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Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust
“A poignant overview of life inside the ghetto.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
Between 1941 and 1945, the small town of Terezín, Czechoslovakia, was a transit camp for thousands of Jewish people. It was a Nazi “show” camp, where inmates were forced to use their artistic talents to fool the world about the truth of gas chambers and horrific living conditions for imprisoned Jews. Here is their story, told through the firsthand accounts and artwork of those who were there.
Back matter includes a time line, a glossary, sources, and an index.
Between 1941 and 1945, the small town of Terezín, Czechoslovakia, was a transit camp for thousands of Jewish people. It was a Nazi “show” camp, where inmates were forced to use their artistic talents to fool the world about the truth of gas chambers and horrific living conditions for imprisoned Jews. Here is their story, told through the firsthand accounts and artwork of those who were there.
Back matter includes a time line, a glossary, sources, and an index.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Ruth Thomson
390 books7 followersRuth Thomson is an author and editor of many children's books. She has an MA in museum and gallery education and lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 12, 2011
I’ve read so many books about Theresienstadt, the “model ghetto” concentration camp the Nazis set up for Jews, a large preponderance of them artists, musicians, etc. skilled in the arts. This is a new book for older children. It’s a good introduction to Terezin/Theresienstadt and to the Holocaust too.
It’s very well structured, told mostly in chronological order. It’s told mostly by fairly short quotes from those imprisoned there, some who survived, many who did not, who either died there or were murdered in other concentration camps after deportation from this ghetto camp.
The photos are wonderful, some art done by the prisoners is shown, and at the end of the book there is a rather thorough timeline, a glossary, and a list of sources.
This might not be the very best book about this place that I’ve read, but it is an excellent overview of what happened at Terezin and it’s recounted in a chillingly effective manner both because the reader learns what happens as time goes on, just the way the victims did, and because the people who were affected there get to tell what happened in their own words.
They didn’t need photoshop or any particular technology back then to be skilled liars about what was truly going on, just diabolical planning and intent. Stupid Red Cross!!!
It’s very well structured, told mostly in chronological order. It’s told mostly by fairly short quotes from those imprisoned there, some who survived, many who did not, who either died there or were murdered in other concentration camps after deportation from this ghetto camp.
The photos are wonderful, some art done by the prisoners is shown, and at the end of the book there is a rather thorough timeline, a glossary, and a list of sources.
This might not be the very best book about this place that I’ve read, but it is an excellent overview of what happened at Terezin and it’s recounted in a chillingly effective manner both because the reader learns what happens as time goes on, just the way the victims did, and because the people who were affected there get to tell what happened in their own words.
They didn’t need photoshop or any particular technology back then to be skilled liars about what was truly going on, just diabolical planning and intent. Stupid Red Cross!!!
July 23, 2013
Audience: Intermediate and older
Genre: Nonfiction
Awards: NCTE ORBIS PICTUS AWARD Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, Honor book for 2012.
Review: From an adult perspective, this book was amazing. There are many books about the Holocaust, but this is the first book I have read that included so much artwork. I had never heard of Terezin. Most of the nonfiction Holocaust books I have read cover the subject in general with information and images from around Nazi controlled Europe. However, Terezin Voices From the Holocaust mainly focuses on life in the city of Terezin and Czechoslovakia during the rise of Hitler and when Terezin becomes a Jewish ghetto. The book includes first person accounts, pictures, and artwork of the Jews housed at Terezin. The most maddening part of reading this book is the information regarding the complete cover-up orchestrated by the Nazis to prepare for the Red Cross visit requested by the Danish government.
This book has moving accounts of the survivors. The most poignant being the one on page 57 subtitled, Disposing of the Ashes. The artwork and pictures are abundant in the book and add to comprehension. At Terezin, there was a wealth of art hidden before some of the Jewish artists were sent to their deaths. These primary source pictures can create meaningful discussion. If I were to use this book with 4th- 6th graders, I would use selected passages and of course there would need to be critical vocabulary discussed and background knowledge developed.
For me, this was a superb nonfiction book that could be used with mature, intermediate readers.
Discussion Questions relating to Blooms Taxonomy
Level 1, Remembering
Why did the Germans choose the city of Terezin to become a Ghetto for Czechoslovakia’s Jews?
Level 2, Understanding
The Nuremberg Laws, passed by Germany in 1935, stripped Jews of many rights such as citizenship, the right to marry a non-Jew, and to work in their professions. Find examples from the section, How Life Changed for Czech Jews, on page 9, to show how these laws were carried out in Nazi controlled Czechoslovakia.
Level 3, Applying
Read the section sub titled, Getting Ready for Transport on page 12. Imagine you were given only a day’s notice to pack two suitcases weighing up to 50 kilograms (about 100 pounds). You also have to carry them yourself. You have no idea if you will ever return to your home. What would you take and why?
Level 4, Analyzing
Use a T-Chart to compare and contrast Bedrich Fritta’s official print titled Building Barracks done for the Nazis versus the private print titled Life in Terezin that Fritta drew secretly at night. See page 17 for the artwork. Consider making a list of the characteristics of each print.
Level 5, Evaluating
During the Nazi occupation of Europe, no one believed or proved the terrible things the Nazis perpetrated against the Jews until after the Germans lost the war. Put the Red Cross on trial. Did they do a good job of checking out the conditions in the Ghetto of Terezin after the Danish king requested a visit by them? See pages 45-51?
Level 6, Creating
Terezin, Voices from the Holocaust frequently refers to many sicknesses and diseases suffered by the Jews living in the ghetto. One quote says. “The Germans were terrified of typhus…” Research typhus and its effect during the Holocaust. What other diseases killed Jews during this time?
Genre: Nonfiction
Awards: NCTE ORBIS PICTUS AWARD Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, Honor book for 2012.
Review: From an adult perspective, this book was amazing. There are many books about the Holocaust, but this is the first book I have read that included so much artwork. I had never heard of Terezin. Most of the nonfiction Holocaust books I have read cover the subject in general with information and images from around Nazi controlled Europe. However, Terezin Voices From the Holocaust mainly focuses on life in the city of Terezin and Czechoslovakia during the rise of Hitler and when Terezin becomes a Jewish ghetto. The book includes first person accounts, pictures, and artwork of the Jews housed at Terezin. The most maddening part of reading this book is the information regarding the complete cover-up orchestrated by the Nazis to prepare for the Red Cross visit requested by the Danish government.
This book has moving accounts of the survivors. The most poignant being the one on page 57 subtitled, Disposing of the Ashes. The artwork and pictures are abundant in the book and add to comprehension. At Terezin, there was a wealth of art hidden before some of the Jewish artists were sent to their deaths. These primary source pictures can create meaningful discussion. If I were to use this book with 4th- 6th graders, I would use selected passages and of course there would need to be critical vocabulary discussed and background knowledge developed.
For me, this was a superb nonfiction book that could be used with mature, intermediate readers.
Discussion Questions relating to Blooms Taxonomy
Level 1, Remembering
Why did the Germans choose the city of Terezin to become a Ghetto for Czechoslovakia’s Jews?
Level 2, Understanding
The Nuremberg Laws, passed by Germany in 1935, stripped Jews of many rights such as citizenship, the right to marry a non-Jew, and to work in their professions. Find examples from the section, How Life Changed for Czech Jews, on page 9, to show how these laws were carried out in Nazi controlled Czechoslovakia.
Level 3, Applying
Read the section sub titled, Getting Ready for Transport on page 12. Imagine you were given only a day’s notice to pack two suitcases weighing up to 50 kilograms (about 100 pounds). You also have to carry them yourself. You have no idea if you will ever return to your home. What would you take and why?
Level 4, Analyzing
Use a T-Chart to compare and contrast Bedrich Fritta’s official print titled Building Barracks done for the Nazis versus the private print titled Life in Terezin that Fritta drew secretly at night. See page 17 for the artwork. Consider making a list of the characteristics of each print.
Level 5, Evaluating
During the Nazi occupation of Europe, no one believed or proved the terrible things the Nazis perpetrated against the Jews until after the Germans lost the war. Put the Red Cross on trial. Did they do a good job of checking out the conditions in the Ghetto of Terezin after the Danish king requested a visit by them? See pages 45-51?
Level 6, Creating
Terezin, Voices from the Holocaust frequently refers to many sicknesses and diseases suffered by the Jews living in the ghetto. One quote says. “The Germans were terrified of typhus…” Research typhus and its effect during the Holocaust. What other diseases killed Jews during this time?
November 30, 2012
This book tells the story of the town Terezin in what is now the Czech Republic, it was named Theresiendstadt by the Nazis when it was turned into a ghetto and transport camp for Jews during the Holocaust. The camp’s history is told by Thomson and accompanied by personal accounts and artwork from the Terezin victims themselves. Many of the Jews sent to Terezin were middle-class professionals, some of which were established artists who secretly made drawings of the suffering that took place at the camp. Their artwork was later discovered after the war ended, telling a dramatic and horrifying tale of the tens of thousands of prisoners who suffered there. At one point the Nazi’s turned the camp into a “show” camp to deter suspicion about the treatment of the Jews and the existence of death camps, their ruse worked and even a propaganda movie was later filmed at the camp in the same effort. Thomson’s book will appeal to young readers interested in learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust. Like much documentation on the Holocaust, much of the story seems so unbelievable that the reader is made to wish it were so. Readers will be struck by the illustrations and other primary documents and photos included throughout the book. It is obvious Thomson put much research and planning into the book and its layout in order to make it accessible and engaging to younger readers. The timeline at the end of the book helps readers understand Terezin’s place within the context of the War and the Holocaust. For me, the personal accounts and the artwork of the Terezin prisoners themselves were the most powerful part of the book, their words and pictures were captivating, and I am sure this aspect will appeal to young readers the most as well. This book should definitely be included in Holocaust collections in school and public libraries; it is suitable for younger and older readers alike.
May 3, 2012
Lisa Campbell
Information Book
The book chronicles the lives of the Jews sent to Terezin, Czechoslovkia during the Holocaust. Terezin was a transportation camp that was a stopover for many during the deportation of Jews to the death camps. Inside Terezin, artists were forced to create propaganda for the Nazi’s but secretly recorded the horrors they were suffering with their art. Using first hand accounts and the recovered artwork of the artists, this book relays the harsh realities that existed. Terezin was a “show camp” for the Nazi’s which they would exhibit to organizations such as the Red Cross to show that the conditions were not as harsh as rumored. Of course it was all a fascade. Of the 15,000 children that passed through Terezin, less than 100 survived the end of the war. In total over 86,000 were transported from Terezin to the death camps and less than 3000 survived. Those in Terezin found comfort where they could, holding secret concerts, readings and art. As one survivor put it, “I can assure you, if anyone is ever in a lurch, poetry, theater and music are the only answers for survival.” Of all the artists that worked at Terezin, only one survived. After the war Leo Haas returned to the camp and was able to retrieve the hidden art works that make up the majority of the book.
This would be an inspiring book for any teen about true survival. It shows that even in the darkest circumstances, art has the power to change lives and uplift souls. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to know more about the Holocaust.
Information Book
The book chronicles the lives of the Jews sent to Terezin, Czechoslovkia during the Holocaust. Terezin was a transportation camp that was a stopover for many during the deportation of Jews to the death camps. Inside Terezin, artists were forced to create propaganda for the Nazi’s but secretly recorded the horrors they were suffering with their art. Using first hand accounts and the recovered artwork of the artists, this book relays the harsh realities that existed. Terezin was a “show camp” for the Nazi’s which they would exhibit to organizations such as the Red Cross to show that the conditions were not as harsh as rumored. Of course it was all a fascade. Of the 15,000 children that passed through Terezin, less than 100 survived the end of the war. In total over 86,000 were transported from Terezin to the death camps and less than 3000 survived. Those in Terezin found comfort where they could, holding secret concerts, readings and art. As one survivor put it, “I can assure you, if anyone is ever in a lurch, poetry, theater and music are the only answers for survival.” Of all the artists that worked at Terezin, only one survived. After the war Leo Haas returned to the camp and was able to retrieve the hidden art works that make up the majority of the book.
This would be an inspiring book for any teen about true survival. It shows that even in the darkest circumstances, art has the power to change lives and uplift souls. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to know more about the Holocaust.
