The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Thwaites - Starting April 11th 2018

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust.
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.

Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.

[Cinthia]

I can't wait to start this one... I have a feeling this is going to make me tear up big time...

[Lee]

I really hope y'all enjoy this!!! I really want to read it, but am still on what seems like the never ending hold.

[Cinthia]

I hate that never ending hold! I had to buy it I wasn’t patient enough.

[Lee]

Haha. I don't blame you. I've been on hold since January 30th and feel like at this point I might as well wait the next 12 weeks. 😂

[Cinthia]

I started this today.

[Cinthia]

20.0% (view spoiler)[ “Books never lose their memory.” I like this. I’m glad Dita is doing this even knowing she could be killed. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

38.92% (view spoiler)[ What did become of him. I’m sure he was killed. At least Yakub Edelstein gave Fredy a good advice, “We mustn’t lose hope, Fredy. Don’t let the flame go out. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

53.0% (view spoiler)[ I refuse to believe it!!! How does he poison himself? I don’t believe. There is no way Hirsch did it on purpose. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

86.0% (view spoiler)[ “Why have you taken so long?” I’m surprised someone said that. I think that the soldiers were right to think that the prisoners were goi g to be thankful but I also understand why the prisoners are not euphoric. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

89.0% (view spoiler)[ Awww I can’t believe her mother is gone now. But I guess that it is a small consolation that her mother died a free woman. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

Finished... (view spoiler)[ I loved that epilogue! I'm glad Dita found someone to share the rest of her life with.. Otto sounds like a nice enough guy and he shares her love for books and knows what she has gone through. (hide spoiler)]

[Cinthia]

I loved that the author gave us an update to what happened to some of the SS in the book...

[Ryn]

Started this one today! Can't wait.

[Cinthia]

Yeay I hope you enjoy it. It was informational

[Ryn]

So very graphic. I always think I've read enough about the Holocaust that nothing will shock or revolt me anymore, and then new research turns up that makes me shudder all over again. I can never believe it. I had never actually heard about (view spoiler)[ the children's camp at Auschwitz, nor the library. Dita's a feisty little thing; it's not surprising she managed to survive. I like her already... but oh the sickness in the barracks... It always baffles my mind to know how any human can treat other humans this way. (hide spoiler)] Going to be a hard one to read.

[Ryn]

I'm having the hardest time staying involved with this book. I'm not really sure why -- I like it (if like is the right word for anything about the Holocaust) while I'm reading it, but...

(view spoiler)[ I feel like it's going a bit around in circles. Round and round and round books round and round Mengele round and round pencils... Maybe it isn't actually or maybe it's that there are so many supporting characters that I am just getting confused. Also what is up with Hirsch? I can't tell who he actually is or what his job is supposed to be -- some sort of double agent thing aside. I thought he was a Jewish prisoner in the camp but now I'm not really sure. I don't actually understand the whole family camp thing. I'm sure it's true, but I've never heard of it before in spite of everything I've read on the Holocaust. (hide spoiler)] I'm going to keep reading it but I can't be super enthusiastic about it yet.

[Ryn]

Still slogging away on this. I'm so surprised because normally I burn through Holocaust stories. I will say that the constant shift in POV and time, especially from Terazin to the camps is crazy confusing, but I can't quite identify what it is that isn't working for me with this book.