Goodbye Is Not Forever

by Amy George, Al Janssen

The author describes her life in Russia during World War II, recounts being reunited with her father after more than thirty years, and argues faith helped her survive

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Christian, Memoir, War, History, World War II

309 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1994

Reviews

[Joanna Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a story! A Russian family is torn apart by the Soviets, deported by Germans, delivered by Americans... an amazing story of God’s mercy. Written more as a memoir than a narrative story. The best part was when Amy’s father showed up in Chicago! Highly recommend.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story!!!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most incredible biographies I have read. This family’s story tells the terrible truths of suffering under Stalin and Hitler’s communist and totalitarian governments and the infinitely *more* powerful and loving hand of the Lord that reigns over all. Exactly the reminder that I needed. Highly, highly recommend 🙌📚

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A non-Jewish memoir from World War II, Amy George records life and its hardships for her family during their time in the Soviet Union and Germany. After reading Holocaust literature, you quickly notice the different tenor of labor camps vs. concentration camps, of racism toward Jews vs. racism toward everyone else.

[Madalyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found the story interesting -- haven't read much before about non-Jewish Russians who were caught up in World War II. Could have done without the evangelical Christian altar call at the end of the book, though.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Amy Georges' life story in this book. I didnt care for the end of the book too much though.

[James Nassur · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT read by George. I felt absolutely tied to this heart-wrenching, well-written story of George and her family's experiences during the time period of Stalin and WWII. Like many books, fiction and non-fiction, focus on the Holocaust and Jewish perspective of the war, I found this book to provide unique insight to the Soviet Union during this period and also the treatment of prisoners-of-war.

I was enamored by the bravery and dedication of Maria to her children despite extreme personal and emotional difficulties. I still cannot fathom this total treatment of humans as animals, let alone the fact that this occurred less than a century ago. The fact that life can be reduced from aspiring for goals to mere survival is in the very least daunting.

I found George's reflection on Christ and his manifestation of saving through her marriage with Bob, her development as a wife and mother, and most of all through the arrival and first meeting with her father to be so valid. This belief and trust in Christ kept George hopeful and strong despite any hardships. I appreciated her introduction to faith and really found myself to align with her ambiguity regarding sect/denomination, for I feel the main premise of her belief is in God, regardless of distinctions in interpretation and origination. Such a perspective in faith demonstrates the great value and added to my personal views and relationship with my religion.

To anyone who takes an interest in WWII history, finds appreciation in resolute familial dedication and values, or seeks the value of faith and relationship with God, this is a fantastic read!

[Julie LaRock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was suggested to me by a friend as I passed over it on our church's library shelf. I'm glad I picked it up! It is a story of a family from the Ukraine torn apart by WW2. There are many books focused on WW2, and this one I found fascinating. I love a good true story, and I enjoyed the perspective of this one. We see Germans who extend grace to this broken family, and German soldiers who were kind as well. So often we don't see that side of Germany. Some are unkind and fearful of these foreigners, but some German villagers shelter and ultimately introduce this family to Jesus. We get a view of what like was like under communism in the Ukraine, and then what it was like to be without a country in occupied Germany. It is hard to read, and the end made me cry. Worth the read, though.

[Amy Edelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book read very smoothly. I could envision the entire thing and the details given were fantastic. With that said, I did get a tad bored when the excessive God talk began. Which happens in the last few chapters. Otherwise, it was inciteful of the horror they encountered, and not to take away from, was certainly not as bad as others had it. They had a happy ever after, if you want to call it that. They were very fortunate. Their lives did make for a good story.

[Lorenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It didn't convert me to evangelicalism, but it is very well-made and heartwarming. The family in this book had gone through hell, in a metaphorical sense. I enjoyed it very much, and it gave me insight into the human terrors that we as a species have tried so hard to eradicate. This is a must-read if you are interested in WWII memoirs, from both Soviet and Nazi perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

[Michael W. Boleware · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting firsthand account of the hard life behind the iron curtain and swIM Germany and post-war Germany. Also inspirational and thought provoking without being preachy. Have the tissues handy.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! I learned to look at the bright side, I cried, I was inspired! I have actually read this 5 times now in the last 15 years everytime I have learned something. Thank you Amy for sharing your story. 😍

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Ukrainian girl loses her father to Siberia and is caught between Hitler and Stalin. She and her family survive and find Jesus! Slow at parts but heartbreaking and I binged the last part cause I had to know how it ended.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I had started reading, I wanted to keep reading until it was finished. The end chapters seemed to fill in only small bits of each person's continuing stories. This was one of my fastest reads ever.

[Lucy De Jongh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very inspiring real story of struggle and survival. How God's Grace and Power brought all things together for good to those who love Him.

