The Librarian of Auschwitz
By: Antonio Iturbe
Location: FIC ITU
Genre: Historical Fiction- Holocaust
This book is FULL!
“Books are extremely dangerous; they make people think.”
― The Librarian of Auschwitz
“Throughout history, all dictator, tyrants, and oppressors, whatever their ideology - whether Aryan, African, Asian, Arab, Slav, or any other racial background; whether defenders of popular revolutions, or the privileges of the upper classes, or God's mandate, or martial law - have had one thing in common: the vicious persecution of the written word.
― La bibliotecaria de Auschwitz
Or newspapers as well....
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 TerezÃn 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
This review is by Erin- Goodreads.com
“The Librarian of Auschwitz” by Antonio Iturbe is classified as young adult, historical fiction (based in reality, obviously). However, this novel is so much more than that.
Fourteen year old Dita is imprisoned with her family in an Auschwitz concentration camp. When she is asked by a Jewish leader to take on the role of handling the books for the makeshift school, Dita immediately agrees. Books are hard to come by, as many of them have been burned and deemed ‘blasphemous’ and ‘against the Fuhrer’, so Dita knows the job is a dangerous one. But her love of books and the joy she knows they can spread to others surpasses her fears.
Not only is the novel as powerful as any novel from this era is, it also holds a special power. It spreads the love and passion of books that only those with a true adoration can admire. Dita is a spectacular character, brave and compassionate, but also stubborn and caring. Based on a real person, Dita is someone a reader can easily root for.
Depressing as the setting of the novel is, there is innocence and love between the pages, too. It reflects on the great blessings we have that we take for granted (for example, the availability and access we have to any and all books on any and all subjects), and the travesties that we, as a Human Race, have inflicted on others.
This novel, based on subject matter, was not an easy read, but it was one that I quickly became engrossed in. I cheered for Dita and her friends from the first page and I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Iturbe’s epilogue, entitled “Whatever happened to…”, where he fills us in on the outcomes of some of the “real” characters from the novel.
It is thick with characters, with confusing and often similar names, so it is easy to get some of the characters mixed up, but overall the novel was entertaining, powerful and heart-warming. The ending was delightful and satisfying, bringing hope to a reader after such an emotional story.
To quote Dita,
“A book is like a trapdoor that leads to a secret attic; you can open it and go inside. And your world is different”
and out of respect for her and this novel, I will read as often and as many books as I can and be grateful for the unbridled access. Well done, Mr. Itrube. Bravo indeed.
Location: FIC ITUGenre: Historical Fiction- Holocaust
This book is FULL!
“Books are extremely dangerous; they make people think.”
― The Librarian of Auschwitz
“Throughout history, all dictator, tyrants, and oppressors, whatever their ideology - whether Aryan, African, Asian, Arab, Slav, or any other racial background; whether defenders of popular revolutions, or the privileges of the upper classes, or God's mandate, or martial law - have had one thing in common: the vicious persecution of the written word.
― La bibliotecaria de Auschwitz
Or newspapers as well....
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 TerezÃn 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
This review is by Erin- Goodreads.com
“The Librarian of Auschwitz” by Antonio Iturbe is classified as young adult, historical fiction (based in reality, obviously). However, this novel is so much more than that.
Fourteen year old Dita is imprisoned with her family in an Auschwitz concentration camp. When she is asked by a Jewish leader to take on the role of handling the books for the makeshift school, Dita immediately agrees. Books are hard to come by, as many of them have been burned and deemed ‘blasphemous’ and ‘against the Fuhrer’, so Dita knows the job is a dangerous one. But her love of books and the joy she knows they can spread to others surpasses her fears.
Not only is the novel as powerful as any novel from this era is, it also holds a special power. It spreads the love and passion of books that only those with a true adoration can admire. Dita is a spectacular character, brave and compassionate, but also stubborn and caring. Based on a real person, Dita is someone a reader can easily root for.
Depressing as the setting of the novel is, there is innocence and love between the pages, too. It reflects on the great blessings we have that we take for granted (for example, the availability and access we have to any and all books on any and all subjects), and the travesties that we, as a Human Race, have inflicted on others.
This novel, based on subject matter, was not an easy read, but it was one that I quickly became engrossed in. I cheered for Dita and her friends from the first page and I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Iturbe’s epilogue, entitled “Whatever happened to…”, where he fills us in on the outcomes of some of the “real” characters from the novel.
It is thick with characters, with confusing and often similar names, so it is easy to get some of the characters mixed up, but overall the novel was entertaining, powerful and heart-warming. The ending was delightful and satisfying, bringing hope to a reader after such an emotional story.
To quote Dita,
“A book is like a trapdoor that leads to a secret attic; you can open it and go inside. And your world is different”
and out of respect for her and this novel, I will read as often and as many books as I can and be grateful for the unbridled access. Well done, Mr. Itrube. Bravo indeed.
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