March 17, 2014
Thomson's introduction to Terezin, the concentration camp, is aimed at upper elementary to middle school children, and avoids some of the more horrific details of life there, yet making it plain that life there was unpleasant. Photos and artwork drawn by people at Terezin accompany descriptions of various aspects of life there as well as plentiful quotes from survivors. Thomson covers the history of the camp from it's inception to the liberation of the prisoners by the Russians, and provides photos of what it looks like today.
I wish someone in the Red Cross had been able to see beneath the facade that the Nazis created for their visit. That bothered me the most of anything in the book. The constant lies--such evil. I'm glad someone survived to tell the truth, but I wish it had been many, many more.
Recommended.
I wish someone in the Red Cross had been able to see beneath the facade that the Nazis created for their visit. That bothered me the most of anything in the book. The constant lies--such evil. I'm glad someone survived to tell the truth, but I wish it had been many, many more.
Recommended.
March 19, 2011
The story of the Nazi's "model concentration camp" told through quotes from people imprisoned their and many visual artifacts (reproduced in color), including art work created by prisoners. An excellent textual and visual documentary, and an important addition to Holocaust literarture for young people.
April 9, 2018
This book addresses the presence of different types of camps that are filled with many of the same horrors associated with the Nazi reign, but contain strikingly different information. Thomson uses expository style and diary entries combined with pictures and art pieces to exemplify the devastating conditions of the camp. The reader is brought through the timeline of events in the camp as it transitioned from ghetto to transit camp and eventually a ruse to defend so called “Jewish settlements.” The book contains primary source and secondary source information that indicate the research put into the book is accurate and thoughtful. Accuracy is also supported by a bibliography at the end of the book, a timeline of events and a note from Thomson that illustrates how she chose what to include. The effectiveness of accurate facts is furthered by Thomson as she does not solely rely on the primary source diary writing pieces but instead combines them with primary source art pieces that depict the details of the writing. The writing is more personal as Thomson is able to use excerpts to personalize and truly personify the facts associated with the camp.
November 13, 2017
This book takes the reader through the timeline of the Holocaust and World War Two and gives information about important aspects of those two things. The special part about this book is that each page gives the headline with facts and information and then there are stories in quotes from people who survived the war and Holocaust. This is the part of the book that makes the books information feel real and gives a lot more detail because there are quotes and stories from survivors who were at the site of these events. The book describes in detail different parts of the Holocaust such as the Ghettos, deportations, Transports, etc. in order of time. Within each section there are in depth descriptions about other aspects of those sections and stories from survivors. This is a great book to use in the classroom to teach students about the Holocaust and war. It is easy to follow along and read so it is a great book for students and teachers to use.
March 28, 2018
This book was one that was haunting yet extremely informative about how the Jewish people were treated during World War 2. This picture book was one of the 2012 honor books for the Orbis Pictus award. Throughout the entire book we get to learn about the ghettos that the Jews were sent too. Before Auschwitz, the Jews would be sent to live in the these ghettos that were filled with starvation, death and disease but the rest of the world was shown that these ghettos were actually Jewish Spas. This book explains all the deception and manipulation that was involved with the Nazi party during World War 2. Even though this book is one that talks about something so dark in history it is something that the world needs to know about, I know that I personally never learned about the ghettos and how the world was manipulated into thinking the Jews were being treated well. I think that this book is a great to have older kids read when they are learning about the Holocaust and World War 2.
November 26, 2018
In Terezin, we get to learn about another part of the world that was impacted by the Holocaust, Czechoslovakia. The book tells the story in chronological order of when the war began and continued with when the country was invaded by the Nazis. This book is a strong example of the strength of people to help and survive in one of the hardest times in modern worlds history. I found this book to be very interesting because I had never read anything about what happened in Czechoslovakia during World War II. This gave me even more information about World War II and helped widen my view of what was impacted during the war. Normally when you think about World War II you think about Germany, Poland, Italy, and England and this shows us that there was so much more going on, that the Nazis had made a bigger impact then we normally hear about. I would use this book in my class when I was doing a lesson on World War II, to teach the students about other places in the world that were impacted.
November 13, 2017
Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust was a really touching book for me. I have read a lot about the holocaust but I had never seen it done in so much of a picture book form as this one was done. The book was majority real life images and they would have captions or small paragraphs describing events. While the book was aimed at younger readers Is till really found it intriguing and found myself reading through the whole book more than once. Stories of the holocaust are always really sad but this book was even more so because it was personal accounts and real images. While the images were real they were not to gruesome or brutal so you could definitely use it in a younger classroom. This would be a great introduction into the holocaust and a story that many different level of readers could enjoy and learn from.
May 5, 2019
I was inspired to learn more about the Terezin ghetto after reading The Librarian of Auschwitz. Oh my goodness! I learned so much from this book. Jam-packed full of information. A must read for all those that love to learn about this terrible time in history.
January 4, 2019
Very good holocaust historical book.
October 23, 2020
very informational
October 28, 2013
I reviewed this book for the informational category (junior book project). This book won a NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children. It was a 2012 Honor Book.
This book takes readers back to a horrific time and place in history: Terezin, Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust. This book takes a personal look at the atrocities that occurred there and lets the people who were imprisoned there finally have a voice. This book shares actual artwork and diary entries of imprisoned Jews along with factual information about this bleak time in history.
The pictures in this book set it apart from others. The book presents actual artwork created by Jews imprisoned in the camp and authentic pictures from that time period.. The pictures and illustrations create a somber mood and take the reader back to a terrifying ordeal that needs to be discussed so it doesn't repeat itself in the future. Reading the entries from actual people from the camps is like being given a picture of what really happened.
The author does an excellent job of balancing factual information about this time in history with actual diary entries and quotes from people who were actually in the camp. The author covers a wide array of topics in the book including Hitler, life in Terezin, children, and the end of the war. Even though so much information is covered, the overall organization of the topics makes the book feel cohesive: it begins with Hitler's rise to power and moves through to the end of the war.
Both the timeline and glossary at the end of the book would be helpful for students. The timeline helps students keep historical events in chronological order while the glossary defines the basic terminology that students must have in order to talk or read about this point in history.
My personal reaction to this book is that it humanizes every person who was in that particular camp. I have read other books about concentration camps, death camps, and the Holocaust. However, I have never read one that made me think about the individuals who were in those camps. This book shed new light on the subject for me.
