Trusting Calvin: How a Dog Helped Heal a Holocaust Survivor's Heart

by Sharon Peters

Max Edelman was just 17 when the Nazis took him from his Jewish ghetto in Poland to the first of five work camps, where his only hope of survival was to keep quiet and raise an emotional shield. After witnessing a German Shepherd kill a fellow prisoner, he developed a lifelong fear of dogs. Later beaten into blindness by two bored guards, Max survived, buried the past, and moved on to a new life in America, becoming an X-ray technician. But when he retired, he needed help. He needed a guide dog. After a month of training, he received Calvin, a handsome, devoted chocolate Labrador retriever. Calvin guided Max safely through life, but he sensed the distance and reserve of Max’s emotional shield. Calvin grew listless and lost weight. Trainers intervened—but to no avail. A few days before Calvin’s inevitable reassignment, Max went for an afternoon walk. A car cut into the crosswalk, and Calvin leapt forward, saving Max’s life. Max’s emotional shield dissolved. Calvin sensed the change and immediately improved, guiding Max to greater openness, trust, and engagement with the world. Here is the remarkable, touching story of a man who survived history and the dog that unlocked his heart.
 

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Dogs, Holocaust, Book Club, World War II, War

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[CritiCalGal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trusting Calvin is a remarkable account about a remarkable life. One begins reading this book with the expectation of it simply being what the subtitle says it is -- a nice story about a nice dog helping a traumatized man heal from his Holocaust experiences.

It is that, but it is so much more. To understand the extent of Max Edelman's healing we have first to experience the Holocaust with him, and that's not easy. Some might turn away and miss out on a journey worth taking. My advice is to keep reading. Breathe deeply, take breaks, read something else (something fun) at bedtime, but keep reading. The reader who stays through to the end is rewarded with an uplifting story of not just how a dog healed a man, but how that man's healing empowered him to heal others.

Perhaps one must first nearly lose one's life in order to appreciate it and finally to live it fully. Max's story keeps alive the memory of the most horrific events of the 20th century -- a memory which must never be allowed to sink into obscurity. His story brings to life the human capacity for survival, the capacity to thrive, and the capacity to make a real difference for others. That service animals play a part in the healing and thriving and making a difference makes a rich story even richer.

This is a must-read for animal-lovers, for trauma sufferers, for therapists, and for those seeking a deeper understanding of the Holocaust. Following Max's road from being Hitler's victim to becoming true American hero is a journey well worth any reader's time.

[Katherine George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max Edelman, the subject of Trusting Calvin, died on Nov. 5, 2013. By eliciting the story Max’s traumatic life in the Holocaust camps (the cause of his blindness) one trying conversation at a time, Sharon Peters builds the (true) story of Max, his career (physical therapy) in Cleveland as an immigrant, his family life, and his retirement. Max acquired Calvin through Guiding Eyes for the Blind in his retirement at age 68. It was an emotional and most frustrating transition for a man still traumatized by being a witness to and victim of the Nazis’ use of dogs to torture prisoners. Calvin and succeeding dogs opened Max’s world and, in no small part, helped him develop into a powerful, nationally known, speaker on the Holocaust. Toward the end of the book, Peters explains, “He worked hard to find and make his place here, and he raised his sons without fear that they would be jailed, beaten, or minimized because they were Jews.” Stephen Covey preached the necessity for us “to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy.” With loyal canine helpers, that is exactly what Max did. Applause to Peters for showing us how.

[Jami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, although it was not what I expected at all based on the description. There was only a brief introduction to Calvin at the outset, and then he did not reappear until page 110 (out of a 181 page book, that doesn't leave a lot for him). The first part of the book was about Max's experience in a concentration camp, which was moving and interesting. I liked it, even though it wasn't the book I had expected to read. When we finally got to Calvin, there was nothing indepth about him. Yes, we got to know a little about the relationship between Max and Calvin, but the last 70+ pages covered three service dogs plus pages about service dogs in general. With those few pages, there isn't enough in depth coverage of Max's service dogs.

All that being said, it is a worthwhile book. Max is a fascinating man, and I enjoyed reading his life story.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't call it a book I could not put down, but it's a five star story.

[Jamie Orebaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read. It is beautifully written and the author really captures so much in a book that probably could have kept going. Even if you aren’t a dog lover, this book really opens your eyes and your heart to the life of a service dog and what they do for the people they help every minute of every day. The last couple pages of this book contain some of the most powerful words from the subject of the book. I just couldn’t put it down.

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

$1.99

I have read a few books about people who have survived the Holocaust, including one about sisters who helped each other get through things we should never even have to think about. This book took it to a different place, although I can't explain it in detail, and I don't think Max (Moshe) Edelman could either. Then again maybe he did…

The Edelman family lived in Poland, worked hard and led a good although simple life in spite of the anti-Semitism that seems to follow Jewish people wherever they go. When Max was only 17, he and a brother were captured and sent to a camp. They later met up with their other brother but through news knew that the rest of their family had been killed. Max was in the camp for five years and after witnessing a dog kill another prisoner (at the urging of the Commandant – for entertainment), he developed a lifelong fear of dogs. The brothers suffered from hunger, cold, heat, lice, illness, and horrors that I can't even comprehend. Being young, healthy, and having a lot of luck, not to mention each other, they were able to barely survive even after Max had been beaten so badly that he lost his vision. His brothers helped to hide the fact that he was blind because they all knew that had a Nazis found out, he would have been put to immediately.

