Category: Nonfiction
Surviving the Angel of Death by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri
(Cover picture courtesy of My Shelf Confessions.)
Eva Mozes Kor was just 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Subjected to sadistic medical experiments, she was forced to fight daily for her and her twin’s survival. In this incredible true story written for young adults, readers will learn of a child’s endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.
The book also includes an epilogue on Eva’s recovery from this experience and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis.Through her museum and her lectures, she has dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and working for causes of human rights and peace.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Just so we’re all on the same page here I want you to know that this a review of Eva Mozes Kor’s YA version of her memoir Echoes From Auschwitz. Surviving the Angel of Death is meant for a teen or more sensitive audience because it does not go into as much graphic detail as her full memoir does. There are still nightmarish scenes considering the subject matter, but keep in mind that this particular version is more YA-friendly.
Eva and Miriam are twins in Hungary when the Second World War breaks out. Since they’re Jewish, Eva shows us how things steadily got worse for her family before they were finally rounded up and eventually sent to Auschwitz. Being twins, they heard the cry of “Zwillinge!” (Twins!) as the soldiers selected who would live and who would die. They were the ‘lucky’ ones, the ones chosen by Dr. Joseph Mengele for his twin experiments at Auschwitz.
We learn about the horrible conditions the twins were kept in even though they were ‘special’ and the experiments they were subjected to during their stay at Auschwitz. What really struck me about this memoir is the description of Dr. Mengele: “My first thought was how handsome he was, like a movie star.” It really brings home the fact that these atrocities were not committed by movie villain caricatures, but by real people. For a young adult first learning about the Holocaust, I dare say that would be a rude awakening. But it really drives home the point that the Holocaust did happen and that the atrocities we all hear about now were committed by people just like us.
What I found the best about Surviving the Angel of Death was that Eva Mozes Kor wrote about the liberation of Auschwitz and included information about where she and Miriam ended up later on. She includes snippets of later on in her life where she started campaigning for Holocaust awareness and how she came to publicly forgive the Nazis. It’s an intense personal journey and it’s one I’m glad she’s sharing in a more young adult friendly manner. Obviously I’m not saying teens can’t read her full memoir, but rather that I think this is a good book if teens are just starting to learn about the Holocaust.
The formatting on my Kindle was a little weird at times, but that didn’t even register for me. The fact is that this is an extremely emotional, honest memoir about one of the darkest periods in human history. It’s well-written and informative, which is what it should be. I would highly recommend it to teens who are just starting to learn about the Holocaust or sensitive people who don’t feel they’re ready for the full version.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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***A note on comment moderation: I know the Holocaust is an extremely sensitive topic, especially on the internet. It’s also one that I personally am extremely sensitive about, for reasons I don’t want to discuss. Therefore, I will be moderating all comments on this post with a heavy hand and will forewarn you that any Holocaust denying comments will be deleted for sheer ignorance. Yes, this is censorship and no, I don’t care in this particular case.
Opera A to Z: A Beginner’s Guide to Opera by Liddy Lindsay
(Cover picture courtesy of NetGalley.)
Look no further than this book for a succinct yet thorough primer on the world’s most famous operas! From Aida to Zauberflöte, this ABC of operas will inform music lovers of the storylines and characters in these beloved masterpieces. A book intended for young readers (ages 8-12), but sure to delight music lovers of all ages.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ARC ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
As someone who loves opera and who grew up in a household where opera was treasured, I never really had the disadvantage of having to learn about it later in life. If I had, I’m know Opera A to Z would have been the perfect place to start. My earliest memories of the holiday season in December are of listening to Christmas with Pavarotti as well as Handel’s Messiah, so as an opera lover for years I do feel qualified to comment on how Liddy Lindsay represents opera. (Even if I sort of ignored opera throughout my tween years and fell in love with it again at the age of 14.)
So how does she represent opera? Quite well, actually. She explains the basics, from the fact that it’s an art form that has developed over four distinct periods, what an opera entails and some of the technical terms like libretto, overture, aria, etc. These are all explained thoroughly in the introduction but Liddy Lindsay actually had faith in her tween audience and decided not to overdo the explanation part. Her writing style is simple but easy to read, so I doubt there’s much danger of misunderstanding in the beginning.