Tears come easily while reading this story.

[Danise Lodwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing true story! I’ve read it three times and I usually don’t read a book twice!

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard book to read at points because of government inflicted suffering.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and easy to read.

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming story of perseverance. I wish the photos had not been put in the middle of the book, it kinda spoils some parts of the story.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. Sobering to think of all those affected under the Iron Curtain.

[Julie Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This real life story is intriguing and awe inspiring. It is a good story of WWII and the Christianity aspect is amazing. Definitely recommend!

[Kris Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. We should never take our freedoms for granted.

[Homicidal Muffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like the first ¾ of the book. The story of Amy's family and life living in the Ukraine was interesting and unbelievably sad at the same time. I liked both her parents and felt horrible for her poor father being brutally imprisoned for years even though he never committed any crime. The mother was incredibly strong during their life in Russia, alone keeping her children alive, having her husband imprisoned, being black balled by the government, during the German occupation of Ukraine, forced into slave labor camps in Germany, and defecting at the end of the war.
Amy’s older sister was equally strong and I believe her connections are what actually saved the family. No one would have survived were it not for Amy’s mother and sister.
A couple of odd things stood out to me the first being that both Amy and her family claimed they never knew during the entire war and once released what was happening to the Jewish people. They never heard about them being rounded up and murdered, never heard of any death camps. I found it strange the German people never discussed it or acknowledged it amongst themselves. It just wasn’t discussed. Secondly, I would have thought once they escaped the mother or older sister would have immediately tried to find out about their husband/fathers fate back in Russia. They had many relatives but never once tried to contact any of them until several years later.
I only gave the book three stars because the last quarter of the book for me went astray with her new found Christianity. From chapter 18 – 21 I started skipping whole paragraphs at a time with her constant preaching about God, non-stop quoting of scriptures, hymens and worst of all after finally meeting her father converting him to the same belief, even going so far as telling him God was with him his entire life and these things happened that way because it’s Gods plan and he was just making him strong for his traumatic life, and unending suffering. I thought it was a horrible thing to say to either of her parents and I find it very naïve and almost egotistical. I’m an atheist and didn’t appreciate her trying to wrap her parents horrors and lost lives in a pretty neat package via Gods will. I thought it was shameful. I am however thankful the family did make it out alive and that her parents had some sort of peace in the end.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of Amy George, born in Drushkovka (a village in Ukraine) Russia shortly before World War II. When she was only a baby, the Soviet secret police forcefully arrested her father, Fyodor, and sent him to the frozen wastelands of Siberia. When World War II erupted, Hitler's armies eventually invaded her small Russian village. Amy, her older brother Tarasik, and her mother, Maria were taken by cattle car to work in a slave labor camp within Germany where they toiled under dire conditions. Once the war was over, Amy and her mother made a daring escape from the Russian officers who were ordered to bring the Russian prisoners back to Soviet Russia (where they were likely to be executed as traitors if they did return). All the while, Amy wondered whether her father might still be alive and if he was, would she ever see him again?
This book shares "a vivid reminder that God's grace is at work in our lives long before we know Him..."
This is a very inspiring story! I really enjoyed it!

[Jaclynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a young Ukranian girl, Amy and her family before, during, and after WW2. This book is a fairly detailed story of what happened in her life including the horrors she and her loved ones experienced along with the small joys and hope that kept them going. It has a happy ending with the reunion of her father as a 40 yr. old woman and the chance to share the love of Christ with him. This was a book I found it hard to put down!

[Marxist Lapin · Rating 5 out of 5]

haunting. rife with prose, it is also naked with the fear and hunger of desperate people trapped in wartime. it lacks the vague beauty of corrie ten boom's 'the hiding place,' or the cold science of leo uris' 'QB VII.' instead, it wraps all the horror, pain, tragedy, and hopelessness of WW11's atrocities into a bloody package and hurls it directly into the reader's face with the patently cruel bleakness that i've come to expect only from stephen king.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did something I never had done before when I started this book. I read the end first. I decided if it didn't end happily, I was not going to read it. I know enough about war and death and at the time I read this I needed some encouragement. I was not disappointed. This was written by Bob George's wife.(Classic Christianity author)

[Ann Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read many Holocaust books, but this one was different coming from a Ukranian author. Was there no end to the misery? How hard for Amy to find her father at last and still not be able to see him because of the Cold War. When they finally are able to meet again, it is only for three weeks. Can't fathom such hardship.

[Leigh Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a VERY good autobiography of a lady who lived through WWII as a child, in Russia, and the many things that happened to her family, including her father being in prison for many years and her mom having to scrape by with odd jobs. It is a quick read because once you start it you can't put it down!