Books & Discussion on the Holocaust Showing 451-500 of 1,027

[cameron]

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Here are two early publications on some different aspects of the Holocaust:

by [author:Daniel Jonah Goldhagen|5..."

I also thought this was a unique point of view. Though written a little like someones dissertation, the points made refuting many commonly held notions were fascinating.

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Thanks Cameron, another one for group members who are interested in this subject areas to explore.

[Colin]

In my book, Occupation and Insurgency, I point out some of Goldhagen's waeknesses in his analysis and historical overview, but a good book nonetheless.

[Bevan Lewis]

I must re-read Goldhagen. I disagree with his premise though. As Ian Kershaw I think points out its ludicrous to imagine some built-in eliminationist antisemitism in the German people when in fact Germany was a chosen destination for Jews even in the 1920s. Additionally he fails to explain how the unique antisemitism relates to the cruelties of Ukrainians, Latvians and Estonians, and how it vanished abruptly after WW2.

I'm going to read Timothy Snyder's Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning which looks like a good contemporary account.

[Timothy]

Thanks, Michael. I've been looking for a good comprehensive book on just this subject,

[Manray9]

Occasionally I see articles, especially in the British and European press, on Polish outrage against stories of their complicity in the Holocaust. In the NY Times this weekend appeared a review of Anna Bikont's book on an aspect of that subject --

The Crime and the Silence: Confronting the Memory of the Burning of Jews by Their Neighbors in Wartime Jedwabne by Anna Bikont (translated by Alissa Vales)

Here's the review --

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/boo...

[Timothy]

Manray9 wrote: "Occasionally I see articles, especially in the British and European press, on Polish outrage against stories of their complicity in the Holocaust. In the NY Times this weekend appeared a review of ..."

Thanks for shring, manray9

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Thanks for that link Manray9, it sounds like a book that would make for disturbing but interesting reading. One to keep an eye out for I think!

[Bevan Lewis]

That sounds like a powerful book, and the aspect of reportage is valuable to see the contemporary impact, memory and lack of acceptance of responsibility. There is a bit about this in Timothy Snyder's book Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning

[Manray9]

Bevan wrote: "That sounds like a powerful book, and the aspect of reportage is valuable to see the contemporary impact, memory and lack of acceptance of responsibility. There is a bit about this in Timothy Snyde..."

Bevan: I've read Snyder's book too. Unfortunately there appears to be plenty of guilt to go around in Eastern Europe regarding the treatment of Jews and others.

[Helen]

Hey, all--

I feel weird about posting a book promotion here, but...well, this is a Holocaust thread. My book of linked stories, "In the Land of Armadillos," is being published by Simon and Schuster in February 2016. My parents are both Holocaust survivors; some of the events in my stories were based on their experiences.

From the publisher: "A radiant debut collection of linked stories from a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, set in a German-occupied town in Poland, where tales of myth and folklore meet the real-life monsters of the Nazi invasion.

1942. With the Nazi Party at the height of its power, the occupying army empties Poland’s towns and cities of their Jewish populations. As neighbor turns on neighbor and survival often demands unthinkable choices, Poland has become a moral quagmire—a place of shifting truths and blinding ambiguities.

Blending folklore and fact, Helen Maryles Shankman shows us the people of Wlodawa, a remote Polish town: we meet a cold-blooded SS officer dedicated to rescuing the creator of his son’s favorite picture book, even as he helps exterminate the artist’s friends and family; a Messiah who appears in a little boy’s bedroom to announce that he is quitting; a young Jewish girl who is hidden by the town’s most outspoken anti-Semite—and his talking dog. And walking among these tales are two unforgettable figures: the enigmatic and silver-tongued Willy Reinhart, Commandant of the forced labor camp who has grand schemes to protect “his” Jews, and Soroka, the Jewish saddlemaker and his family, struggling to survive."

[Bev]

Sounds interesting Helen. You'll have to remind us again once it is actually available.

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

No problems with promoting your book here Helen, like Bev mentioned, keep us posted.

Once your book has been published you can also post details in our author's page:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Helen]

Thank you, Bev and Rick! I will keep you posted.
There's actually a GR giveaway going on right now--my publisher is giving away 10 copies of the galley. Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

[Bev]

I went and had a look but it is only open to the US and I am in Canada.