When she launches into her list of operas from A to Z, she really shows her knowledge of opera in an easy to read and understand way. For each opera, she gives a brief summary of the plot and explains certain famous elements (i.e. the habanera from Carmen). And for beginners, that’s really all you need. The illustrations she provides are awesome even on my Kindle, but I still highly recommend picking up the print copy to fully appreciate them. My only real criticism of the book besides from the occasionally slipshod proofreading is that in her plot summaries, Lindsay greatly oversimplifies things. She tells them in a simpler manner than they are told in the actual opera, which I can see why she did but I still didn’t like. It sort of misrepresents the opera, or its plot to be more accurate.
I could dispute some of her choices for letters, but I won’t as they’re a matter of personal preference more than anything. Overall, I was actually quite pleased at the selection of time periods and composers that Liddy Lindsay chose to include. She includes every opera from Aida to Vanessa and every composer from Verdi to Francesco Cavalli. It’s quite an impressive selection and even I learned some new things.
If you’re looking to get into opera or just want to know what the heck all the fuss is about, this is the book for you. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll give opera a chance and have that magical moment where you inexplicably fall in love with it in the midst of watching one. I know I did.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
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*Not available.
Through the Crimson Mirror by Daniel Alexander
(Cover picture courtesy of Beyond the Bookstore.)
Have you ever felt lost as a parent?
Do you really know your children?
As a child, have you ever felt alone?This is not your ordinary parenting book. The cover images depict something raw and naked. The topics dealt with are real and visceral. It is a story that we do not often tell: the story of parenting from a child’s point of view. A roller coaster of emotions awaits readers as the author chronicles the highs and many lows of his life. It blends sound research and experience with gentle storytelling to show parents the effect their parenting has on their children.
Inspired by dysfunction and tragedy, the author opens his life in order to help others better understand the human condition, and ultimately prevent other children from growing up the same way he did. The aim is to help parents notice the signs of dysfunction. More importantly, to do something about it before it is too late. In addition, to tell others who grew up lonely, or in imperfect circumstances, that they are not alone.
Warning: many of the topics dealt with are of an adult nature. For this reason, the book comes with a warning for children under the age of 13. However, all teenagers who read it should do so with parental supervision.Topics discussed in this book
what is parenting?
education
communication
secrets and lies
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook from Daniel Alexander in exchange for an honest review.]
It took me a really, really long time to read Through the Crimson Mirror, even though it’s less than 100 pages. Normally a book that length should take me less than an hour. Now, that’s not because it’s a bad book I had to suffer through. No, it’s because Daniel Alexander’s book was good; I had to slow down and digest all of the information being presented to me quite thoroughly.
This isn’t just a book on parenting—it’s also a book for any teenager/young adult who wants to gain more insight into the choices their parents made. In some cases, it could be a lesson on what to look out for if you decide to become a parent. In other cases, it could offer an explanation for the behavior of parents. Daniel Alexander covers everything from educational reform to lying to your children in his book and it makes Through the Crimson Mirror a thought-provoking read. Do I agree with everything he talks about in his book? Of course not. But that’s really not the point: the point is to get people thinking about the choices we and others make as parents and how to see through the eyes of a child.
Through the Crimson Mirror is not a book for everyone, but if you’re looking for some thought-provoking commentary and insight all in less than 100 pages you’d do well to read it. Whether you’re a parent or not, you’ll enjoy it and start thinking critically about the world around you. That’s something very few authors can achieve, so I have to congratulate Daniel Alexander on that.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
*Only available as an ebook.
I Never Walked Alone by Shirley Verrett
(Cover picture courtesy of AfriClassical.)
An inspiring self-portrait of a world-renowned African American vocal artist.
This is a fascinating account of a gifted woman’s coming of age and rise to success at a time when black classical musicians faced barriers at every turn. Shirley Verrett possessed a talent and ambition so dazzling she could not be denied and she became one of the most celebrated artists of her time. I Never Walked Alone draws the reader into the world of this graceful, fiery artist, dramatically telling the story of her childhood and her brilliant international career.The book is filled with behind-the-scenes tales of this diva’s great performances, roles, and collaborations, offering insight into her stormy personal relationships as well as her private struggles and critical decisions. Featuring forewords and afterwords by such figures as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Zubhin Mehta, and Claudio Abbado, this richly detailed book paints a vivid picture of a magnificent survivor and an indelible artist known around the world as the black Maria Callas.