I will use this book in the classroom when I have students read The Diary of Anne Frank. Students usually think that Anne Frank was the only Jewish person that was affected; this book can help students understand the time period, historical facts, and that countless people faced atrocities just like Anne Frank did. I would use this book in conjunction with another book I found in the library when I was looking for this one: ... I never saw another butterfly (a book of children's drawings and poems from Terezin concentration camps, 1942-1944). Together, these books will help students see the bigger picture of how many people were affected. I would ask students to draw pictures and write poems to explain their own feelings after reading about the Holocaust.
This book takes readers back to a horrific time and place in history: Terezin, Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust. This book takes a personal look at the atrocities that occurred there and lets the people who were imprisoned there finally have a voice. This book shares actual artwork and diary entries of imprisoned Jews along with factual information about this bleak time in history.
The pictures in this book set it apart from others. The book presents actual artwork created by Jews imprisoned in the camp and authentic pictures from that time period.. The pictures and illustrations create a somber mood and take the reader back to a terrifying ordeal that needs to be discussed so it doesn't repeat itself in the future. Reading the entries from actual people from the camps is like being given a picture of what really happened.
The author does an excellent job of balancing factual information about this time in history with actual diary entries and quotes from people who were actually in the camp. The author covers a wide array of topics in the book including Hitler, life in Terezin, children, and the end of the war. Even though so much information is covered, the overall organization of the topics makes the book feel cohesive: it begins with Hitler's rise to power and moves through to the end of the war.
Both the timeline and glossary at the end of the book would be helpful for students. The timeline helps students keep historical events in chronological order while the glossary defines the basic terminology that students must have in order to talk or read about this point in history.
My personal reaction to this book is that it humanizes every person who was in that particular camp. I have read other books about concentration camps, death camps, and the Holocaust. However, I have never read one that made me think about the individuals who were in those camps. This book shed new light on the subject for me.
I will use this book in the classroom when I have students read The Diary of Anne Frank. Students usually think that Anne Frank was the only Jewish person that was affected; this book can help students understand the time period, historical facts, and that countless people faced atrocities just like Anne Frank did. I would use this book in conjunction with another book I found in the library when I was looking for this one: ... I never saw another butterfly (a book of children's drawings and poems from Terezin concentration camps, 1942-1944). Together, these books will help students see the bigger picture of how many people were affected. I would ask students to draw pictures and write poems to explain their own feelings after reading about the Holocaust.
Read
April 21, 2012Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust is a book about what Jewish life was like in ghetto and transit camps. The ghetto was established in a small town called Terezin and renamed Theresienstadt by the Nazis. The book gives the basic facts of how the ghetto was established, how people managed to live there, what it was like specifically for the children, and how the Jews were systematically moved from there to death camps. It was a "show" camp, where inmates were forced to use their artistic talents to fool the world about the truth of gas chambers and horrific living conditions for imprisoned Jews. The book is explained through the words of the people who were actually there. Some were written during their internment and some later by survivors in their memoirs and testimonials.
The story is well written according to the guidelines in chapter 2. The setting is described very well and also has pictures and timelines to go along with the text to show what is happening. The characters are also depicted very well because most of what is in the book is first hand accounts of what happened in the town. The characters were able to share exactly how they felt and what they were doing. The plot of the story is well written. It describes the events in order and does with detail. The writer does bring the setting to life through the inclusion of authentic details. The writer adds many pictures, timelines, and maps that give great detail about the topic. The characters do behave in ways that are believable. The characters gives us their own thoughts and experiences about what was happening, so everything they say is believable. The conflicts in the story are plausible based on the time period because there was a point in time where the things in the book were happening in real life. The book is based off of things that happened in real life, so the events that happen in the book are plausible. The theme is still relevant for today's readers because the book is about the hardship and struggles that people in this town had to go through in order to survive.
I think that this book is a good way to show a simple version of the Holocaust so that young readers can understand what happened. The pictures, timelines, and maps were used very effectively and helped the story come alive. I would read this book in the classroom to inform my students of the Holocaust and the things that happened to the Jews. I would also talk to the students about descrimination and how it is wrong to hurt people just because they are different than you.
The story is well written according to the guidelines in chapter 2. The setting is described very well and also has pictures and timelines to go along with the text to show what is happening. The characters are also depicted very well because most of what is in the book is first hand accounts of what happened in the town. The characters were able to share exactly how they felt and what they were doing. The plot of the story is well written. It describes the events in order and does with detail. The writer does bring the setting to life through the inclusion of authentic details. The writer adds many pictures, timelines, and maps that give great detail about the topic. The characters do behave in ways that are believable. The characters gives us their own thoughts and experiences about what was happening, so everything they say is believable. The conflicts in the story are plausible based on the time period because there was a point in time where the things in the book were happening in real life. The book is based off of things that happened in real life, so the events that happen in the book are plausible. The theme is still relevant for today's readers because the book is about the hardship and struggles that people in this town had to go through in order to survive.
I think that this book is a good way to show a simple version of the Holocaust so that young readers can understand what happened. The pictures, timelines, and maps were used very effectively and helped the story come alive. I would read this book in the classroom to inform my students of the Holocaust and the things that happened to the Jews. I would also talk to the students about descrimination and how it is wrong to hurt people just because they are different than you.
September 26, 2016
Photographs and artwork complement a primary source account of the Nazi fabricated village of Terezin. The story of the village, renamed "Theresienstadt" and publicized as a "model Jewish settlement" to the world, is told in chronological order. First person accounts and artistic pieces, many from individuals who did not survive the war, were hidden away and brought forth after the horrors of war had ceased. The fabricated idealization of the the village is detailed, as well as the ongoing suffering of the adults and children who tried to find ways to live through it's abuses.
There is some debate about the labeling of the place, whether to go with ghetto or concentration camp. Certainly the experiences of the residents and the death rates justify the concentration camp label. However, while disease was allowed to decimate them, rations kept residents malnourished, and individuals were cremated after death, transport to camps further east for extermination was the highest source of fatalities. In the end, the name isn't as relevant as the memorial to those whose voices speak beyond their lives.
The lack of the horrific mass murder of groups of people makes the Theresienstadt experience more approachable for younger students who are initially encountering the atrocities of the holocaust. While fears and rumors abounded at Terezin about the fate of those forced onto the transports, those imprisoned in Terezin simply didn't know what happened to those who went - except that they never returned. As a result, this collection of witnesses wrestles with the unknown, without accounting the brutal realities of Auschwitz (though Auschwitz consumed more inmates from Theresienstadt than any other death camps).
This is an excellent and highly recommended resource, but if you are sharing it with a young student, make sure to take the time to discuss the heavy material with them to aide in their processing the world we live in. Clearly, mankind has a sin problem with which readers, as those to whom we are listening, will wrestle. Both groups, those from the past and today, need to be reminded of the redemption of the LORD through Jesus Christ when encountering this chapter of our human experience.
Also see "A Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin" by Susan Goldman Rubin with Ela Weissberger, which accounts the life story of survivor Weissberger:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
There is some debate about the labeling of the place, whether to go with ghetto or concentration camp. Certainly the experiences of the residents and the death rates justify the concentration camp label. However, while disease was allowed to decimate them, rations kept residents malnourished, and individuals were cremated after death, transport to camps further east for extermination was the highest source of fatalities. In the end, the name isn't as relevant as the memorial to those whose voices speak beyond their lives.
The lack of the horrific mass murder of groups of people makes the Theresienstadt experience more approachable for younger students who are initially encountering the atrocities of the holocaust. While fears and rumors abounded at Terezin about the fate of those forced onto the transports, those imprisoned in Terezin simply didn't know what happened to those who went - except that they never returned. As a result, this collection of witnesses wrestles with the unknown, without accounting the brutal realities of Auschwitz (though Auschwitz consumed more inmates from Theresienstadt than any other death camps).
This is an excellent and highly recommended resource, but if you are sharing it with a young student, make sure to take the time to discuss the heavy material with them to aide in their processing the world we live in. Clearly, mankind has a sin problem with which readers, as those to whom we are listening, will wrestle. Both groups, those from the past and today, need to be reminded of the redemption of the LORD through Jesus Christ when encountering this chapter of our human experience.
Also see "A Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin" by Susan Goldman Rubin with Ela Weissberger, which accounts the life story of survivor Weissberger:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
April 17, 2012
Ruth Thomson dives into the depths of one of the concentration camps during the Second World War. The concentration camp that she refers to is in the town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia. In this particular camp, artists and talented patrons were residence. Nazi's used these people to entertain the population of Germany by making charts, posters, and official reports. The prisoners were somewhat entertained by themselves, through the secret performances given by the musicians and actors that were also prisoners there. However, Thomson dives further into the quality of life that these prisoners had to endure. Through the diary entries and stories passed down, the real details about illness, starvation, and hardships that one had to endure.
The book presents all accurate and authentic information about this concentration camp. The details and descriptions about the performances were all told through authentic informants, as well as the details about the haunting hardships. The author does an impeccable job of displaying this information in an informative, unbiased way. The information is presented in an organized way that makes the uncovering of the details of this concentration camp understandable to many readers. By describing the harsh tales in a sequential way, the text is presented as organized. The format and the design of the book is presented in a way that provides interest to the readers. It is accessible and easily understandable as well as appealing. The author's writing style presents the stories and diary entries in a way that is detailed yet clear. It generates curiosity, interest, and sympathy as well as empathy in the readers.
I was astounded about the amount of information I learned through this children's book. It gave details about the horrific events that the prisoners of Terezin had to endure. I felt honest empathy to the characters that Thomson discusses, and then I felt instant sympathy for them. I felt that the events and details described in the story were harsh and somewhat concerning for young children. However, I feel that the book is an excellent tool for teachers to use when talking about the Holocaust. Reading this book can be an excellent way for students to understand this complicated topic. It also provides a factual story that students and teachers can use to create story stretchers and activities.
The book presents all accurate and authentic information about this concentration camp. The details and descriptions about the performances were all told through authentic informants, as well as the details about the haunting hardships. The author does an impeccable job of displaying this information in an informative, unbiased way. The information is presented in an organized way that makes the uncovering of the details of this concentration camp understandable to many readers. By describing the harsh tales in a sequential way, the text is presented as organized. The format and the design of the book is presented in a way that provides interest to the readers. It is accessible and easily understandable as well as appealing. The author's writing style presents the stories and diary entries in a way that is detailed yet clear. It generates curiosity, interest, and sympathy as well as empathy in the readers.
I was astounded about the amount of information I learned through this children's book. It gave details about the horrific events that the prisoners of Terezin had to endure. I felt honest empathy to the characters that Thomson discusses, and then I felt instant sympathy for them. I felt that the events and details described in the story were harsh and somewhat concerning for young children. However, I feel that the book is an excellent tool for teachers to use when talking about the Holocaust. Reading this book can be an excellent way for students to understand this complicated topic. It also provides a factual story that students and teachers can use to create story stretchers and activities.
June 16, 2017
Uprooted from their homes, imprisoned, starved and even killed, Thomson’s narrative nonfiction tells the lives of the Jews who suffered the Holocaust. By including quotes from primary sources, Thomson provides the reader with a visual of the journey from freedom to imprisonment and post-Holocaust, with background information of the time period.
June 14, 2012
Ruth Thompson has collected a haunting assortment of images and writings from Terezin, a small fortress town in the Czech Republic that the Zazis turned into a Jewish ghetto during World War II. Thousands of Jewish people from across Europe were imprisoned here. Many of them left for their deaths at Auschwitz. The ones who remained struggle to survive the harsh physical conditions and debasing treatment by the Nazis.
Words quoted from the letters, journals, diaries, memoirs, and interviews of the Jewish people who were transported to Terezin tell the story of deception and cruelty. It begins with Hitler's rise to power in Germany and subsequent invasion of Czechoslovakia. It continues with the passage of laws that placed more and more restrictions on Jews until they were gathered onto railway cars--freight cars, not passenger cars--and deposited at Terezin. In spite of impossible conditions--starvation, disease, hard labor--the people of Terezin carried on. Teachers taught children in secret. Musicians and professors gave concerts and lectures. Artists who were supposed to draw propaganda for the Nazis also created secret drawings that showed life as it really was at Terezin.
The drawings of these brave artists fill the pages with raw emotion. There is such stark contrast between the drawings they were forced to do for the Nazis and the drawings that reveal the truth. One of the artists, Friedl Dicker Brandeis secretly taught the children in Terezin art and hid over 4,000 of their drawings before she was transported to Auschwitz. There are also photographs of Terezin as it is now and photographs from Nazi propaganda that showed a false front to cover up the horrors when representatives of the Red Cross visited in 1944.
I first read about Terezin in Inge Auerbacher's I Am a Star. These two books would be good to read together. Terezin Voices from the Holocaust gives the historical context while I Am a Star lets you inside the memories of a child who survived it. Together, they give students today a glimpse into the horror caused by prejudice and intolerance.
First published on my blog at http://kaymcgriff.edublogs.org/2012/0...
Words quoted from the letters, journals, diaries, memoirs, and interviews of the Jewish people who were transported to Terezin tell the story of deception and cruelty. It begins with Hitler's rise to power in Germany and subsequent invasion of Czechoslovakia. It continues with the passage of laws that placed more and more restrictions on Jews until they were gathered onto railway cars--freight cars, not passenger cars--and deposited at Terezin. In spite of impossible conditions--starvation, disease, hard labor--the people of Terezin carried on. Teachers taught children in secret. Musicians and professors gave concerts and lectures. Artists who were supposed to draw propaganda for the Nazis also created secret drawings that showed life as it really was at Terezin.
The drawings of these brave artists fill the pages with raw emotion. There is such stark contrast between the drawings they were forced to do for the Nazis and the drawings that reveal the truth. One of the artists, Friedl Dicker Brandeis secretly taught the children in Terezin art and hid over 4,000 of their drawings before she was transported to Auschwitz. There are also photographs of Terezin as it is now and photographs from Nazi propaganda that showed a false front to cover up the horrors when representatives of the Red Cross visited in 1944.
I first read about Terezin in Inge Auerbacher's I Am a Star. These two books would be good to read together. Terezin Voices from the Holocaust gives the historical context while I Am a Star lets you inside the memories of a child who survived it. Together, they give students today a glimpse into the horror caused by prejudice and intolerance.
First published on my blog at http://kaymcgriff.edublogs.org/2012/0...
December 11, 2014
Thomson, R. (2011). Terezín: Voices from the Holocaust. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Summary: Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany transformed the small town of Terezín, Czechoslovakia into a ghetto and transit site for death camps. Terezín was a camp plagued not only by disease and starvation, but also by deep deception. Staged as a "show" camp, Terezín was used to fool the world about the horrific living conditions endured by imprisoned Jews. Jewish artists from around the world were forced to use their artistic talents to create propaganda. In her narrative, Thomson showcases the recovered works of artists who created chilling representations of life in Terezín. She also uses direct testimony from many prisoners, allowing the reader a glimpse into the day-to-day terror.
Evaluation: Thomson’s book will appeal to young readers interested in learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust. Like much documentation on the Holocaust, much of the story seems so unbelievable that the reader is made to wish it were so. Readers will be struck by the illustrations and other primary documents and photos included throughout the book. It is obvious Thomson put much research and planning into the book and its layout in order to make it accessible and engaging to younger readers. The timeline at the end of the book helps readers understand Terezin’s place within the context of the War and the Holocaust. For me, the personal accounts and the artwork of the Terezin prisoners themselves were the most powerful part of the book, their words and pictures were captivating, and I am sure this aspect will appeal to young readers the most as well. This book should definitely be included in Holocaust collections in school and public libraries; it is suitable for younger and older readers alike. The photos are wonderful, some art done by the prisoners is shown, and at the end of the book there is a rather thorough timeline, a glossary, and a list of sources.
Summary: Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany transformed the small town of Terezín, Czechoslovakia into a ghetto and transit site for death camps. Terezín was a camp plagued not only by disease and starvation, but also by deep deception. Staged as a "show" camp, Terezín was used to fool the world about the horrific living conditions endured by imprisoned Jews. Jewish artists from around the world were forced to use their artistic talents to create propaganda. In her narrative, Thomson showcases the recovered works of artists who created chilling representations of life in Terezín. She also uses direct testimony from many prisoners, allowing the reader a glimpse into the day-to-day terror.
Evaluation: Thomson’s book will appeal to young readers interested in learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust. Like much documentation on the Holocaust, much of the story seems so unbelievable that the reader is made to wish it were so. Readers will be struck by the illustrations and other primary documents and photos included throughout the book. It is obvious Thomson put much research and planning into the book and its layout in order to make it accessible and engaging to younger readers. The timeline at the end of the book helps readers understand Terezin’s place within the context of the War and the Holocaust. For me, the personal accounts and the artwork of the Terezin prisoners themselves were the most powerful part of the book, their words and pictures were captivating, and I am sure this aspect will appeal to young readers the most as well. This book should definitely be included in Holocaust collections in school and public libraries; it is suitable for younger and older readers alike. The photos are wonderful, some art done by the prisoners is shown, and at the end of the book there is a rather thorough timeline, a glossary, and a list of sources.
November 17, 2012
Terezin is the story of a concentration camp, Terezin, during the Holocaust where imprisoned Jews tell their personal stories and use artwork to help articulate the horror. A compilation of real survivors’ statements and artwork that was found after the Holocaust, we see pictures that depict the truth behind the brick walls. While Terezin is formatted like a textbook, we see a variety of perspectives, which allows the reader to gain greater insight to how different people were treated different. For example, elderly people were fed very little because they were assumed to die soon and it took more money to keep them alive. Meanwhile, the mother and children were housed together and were given different labor jobs. The simple but detailed drawings allow us to see into the hearts and feelings of the Jews. We see the artwork that was designed specifically to trick the rest of the nation into thinking the concentration camp was much better than it really was. Parts of the camp were cleaned up especially when the Red Cross came and visited. These depictions deceived the rest of the world from what was actually taking place. Unfortunately, thousands of people died before the reality was exposed. After Russians rescued the survivors, many of them were required to stay in Quarantine for the diseases they contracted. Once healed, several Jews had nowhere to go and no family. Some Jews helped move the labeled ashes of the deceased from the concentration camp. According to one account, you would simply hear a cry every once in a while as they passed the remains down the line of people. It was the cry of a lost loved one or someone they knew. Instead of staying in Germany, many survivors left the country in hopes of a new beginning. A unique and new way to tell the story of a horror we shall never forget.
