is a famous artist who has been forced to look back on his life now that he is - on paper, at least - nearing 80 years old. H...more
Kathleen
As its survivors slowly leave us, the brutal cost of the Holocaust for millions upon millions of families grows dim even though Shoah projects across the globe scramble to preserve stories of the perished and connect survivors. The Thief of Auschwitz is an intimate, necessary representation of one family’s love and sacrifice in this horrific context. Even if the convergence of events would have been unlikely in the randomness of the larger reality, this compelling tale reminds us to honor such f...more
Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com
The Thief of Auschwitz by Jon Clinch is a fic­tional book telling of a family’s strug­gle to sur­vive. Mr. Clinch’s pre­vi­ous books, Finn and Kings of the Earth won awards and com­men­da­tion from around the country.

The story is told in flash­backs of Max Rosen, an artist, octo­ge­nar­ian, Holo­caust sur­vivor and son of Eidel and Jacob who per­ished in Auschwitz. In his story Max remem­bers his par­ents, their tremen­dous strug­gle to sur­vive in the con­cen­tra­tion camp and all they gave up...more
Twigg
This was a really great read, except for two issues:

1) Most of the book takes place in Auschwitz, but there are small chapters that take place in present day New York City. The present day scenes are very out of place and confusing. I think they would have been better placed at the end.

(view spoiler)[
2) The parents’ ending was abrupt. Clinch spent 200 pages forming these great characters and there was no closure for them. I would have loved to find out what happened to them after Max escaped.
(
...more
Eric Kibler
I was surprised that I liked this book less than I liked Finn and Kings of the Earth.

By saying that, I don't want to put anyone off reading it. For those who like simple storytelling values, it's a great treat. And for some, this book may prove to be their favorite Clinch novel. Think of books like The Help, Water for Elephants, and The Book Thief, which offer similar twists, turns, tears, scares, and thrills.

Based on his earlier work, though, I expect Clinch to deliver more literary invention. Such as the way "Finn" created a tightly fitting companion...more
Ann
Jan 06, 2013 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2012
I'm a longtime fan of Jon Clinch, and though this book is very different in feel from Finn and Kings of the Earth, I liked it just as much. Without minimizing or diluting the horrors of Auschwitz, Clinch demonstrates how literature can show us the light and shadows in even the darkest experiences. Clinch's characters bring us close to the story, and while we feel the pain and know what lies ahead, we keep reading, because we care.
Cindy S
This is the inspirational, heartbreaking story of the Rosen family, Jacob, Eidel, Max and Lydia, caught in the Nazi takeover. Jacob is a barber and Eidel is an artist. Both skills are utilized in the concentration camp. The story alternates with a narrative by Max as an old man, living in America. Moving and horrifying, it is a story of unbelievable courage and the need to remain human while enduring extreme brutality.
Cherylann
Since I teach the Holocaust each year, I felt like I had a pretty good idea of the time period and the atrocities that took place. The Thief of Auschwitz is a brief look at life in Auschwitz - specifically about what happens to one family as they enter the camp. Compelling and gripping, The Thief of Auschwitz is a new look at a horrific time in history.
Cheri
Jon Clinch has a gift for exposing the heart and souls of his characters, even in the darkest of circumstances. I loved "Kings of the Earth, and I expected to "The Thief of Auschwitz" to bring that unique combination of beautiful writing, uncomfortable settings and dark topics, dark settings.

Clinch pulled me in from the first line and it was impossible to put this down from that moment on.
Sandy
After finishing this book, I realized that the thief was Auschwitz. Stolen were people's stories. A survivor, an artist in his own right, attempts to recapture the one told on canvas by his mother. Auschwitz: the place of thousands of horror stories, a place where stories were stolen. Stories that elude recapture.
Ruth
Because I loved Jon Clinch’s Finn and Kings of the Earth so much I could hardly wait to get my hands on The Thief of Auschwitz. Unfortunately, Clinch set the jump pretty high for himself with the first two books, so that I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed in this one. Perhaps it’s because so many books have been written about the Holocaust, or perhaps it’s because I’ve read way too many. This is a well-written book that I plowed right through. But…but… Don’t get me wrong, it’s an exce...more
Lou
Nov 07, 2012 Lou marked it as to-read
Read recent interview i had with the author, he talks about his forthcoming novel, THE THIEF OF AUSCHWITZ @
http://more2read.com/review/interview-with-jon-clinch/
Kats
Yet another holocaust novel that is well written and full of revolting details on atrocities that, actually if I'm honest, sometimes I'd rather "unknow", given that this fiction is based on the most unbelievably horrific crimes committed in the fairly recent past.

In "The Thief of Auschwitz" the author investigates the parental love angle; how far will parents go to save their beloved child, or even the memory of their child? I don't think we even need the extreme circumstances of a concentratio...more
Linda
I think I have found my most recent favorite author. I love the way that multiple characters in this work put pencil to paper as an attempt at psychic survival. You already know how this story ends, but the reading is so compelling that you move through it anyway, hoping for Max's survival in spite of the realization that the survival itself might be too much to bear. What's next, Jon Clinch?
Penny
This book deals with a Jewish family in the concentation camp and how they "save" their daughter or at least her memory.
Lil
I never felt like I dropped into the story...always was aware of "reading a book".
Priscilla Dicarlo
I met Jon this past weekend and I told him I knew I was going to like his book after I read the first sentence. A truly wonderful and heartfelt story.

Nicole
Jon Clinch is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I have done a lot of reading, both fiction and non-fiction, on the Holocaust and this novel is unlike any other I've read. What I enjoyed most about the novel was the role that art played to the plot. I also enjoyed the organization of the two plot lines that intersected. I recommend this book to any history lover or someone who wants to read a book set during the Holocaust without too many gritty details. This is a haunting story that I...more
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The Thief of Auschwitz (ebook)
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Born and raised in the remote heart of upstate New York, Jon Clinch has been an English teacher, a metalworker, a folksinger, an illustrator, a typeface designer, a housepainter, a copywriter, and an advertising executive.

His latest novel, The Thief of Auschwitz, arrived on January 15, 2013 on his own imprint, unmediated ink. Howard Frank Mosher, author of Walking to Gatlinburg, calls the book "th...more
More about Jon Clinch...
Finn Kings of the Earth Unmediated Ink: Notes From The Self-Publishing Revolution Blue Christmas: Holiday Stories for the Rest of Us

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