Shirley Verrett (Ann Arbor, MI, and New York, NY) is currently Professor of Voice at the University of Michigan School of Music.
Christopher Brooks is a biographer and award-winning musicologist.
Okay, in all fairness this was written by both Shirley Verrett and Christopher Brooks. But I like to keep my titles relatively simple, so there.
The autobiographies of celebrities and other public figures tend to be vapid and self-aggrandizing, but Shirley Verrett’s autobiography is none of that. She freely speaks of the incidents she had with other singers where she was at fault, reflects on her rocky relationships with others at times and speaks frankly about her vocal problems in the 70s. Maybe it was just excellent editors, but Ms. Verrett strikes me as a very humble woman in her writing. She doesn’t brag and admits her ego problems when she was young; truly she sounds like she was a down-to-Earth person.
I Never Walked Alone is not just a collection of amusing incidents, but a full chronicle of her childhood and career. Ms. Verrett speaks for at least a paragraph on almost all of the productions she was in and it really gives you a great picture of such a talented woman. With an introduction by both Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo, this autobiography really is a treasure.
I don’t often read celebrity autobiographies, but I’m so glad I got my hands on one of my hero’s. Even if you don’t know much about opera, I Never Walked Alone is a fascinating read and paints a picture of the turbulent times of the civil rights movement in America.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Watchers: A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I by Stephen Alford
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
In a Europe aflame with wars of religion and dynastic conflicts, Elizabeth I came to a throne encircled by menace. To the Catholic powers of Europe, England was a heretic pariah state and her queen was “Jezebel,” the bastard offspring of Henry VIII’s illegal second marriage. The pope denounced her; the kings of France and Spain conspired to destroy her, their plans culminating in the Spanish Armada. Many of the Queen’s own subjects plotted her overthrow—or her assassination.
If Elizabeth’s reign was a golden age, then, it was also a precarious one that required unrelenting surveillance by Her Majesty’s secret service. Headed by the brilliant, enigmatic and widely feared Sir Francis Walsingham, the Elizabethan security network willingly deployed every dark art: spies, disinformation, double agents, cryptography, and torture.
Delving deeply into secret files, Stephen Alford offers a chillingly vivid depiction of Elizabethan espionage. In his company we follow Her Majesty’s agents through the streets of London and Rome, and into the dank cells of the Tower. Alford brings to life this shadowy world, where no one could be trusted and a single mistake could have changed England’s history. The Watchers is a riveting exploration of loyalty, faith, betrayal, and deception with the highest possible stakes, in a world poised between the Middle Ages and modernity.
[Full disclosure: Bloomsbury Publishing sent me a free print copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.]
I don’t read nearly as much nonfiction as I would like, so The Watchers was both a refreshing change from YA novels and a great book in its own right. For someone who knows a decent amount about the Tudors and Medieval England, I was shocked at how big of a role spying played back then. It wasn’t just basic spying either: it was sophisticated and at times, incredibly complicated. Stephen Alford has documented the lives of some of the main players in the spy game, from the talented to the incompetent, the eccentric to the boring.
Although Alford’s writing can get a bit choppy here and there as he jumps from spy to spy, he does tie things up well at the end of the chapters and at the very end of the book. Despite the head-hopping, the writing style itself was very engaging for a nonfiction writer and made The Watchers far more enjoyable.To illustrate his point that spying was very important in Tudor England, he had a very lengthy introduction imagining a scenario in which spies did not exist and Elizabeth I really had been assassinated. I would have liked for the introduction to be cut down slightly, but Alford certainly did make his point well.
One thing I really liked about The Watchers is that Alford isn’t telling a completely one-sided story of the struggle of Protestants to protect their queen from evil Catholics. We get to see how the Protestant agents felt about their missions, but also get to see things from the point of view of Catholic exiles. it’s rare to find such balanced nonfiction these days, but Alford managed it. The political triumphs of courtiers like Lord Burghley are balanced by accounts of the terrible torture captured Catholics faced. Alford does not depict a picture of a Golden Age as most books about Elizabethan England seem to and we get to see that the ugly side of the Golden Age was quite ugly at times. It’s nice to find a more realistic portrayal of the times.
Overall, The Watchers is a great book for both newcomers to history and old hats at it. Personally, I’m looking forward to any future books Stephen Alford publishes.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.