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Life Must Go On: The Remarkable Story of Sol Lurie, the Kovno Ghetto, and the Tragic Fate of Lithuania's Jews
240 pages, Hardcover
Published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 19, 2025
Life Must Go On by Bea Lurie, co-written with Steven Leonard Jacobs, is a valuable addition to the ever-important body of Holocaust literature. The memoir tells the remarkable story of her father, Sol Lurie, a child survivor who endured six concentration camps. The narrative is powerful, and the firsthand account of survival against unimaginable odds is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
The book excels in providing a detailed history of the Jewish communities in Lithuania, a region of the Holocaust often overlooked in more general accounts. This historical context is vital and enriches the personal story, giving a deeper understanding of the life and traditions that were brutally erased. The authors succeed in portraying Sol not as a passive victim, but as a resilient individual with an incredible will to live and a later-in-life mission to spread a message of love and forgiveness.
However, the narrative sometimes feels like a dual effort, with the personal memoir of Sol’s experiences interwoven with more academic or historical chapters. While this is a noble attempt to provide context, it can disrupt the flow of the story. There were moments where the emotional weight of Sol's journey was lessened by a shift to a more detached, scholarly tone. This uneven pacing prevents the book from achieving the truly immersive and intimate feel of some other survivor memoirs. Frankly, Sol's story alone was truly both inspirational and powerful in both past and present.
Ultimately, Life Must Go On is a worthwhile and important read. It is a testament to the human spirit's capacity for resilience and hope, and a crucial historical record. While the structure could have been more seamless, the story it tells is one that deserves to be heard and remembered.
The book excels in providing a detailed history of the Jewish communities in Lithuania, a region of the Holocaust often overlooked in more general accounts. This historical context is vital and enriches the personal story, giving a deeper understanding of the life and traditions that were brutally erased. The authors succeed in portraying Sol not as a passive victim, but as a resilient individual with an incredible will to live and a later-in-life mission to spread a message of love and forgiveness.
However, the narrative sometimes feels like a dual effort, with the personal memoir of Sol’s experiences interwoven with more academic or historical chapters. While this is a noble attempt to provide context, it can disrupt the flow of the story. There were moments where the emotional weight of Sol's journey was lessened by a shift to a more detached, scholarly tone. This uneven pacing prevents the book from achieving the truly immersive and intimate feel of some other survivor memoirs. Frankly, Sol's story alone was truly both inspirational and powerful in both past and present.
Ultimately, Life Must Go On is a worthwhile and important read. It is a testament to the human spirit's capacity for resilience and hope, and a crucial historical record. While the structure could have been more seamless, the story it tells is one that deserves to be heard and remembered.
December 11, 2025
Bea Lurie writes the harrowing and heroic story of her father’s survival during the Holocaust. A very important read, especially in our current times.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews