The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Now a major Sky TV series Hardcover – 11 Jan. 2018

Book Review - ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“So many stories. So many brave people.”This is one of those books that you can’t simply read, it reaches in and grabs your soul and immerses you completely. Holocaust books are never easy reads, and they shouldn’t be, but it is a time in our history we should educate ourselves about and learn from. I find myself fascinated with the question of how people can commit such atrocities against other human beings in the name of faith or any kind of beliefs, but never any closer to figuring out the answer.“I am a survivor.”Lale is just 24 years old when the Germans order each Jewish family in his village to send a member of their family aged 18 or over to work for them. His older brother volunteers, but Lale insists he should be the one to go as, unlike his brother, he has no wife or children. Despite obvious apprehension at where he will go and what will happen, Lale is pleased that his actions will be saving his family from being sent to a prison camp and keeping them safe.When he first arrives at Auschwitz-Birkenau he is put to work building more huts but notices that there are some prisoners with privileges and vows to get one of the positions that will offer him the greatest chance of survival. Shortly after he becomes acquainted with Pepan, the Tätowierer, who offers him a job as his apprentice. His new position offers protection and benefits such as a bed to himself and more food to eat. Showing his generous nature, Lale immediately shares his extra rations with other prisoners. Later he begins to smuggle in food and other items, at huge risk to himself, that he also shares. When reading about these kindnesses I couldn’t help but wonder how many lives he saved. How many people and their parents are alive today because he saved their grandparent in the camp? Lale may have had regrets about the job he was forced to do to survive but it can’t be denied how much good he did that wasn’t obligated to. I myself think taking the job was the right thing. Yes, he could be viewed as conspiring with the enemy, but someone had to do the job and he made sure to use his position to benefit many others. I empathise with the prisoners who took jobs to gain extra rations or a better position in the camp. They were fighting for survival every second of the day and I blame no one who found a way to make that fight a little easier.“I am in shit but won’t drown, my life is too beautiful to die.”Lale’s positive outlook is apparent from the start of the story. He chooses to look for the good and for beauty in any and every circumstance. I am sure that choosing to keep his positivity despite being in such a frightening and dire situation helped him to survive and enabled him to encourage others to do the same. One thing that no doubt helped him see a brighter side to life during his time in the camp was meeting and falling in love with Gita. This story of how these two ordinary people found love and hope in the darkest of places was beautiful and shows us how if a love is true absolutely nothing can stand in its way. The couple share clandestine meetings as much as possible while in the camp and vow to marry and live their lives together once they are free.“If you wake up in the morning, it’s a good day.”I would have liked to hear more about Lale’s life after the war than was included in the book, but we do find out a little about his life after the war, his struggles and triumphs, and what he was like as a parent in a small Afterward from his son. The Authors Notes were a wonderful insight into how she came to tell his story and the man he was. It was interesting to see the pictures of him and some of the historical pictures relevant to his time in the camp. I think they were a great way to end the book and gave the reader a greater connection to Lale.“The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a story of two ordinary people, living in an extraordinary time.”This is a story full of opposing things: humanity and inhumanity, love and hate, and hope and despair. It is a reminder of the horrors people experienced, but also of their ferocious will to survive and how they found happiness, friendship, and sometimes even love, during the most barbaric and odious circumstances. It is important we are reminded of the stories of individuals as hearing the huge numbers makes it impersonal and incomprehensible. When we hear Lale’s story we can picture what he and those he knew suffered we relate to it in a real way that helps us ensure it never happens again. The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a mesmerising, poignant, haunting, powerful, harrowing and beautiful novel. I can’t recommend it highly enough.“To save one, is to save the world.”