[Helen]

Aw. Sorry. :( But thanks for looking!

[Bev]

No problem. : )
I have added it to my want to read list.

[Dj]

Helen wrote: "Hey, all--

I feel weird about posting a book promotion here, but...well, this is a Holocaust thread. My book of linked stories, "In the Land of Armadillos," is being published by Simon and Schuste..."

I look forward to it.

[Dj]

Helen wrote: "Thank you, Bev and Rick! I will keep you posted.
There's actually a GR giveaway going on right now--my publisher is giving away 10 copies of the galley. Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com..."

Okay, seems to be a popular book to be sought, maybe I will finally get lucky. If not I will stoop to buying it. Honest.

[Helen]

Heh. I've never won anything, either. I keep trying, though.

[Pamela]

Helen, have your parents written their memoirs?

[Helen]

Unfortunately not. We wanted them to talk to the Spielberg people, but they wouldn't do it.

[Lilo]

Helen wrote: "Hey, all--

I feel weird about posting a book promotion here, but...well, this is a Holocaust thread. My book of linked stories, "In the Land of Armadillos," is being published by Simon and Schuste..."

My TBR-list is long enough to reach around the globe (with tons of books already purchased), but I definitely want to read this book of yours. Would you please remind me in a PM when it is available. (My memory is not as good as it used to be.)

Too bad your parents didn't write a memoir or provided you with the raw material to write it for them.

I am glad your parents survived and I hope they are alive and well.

P.S. I won't participate in the Giveaway and will let somebody else get lucky. I'll buy the book once it is available.

[Helen]

Hi, Lilo! Oh, they provided PLENTY of raw material. (I should be in therapy.) In writing these stories, I was very much inspired by events in their lives.

Sadly, my mother passed six years ago. Writing is one of the ways I try to honor her memory. She wanted me to be an English teacher.

Very honored that you to want to read my book! I will remind you when it comes out. Have a wonderful weekend!

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Helen wrote: "Writing is one of the ways I try to honor her memory. She wanted me to be an English teacher..."

A nice thing to do Helen.

[Helen]

Geevee wrote: A nice thing to do Helen."

Heh...I wonder what she'd think of these stories, particularly the one with the talking dog...it's based on her time hiding out with a lonely farmer, during the last 6 months of the war.

[Victor]

I guess I missed the promo. Congratulations on the book, Helen. I added it to my 'to read list.'

The subject of Polish Holocaust is close to my heart. I'm actually writing a novel set in the Warsaw ghetto. I'm looking forward to reading "In the Land of Armadillos."

[Helen]

Jz wrote: "I guess I missed the promo. Congratulations on the book, Helen. I added it to my 'to read list.'

The subject of Polish Holocaust is close to my heart. I'm actually writing a novel set in the Wars..."

Hi, Jz! You didn't miss the giveaway. It goes until December 18th.

I look forward to reading more about your book. Did you have family there?

[Dimitri]

Helen wrote: "Geevee wrote: A nice thing to do Helen."

Heh...I wonder what she'd think of these stories, particularly the one with the talking dog...it's based on her time hiding out with a lonely farmer."

I'll read a survivor's story with armadillos and talking dogs.
A promising doorstop:

[Dimitri]

Lilo wrote: I don't know whether I could stomach this book so soon after reading yet another Holocaust memoir. But I just put it on my TBR-list.
Lilo, a detailed review doesn't exist (yet) but maybe a few toughts can convince you [ n°2 on the list ]
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Lilo]

Dimitri wrote: "Lilo wrote: I don't know whether I could stomach this book so soon after reading yet another Holocaust memoir. But I just put it on my TBR-list.
Lilo, a detailed review doesn't exist (yet) but mayb..."

I just added "Final Solution" to my TBR-list and also put it on my Get-From-The-Library list.

[Lilo]

Helen wrote: "Hi, Lilo! Oh, they provided PLENTY of raw material. (I should be in therapy.) In writing these stories, I was very much inspired by events in their lives.

Sadly, my mother passed six years ago. Wr..."

I missed your comment of Nov. 20. Just found it now.

Sorry to hear that your mother is no longer alive. I am glad you set her a monument with this book. (I can relate to this. I wrote my early-childhood memoir, which is still not published, to honor my grandmother.)

I just checked out your book and found that there is no paperback edition. Do you plan to have a paperback edition in the near future? If not, I'll buy the hardcover. (I usually prefer paperbacks because of less space-requirement and also because they are lighter to hold when reading in bed.)

[Michal]

Just finished watching Shoah. They mentioned this book at the end anyone read it?

by Adam Czerniakow

[Victor]

I've read Czerniakow's diaries. What's your question, Michel?

[Helen]

Lilo wrote: "Helen wrote: "Hi, Lilo! Oh, they provided PLENTY of raw material. (I should be in therapy.) In writing these stories, I was very much inspired by events in their lives.

Hi, Lilo! I'm so sorry, I just saw this. I sure hope it ends up in a paperback edition. I guess it depends on how well it sells. So kind of you to ask!

[Lilo]

Helen wrote: "Lilo wrote: "Helen wrote: "Hi, Lilo! Oh, they provided PLENTY of raw material. (I should be in therapy.) In writing these stories, I was very much inspired by events in their lives.

Hi, Lilo! I'm ..."

Please keep me updated. I am rather swamped with already purchased books, so I can wait a little while. But I, definitely, want to read "In the Land of Armadillos".

[Bev]

I just finiA Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boyshed reading by Thomas Buergenthal.

I highly recommend it. You can read my review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces]

Good review Bev, thanks.

[Pamela]

it's on my reading list. Thanks Bev

[Bev]

thanks everyone!

['Aussie Rick', Moderator]

Good review Bev, thanks for sharing.

[Lilo]

There is a new book out that should be rather interesting. Here is the link:




by James Morcan and Lance Morcan

DEBUNKING HOLOCAUST DENIAL THEORIES: Two Non-Jews Affirm the Historicity of the Nazi Genocide

[Lee]

I'll be looking to pick that up.Holocaust denial is practised by Nazi sympathising scum,I have no time for such pond life.

[Colin]

As the creator of, and senior Holocaust professor at AMU for 6 years, as well as my research and interviews with SS officers, I find the denialists an amusing if not disturbing collective.

[Lee]

I think the problem is Colin that the internet has opened up denial ideas to a greater audience.It seems people with little or no knowledge of the Nazi regime swallow this garbage through their own ignorance,they see some shoddy youtube videos and think the irrefutable evidence for the holocaust is Jewish atrocity propaganda.

Scratch beneath the surface of the people making these claims and you find a collection of racist cranks and neo nazis seeking to rehabilitate their beloved Third Reich.

[Lilo]

Lee wrote: "I'll be looking to pick that up.Holocaust denial is practised by Nazi sympathising scum,I have no time for such pond life."

That's exactly the way I feel. I am so glad that someone wrote a book denouncing Holocaust denial.

I think anyone can afford $ 2.99 for the kindle. I heard that the paperback will be out in about 2 months.

[Colin]

If anyone reads just a couple of my books, they will see what the German military men had to say about it themselves, including SS Lt. Gen Karl Wolff, Hitler's left hand man (Heydrich was the right)

[Dj]

Travelin wrote: "Just wondering if this is a fair portrayal of Patton...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/sun..."

In a very real sense the answer is a less than qualified yes. For more depth than the article provides should take a look at D'Este's book on Patton.

Patton: A Genius for War

[J.]

Colin wrote: "This is a true assessment. Having interviewed hundreds of German vets, even high ranking SS men, all agree that the railway used to support the Holocaust was lethal to the German military, as upwar..."

I did some research on this while writing my book and came to the same overall conclusion. Without the Holocaust, Germany could have come a lot closer to winning the war, especially if those resources could have been brought to bear during the Battle of the Bulge.

[J.]

I think it's important to trace the Holocaust all the way to its origins. So far, I've come up with 17 hypotheses regarding Hitler's motivation (if that's the proper word) for hating Jews. Most of the reasons are trivial, obviously far-fetched. I came up with #18 while writing my historical novel. I also "solved" the mystery of who killed Geli Raubal--though it doesn't take much effort to come up with a suspect, does it? Unfortunately, Hitler was seen by several dozen people in Nuremberg at the crucial time, and Geli was locked inside her room, with the key in the inside lock. The mystery is not "who?" but "how?"