On Jan. 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The Holocaust was the genocide of Jewish people during the Second World War.
Remembering the Holocaust is important, and I thought it would be a good idea to share some books that shed light on it.
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is based on a true story and follows Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian who was imprisoned at Auschwitz in 1942. When the current tattooist, Pepan, takes an interest in him Lale becomes his apprentice. From there Lale is then forced to tattoo new prisoners including the woman he falls in love with named Gita. When I read it I couldn't put this book down. I needed to know how Lale survived the war. Besides The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Morris has two other books that deal with the Holocaust: Cilka's Journey, and Three Sisters. As well, if you aren't a fan of reading but are interested in the story there is also a TV show out for this one that is available to purchase.
"Good and evil coexist in the worst of times. It is then when hope shines through."
- They Went Left by Monica Hesse is a young adult book that follows eighteen-year-old Zofia Lederman, a Polish girl, who was liberated from the Gross-Rosen concentration camp and wants to find the only remaining family she believes to have left, her younger brother Abek. To find her brother Zofia goes to a displaced persons camp in Germany and starts her search from there. I loved this book and its many plot twists. While the book takes place after the events of the war there are many flashbacks to what happened during the war.
"The absence of pain is not the same as the presence of happiness."
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter is inspired by the true story of the Kurc family and how they survived the war. The book is told from multiple perspectives and takes place in many different countries. The Kurcs' story of survival is truly incredible. Individuals interested in watching instead of reading the story can watch the TV show on Disney Plus or purchase it.
"There is nothing worse, not even the daily hell of the ghetto, than for a mother to live with such fear and uncertainty about the fates of her children."
- White Bird by R.J. Palacio can be read as a novel or a graphic novel. In this book, a boy named Julian decides to talk to his Grandmère for a school assignment. For the assignment Julian asks his Grandmère to tell him about her past, growing up in Nazi-occupied France. This book is Grandmèrè Sara's story of how she survived the war thanks to a boy in her class named Julien. If you are looking for a book suitable for any age that will make you cry and teach a valuable lesson about the importance of kindness read this one. This one also has a movie adaptation for those interested in watching the story instead of reading it, which can be purchased wherever movies are sold.
"In these dark times, it's those small acts of kindness that keep us alive, after all. They remind us of our humanity."
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is about a girl named Liesel who a foster family takes in to protect her as her mother was a communist. In the book, her family doesn't just protect her though. The family also hides a Jewish boy named Max in their basement. While this book tells Liesel's story, it is written from the perspective of death. This book is another one written for readers of any age to enjoy. This book also has a movie adaptation available to watch on Disney Plus or purchase wherever movies are sold.
"The consequence of this is that I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both."
Many books, both fiction and nonfiction, are set during the Holocaust and I highly recommend reading them and researching the topic.
All of the books mentioned in this column can be borrowed from the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library or purchased at any bookstore.