What an incredible story, so sad and shockingly cruel. Such an horrendous time in history that should never be forgotten. Although it's upsetting it's also uplifting, a story of survival and love. They had great inner strength with everything they went through. Truly amazing people. Highly recommend

While drinking unpalatable coffee, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, Lale Sokolov (born Ludwig Eisenberg), started to share his memories with Heather Morris, and he continued to do so two or three times every week for the next two and a half years. Inspired by his recollections, Heather set about writing ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ which has gone on to sell more than 5 million copies.In 1942, Germany makes an empty promise to Jewish families in Slovakia: volunteer the labour of one able-bodied, young male and the rest of the family will be safe. Twenty-six-year-old Lale volunteers and finds himself on a cattle truck heading for the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. After a brief stint in construction, his linguistic skills are recognised and he is promoted to ‘Tätowierer’.Daily arrivals from German-occupied Europe are sorted. Those deemed fit enough to work are tattooed and permitted to live a bit longer. Lale’s adoration of fellow Slovakian, Gita Furman, begins as he tattoos a number on her arm. A romance ensues and he promises that they will survive the camps and be together…The extent to which a person will go to survive is stretched horrifically here. But survival is not just about self-preservation; risks and sacrifices are also made for the benefit of others. Amidst the torture and humiliation, we see hope, love, resilience, courage and great dignity. Life in the camps is testament to what the human body and mind can endure.Details of the violence are restrained and the gore omitted. This has the advantage of widening the readership to younger adults. Though, at the same time, it does leave Heather open to the criticism that her portrayal of the depravity and horror in the camps is over-sanitised.It’s easy to feel disgust and anger towards the Germans, particularly Sadistic SS doctor, Josef Mengele, because of their actions. Connecting with the prisoners, even Lale and Gita, isn’t as easy, as the exploration of their emotions is limited. I appreciate that Heather wanted to stay faithful to Lale’s account of events, but she could have allowed herself more artistic license.The author’s notes and the photographs of Lale and Gita add a great deal to the book. Heather’s respect for Lale and her dedication to telling his story is quite touching. There are no distracting ‘poetic’ passages; Heather communicates what she has to say simply and maintains a fast pace throughout her writing.I would recommend to anybody with the slightest interest in historical fiction or love stories to read this novel. If I came away with anything, it was the gratitude that I’ll never understand what the prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau went through."If you wake up in the morning, it's a good day."~ Lale Sokolov

Very well written - a very moving book telling of Lale & Gita’s life. Very descriptive.I will read the other books in the trilogy.

A great book to read. An I sight into the horrors of Auschwitz. Very well written and highly recommended ,,

A fantastic book from start to finish. It must be incredibly difficult to put into words the true horrors of the concentration camp, but Heather Morris does an admirable job. She masterfully intertwines a beautiful love story, with the darkness of this abhorrent moment in history. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a human story; every facet of humanity, both good and bad, is evidenced in this story.

I enjoyed this book it was very informative and very sad at the same time. I am now reading The Girl who escaped from Auschwitz. I cannot believe how things happened in the camps and how many people suffered.

Very well written, but in places a hard read. Would highly recommend as these stories must be kept alive so we never hear of these events in the future.

The amazing people who suffered the terrible conditions in Europe at the hands of the Nazi regime. I am in awe of the truly brave women, men, and children during WW2. We must never forget what this kind of thinking creates.

This book was the account of what happens to Lale when he volunteers to labor for the Germans to keep his family “safe”, but who in reality is sent to a concentration camp where he is trained tattoo numbers on the wrists of Jews like himself. An incredible story of perseverance, horror, hope, and also, love as Lale spends nearly three years there before the camp is liberated. Morris eloquently captures his story and pulls the reader thru those torturous and terrifying years while still paying tribute to Lale’s survival and generosity.

Buen estilo que atrapa.

Ein sehr fesselndes, schonungsloses Buch, dass einen in seinen Bann zieht und sehr nachdenklich werden lässt wozu Menschen in der Lage sind. Ich habe mich bewusst für die Englische Version entschieden. Klare Kaufempfehlung!

I received the book damaged with ink/ used, while I payed for a brand new book. Not happy