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June 16, 20122012 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Honor Book winner, Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust, by Ruth Thomson, is a powerful non-fiction book on the Terezin Jewish Ghetto in Czechoslovakia. Geared toward children (male and females) ages 10 and up, this book provides stories, diary entries, artwork, and survivor accounts (memoir and recordings) of time spent in Terezin. Terezin was a camp designed by the Nazi’s to distract and deceive the world of the horrors and horrific conditions of camps…specifically gas chambers, disease, and starvation.
Thomson uses the prisoners to tell the story while providing historical facts that allow the reader to see the realities of the war and war victims. Terezin was put in place as entertainment for the German population. Many of the prisoners were responsible for the making of charts, posters, and official reports the Nazi’s sent out to the media and the public. The living conditions of ghetto life led to intensely depressing living conditions such as disease, illness, lice, bedbugs, and death. As the population grew so did the number of deaths, diseases, and mental instabilities.
The informative text that accompanies direct quotes provides this book with a trustworthy quality necessary for research. Thomson puts emphasis on the artists, the children, and the Nazi deception to outside groups such as the Red Cross allowing students to easily follow the timeline of events. The back of book provides a timeline, glossary, additional sources, and index for additional research dealing with this horrific time in history.
Thomson uses the prisoners to tell the story while providing historical facts that allow the reader to see the realities of the war and war victims. Terezin was put in place as entertainment for the German population. Many of the prisoners were responsible for the making of charts, posters, and official reports the Nazi’s sent out to the media and the public. The living conditions of ghetto life led to intensely depressing living conditions such as disease, illness, lice, bedbugs, and death. As the population grew so did the number of deaths, diseases, and mental instabilities.
The informative text that accompanies direct quotes provides this book with a trustworthy quality necessary for research. Thomson puts emphasis on the artists, the children, and the Nazi deception to outside groups such as the Red Cross allowing students to easily follow the timeline of events. The back of book provides a timeline, glossary, additional sources, and index for additional research dealing with this horrific time in history.
January 22, 2012
Age: 8-12 years
Between 1941 and 1945, Nazis turned the town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia, into a ghetto for thousands of displaced Czech Jewish people. Ruth Thomson provides a brief summary leading up to ghetto life, followed by the intensely dismal living conditions that demoralized and deteriorated the prisoner's health. With an ever growing population that cramped living conditions and expedited disease and living quarters that separated families, combined with sudden transports away from the city in the middle of the night, life in Teresienstadt was stressful on the mind, body, and soul, leading up to a terrifying transport to a concentration death camp.
Informative text accompanied with direct quotes give this book an authoritative and real quality necessary for documentation (and for a child's research project). Thomson place particular emphasis on the artists, the children, and the Nazi deception to outside groups such as the Red Cross. Thomson's interest in the Czech ghetto arose during research on Holocaust art (she also has an MA in museum and gallery learning), which doesn't show a strong specialty on the Holocaust but the existence of culture and art during historical time periods. The organization is easy to follow, filled with artwork, artifacts,and some photos--not trying to disturb the young audience but informing them on a tragic period in history. Timeline, glossary, sources, and index provided.
Between 1941 and 1945, Nazis turned the town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia, into a ghetto for thousands of displaced Czech Jewish people. Ruth Thomson provides a brief summary leading up to ghetto life, followed by the intensely dismal living conditions that demoralized and deteriorated the prisoner's health. With an ever growing population that cramped living conditions and expedited disease and living quarters that separated families, combined with sudden transports away from the city in the middle of the night, life in Teresienstadt was stressful on the mind, body, and soul, leading up to a terrifying transport to a concentration death camp.
Informative text accompanied with direct quotes give this book an authoritative and real quality necessary for documentation (and for a child's research project). Thomson place particular emphasis on the artists, the children, and the Nazi deception to outside groups such as the Red Cross. Thomson's interest in the Czech ghetto arose during research on Holocaust art (she also has an MA in museum and gallery learning), which doesn't show a strong specialty on the Holocaust but the existence of culture and art during historical time periods. The organization is easy to follow, filled with artwork, artifacts,and some photos--not trying to disturb the young audience but informing them on a tragic period in history. Timeline, glossary, sources, and index provided.
April 25, 2012
This book brings readers into the lives of inmates that were apart of the Terezin camp during the Holocaust. The story is told through the eyes of people who were there at that time and how they survived. This book allows these people to express their feelings and tell their own private stories.
This book is definiately accurate in conveying factual information because readers get the priviledge to read about actual stories from the Holocaust. Along with this are personal journal entries and artwork that were from that time period. This helps with organizing the pages in a presentable way. They look appealing to readers and will make them want to read more. All the pictures, artwork, and diary entries that are throughout this book from actual inmates are very accessible to children.
The author shows a lot of enthusiasm throughout this book for readers. By giving the people who went through the experiences in the book the time to share their lives and share the ideas that were going through their minds at that point in history shows how she is excited to present the information to the readers. While reading, they can share that same enthusiasm to learn more and listen to the stories of the inmates.
I really enjoyed reading this book because I found it very moving and informational. I liked how there were journal entries throughout the pages so that readers can see the thoughts of people who were living during this terrible even in history.
This book is definiately accurate in conveying factual information because readers get the priviledge to read about actual stories from the Holocaust. Along with this are personal journal entries and artwork that were from that time period. This helps with organizing the pages in a presentable way. They look appealing to readers and will make them want to read more. All the pictures, artwork, and diary entries that are throughout this book from actual inmates are very accessible to children.
The author shows a lot of enthusiasm throughout this book for readers. By giving the people who went through the experiences in the book the time to share their lives and share the ideas that were going through their minds at that point in history shows how she is excited to present the information to the readers. While reading, they can share that same enthusiasm to learn more and listen to the stories of the inmates.
I really enjoyed reading this book because I found it very moving and informational. I liked how there were journal entries throughout the pages so that readers can see the thoughts of people who were living during this terrible even in history.
June 29, 2012
The horror of the holocaust, is brought to you in this chilling book, “Terezin; Voices from the Holocaust.” It includes all of your normal informational features, headings, subheadings, bold words, pictures captions etc. But along with these features it is the true stories, real drawings of the survivors, dates that give you a sense of time, real interviews, journals, letters, diaries and memoirs of the Jewish survivors that really bring this informational book to life.
Ruth Thomson uses quotes of the Jewish survivors who were imprisoned in their own home of Terezin, then turned into a Theresienstadt by the Germans and made into a ghetto. This was During World War II when the Nazi’s invaded Czech Republic. The Nazi’s treated the Jews as animals and oppressed the Jews into submission through fear. Food was rationed and many suffered and starved, working meant working like a slave in horrible conditions (like a dungeon); everyone worked and were allocated jobs based on skill level. Soon the conditions worsened and many grew sick with disease, typhoid spread and death was a daily occurrence. Thousands arrived daily, bringing overpopulation problems, all this without adequate restrooms. The book also describes a child’s life, the Jewish culture and the aftermath of the invasion. The timeline at the end would be a great tool to use in the classroom for a social studies unit on World War II.
December 8, 2014
Thomson, Ruth. (2011). Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
2012 Orbis Pictus Honor.
Informational.
This book has the format of a mini-textbook, but is more inviting and user-friendly than the average textbook. Real-world pictures and illustrations cover every page along with maps, quotes, journal entries, artwork, and many other relevant graphics and examples. This makes the book very inviting and interesting to read as it feels like a museum in the pages. The book discusses the small town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia between 1941 and 1945, when the Nazi authorities took over the town and transformed it into a "show" camp for thousands of Jewish people. It was referred to as a "show" camp because the realistic life of torture and horrid living conditions was covered up by the art the inmates were forced to produce, making it seem like something other than it truly was. This book covers many aspects of life and people of Terezin during this terrible time, but still manages to perfectly balance in depth information while keeping it brief and precise, so the reader never loses interest. The book also provides useful sources such as a table of index, a timeline, a glossary, and an index. This wold be a perfect tradebook to use in the classroom to teach about Jewish people, Nazis, the Holocaust, or any other related concept. Textbook makers should take a note from this book!
2012 Orbis Pictus Honor.
Informational.
This book has the format of a mini-textbook, but is more inviting and user-friendly than the average textbook. Real-world pictures and illustrations cover every page along with maps, quotes, journal entries, artwork, and many other relevant graphics and examples. This makes the book very inviting and interesting to read as it feels like a museum in the pages. The book discusses the small town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia between 1941 and 1945, when the Nazi authorities took over the town and transformed it into a "show" camp for thousands of Jewish people. It was referred to as a "show" camp because the realistic life of torture and horrid living conditions was covered up by the art the inmates were forced to produce, making it seem like something other than it truly was. This book covers many aspects of life and people of Terezin during this terrible time, but still manages to perfectly balance in depth information while keeping it brief and precise, so the reader never loses interest. The book also provides useful sources such as a table of index, a timeline, a glossary, and an index. This wold be a perfect tradebook to use in the classroom to teach about Jewish people, Nazis, the Holocaust, or any other related concept. Textbook makers should take a note from this book!
June 15, 2014
Content Crossover: Social Studies/History
1.Remembering: When did Nazi Germany invade Czechoslovakia, forcing Jews to relocate to Terezin? When did World War II end?
2.Understanding: Imagine that you are one of the survivors of the Holocaust; describe how you might have felt at the beginning, middle, and end of World War II.
3.Applying: Despite the horrific living conditions in Terezin: malnutrition, disease, parasites, etc. many Jews reminded motivated to survive. What examples can you find from the text to support this statement?
4.Analyzing: Distinguish between how, the Jews who survived, felt at the beginning of the war and when the war was over. Did their feelings change or remain the same?
5.Evaluating: After reading Terezin: Voices From the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson, do you think the Jewish Holocaust survivors trusted non-Jews after the war ended? Why or why not?
6.Creating: Among the thousands of Jewish inmates at Terezin, were several talented artists. Those artist illegally provided children with materials such as watercolors, pencils, paper, etc. and taught them how to create art. Many children created illustrations depicting their lives in Terezin. Create an illustration of how you are feeling after reading, Terezin: Voices From the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson.
1.Remembering: When did Nazi Germany invade Czechoslovakia, forcing Jews to relocate to Terezin? When did World War II end?
2.Understanding: Imagine that you are one of the survivors of the Holocaust; describe how you might have felt at the beginning, middle, and end of World War II.
3.Applying: Despite the horrific living conditions in Terezin: malnutrition, disease, parasites, etc. many Jews reminded motivated to survive. What examples can you find from the text to support this statement?
4.Analyzing: Distinguish between how, the Jews who survived, felt at the beginning of the war and when the war was over. Did their feelings change or remain the same?
5.Evaluating: After reading Terezin: Voices From the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson, do you think the Jewish Holocaust survivors trusted non-Jews after the war ended? Why or why not?
6.Creating: Among the thousands of Jewish inmates at Terezin, were several talented artists. Those artist illegally provided children with materials such as watercolors, pencils, paper, etc. and taught them how to create art. Many children created illustrations depicting their lives in Terezin. Create an illustration of how you are feeling after reading, Terezin: Voices From the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson.
April 23, 2015
Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson, is a non-fiction book about the Jewish people who were kept in a Nazi transit camp. The stories are told directly through the victim’s personal diary entries, artwork, pictures, quotes, and interviews that were done after the war. The book is focused around the small town of Terezin, Czechoslovakia that was turned into a transit camp during the war to hold thousands of Jewish people. The camp forced its inmates to use their artistic talents to cover up what was actually happening behind the walls including terrible living environments and gas chambers that killed thousands of Jews. Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust was a very interesting and up-front book about the Holocaust that let its victims speak for themselves. Ruth Thomson allows the artwork, quotes, and personal stories to do all of the talking. Thomson never tells the reader what they should think about the topic, but allows the reader to have their own opinion. Being that the book is stories from the victims, it allows students to have differing viewpoints. For example, you see how elderly people in the camp lived compared to children. This aspect also makes it hard to argue that the facts and stories discussed are not accurate, which makes the whole book more authentic.
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