When they were finally liberated by the Americans, they were not sure what to do, but slowly went about building a life, including getting married and coming to America after Max had exhausted his resources of ever getting his eyesight back. He learned to get around with a cane, but coming to the US was a challenge in and of itself, not only because he was Jewish, but because he was blind. He and his wife, Barbara, encountered much prejudice, and it wasn't until after he retired as an x-ray technician (I still don't understand how he did that) that he gave any thought to getting a guide dog so he could pursue new freedom without constantly relying on his wife.

Max was nearly 70 when he applied for his first dog, older than all the others, and when he got there he confessed he had a deep-seated fear of dogs. Those working with the dogs had seen all sorts of healing, but Max had suffered like nobody else. Still they thought Calvin could get through to him, and as much as he tried, he just wasn't able to do it, at least not until Max's life depended on it.

I thought this book would be more about the guide dogs, particularly Calvin, but the rest of the story is crucial to get to how Calvin heals him and gives him the freedom to live a life he probably could have never imagined having.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very hard to read at first: It is hard to imagine surviving the concentration camps. They were brutal and this book told it all. Imagine being put into one of these camps at 17 and finally being freed at 22. Horrible things went on.

The good news is, he DID survive. He was, however, haunted with nightmares all his life from his experiences.

The service dogs are an amazing change in his life: one that gives him independence. A very heart warming story!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book yet it made me sad - there was so much horror during the Holocaust and I have a hard time with the way people were treated. I am amazed that this man and his brothers survived and lived lives without hate. We all can learn a lot from this and treat others with respect and dignity even if we don't agree with them. I know the above wasn't about the book but that was what I came away with, which is a good reason to read the book.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book paired my keen interest in the holocaust and dogs. Max Edelman was a courageous man who survived a concentration camp and overcame his intense fear of dogs, which was ignited by a Nazi's German Shepherd tearing apart a man standing next to him in the camp. Max's guide dogs gradually helped him deal with the trauma of internment and share his war time experiences with countless people. Peters did a good job of telling Max's story.

[Tara Goushas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read; it is so interesting. The true story of Max Edelman's life experiences leading up to, during, and displacement after surviving the Holocaust. Dealing with the additional challenge of having been blinded in a concentration camp, the book transitions to Max's need to get over his paralyzingly fear of dogs in order to have a seeing-eye companion in a PTSD easing four-legged friend.

[Carole Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Max Edelman and his brothers, who survived working in the death camps of WWII. Max was almost fatally wounded by a guard who destroyed Max's eyesight and left him blind. After the War, the brothers move to America. Max learns how to work and support himself and also marries. Max's life changes dramatically when he discovers that having a guide dog would provide the independence that he wanted to move about his neighborhood, go to speaking engagements about the Holocaust, and do so many more things. Calvin is the first guide dog that Max has and Max learns how to trust and develop a loving relationship with Calvin after Calvin saves Max from being hit by a car. Max will eventually have other dogs but, Calvin is the first to help Max live a "normal life" and understand the horrors he lived through during WWII.
This is not a long book, but it is filled with the hope that we can't give up on life. Max died in 2012, over the age of 90 years old.

[Brendan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subtitle makes it sound pretty Hallmark-y. And it has such moments in the second half. The book is actually two stories: pre-war and post-war. The first half is Max Edelman’s gut-wrenching experience as a Jew in Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII, where the brutalities cost him his eyesight. The second half is Max’s life after the war: marrying, moving to Cleveland, OH, having children, focusing on his reluctant bond with his first seeing-eye dog.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit the title and synopsis of Trusting Calvin is misleading.. Calvin's appearance and journey with Max is short and Sharon Peters could have done more to speak on this remarkable relationship. Max Edelman's experience with the cruelties of the holocaust deserves a book of its own.

[Danilo Lipisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is wonderful, fantastic, every human being should read it, but the title isn´t accurate. Not only Calvin helped Max (Moshe Edelman) in his life but also Boychick and Tobi and Max loved them three just the same.

[Sylvene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and poignant biography about a Holocaust survivor.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this and Thunder dog—service dogs are amazing!

[Cathy Dugan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great true story.

[Soroush · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book guides you to realize two things: the horrors of Holocaust and the healing power of guide dogs. It is a story of a Holocaust survivor, who despite his initial fear of dogs came to love them. Moshe (Max) Edelman was sent to a concentration camp at the age of 17 and lived through the horrors of Nazi Germany at the time. He witnessed and felt the terrifying events inside and outside of the camp. Before he lost his eyesight due to a vicious attack against him by Nazi soldiers he observed another prisoner next to him, with his hands tied behind his back, getting ripped apart by a German Shepherd following the orders of the Nazi official in charge. It was a slow, painful death that terrorized Max for decades to come and affected him deeply. After surviving the Holocaust and moving to America, and after trying multiple doctors seeking a cure for his eyes without any positive results, he was told that with the help of a guide dog he can be an active and contributing member of the society. Consequently, though he was terrified of dogs, he decided to get one.
In this book, you'll read Max Edelman's journey from his childhood, through his years in concentration camps, and his years as a free man in America. His guide dogs not only helped him become active and mobile, they deeply affected his personality and transformed Max into a flourishing and respected individual within his community.
If you are interested in reading the story of a Holocaust survivor or if you are very fond of guide dogs and would like to learn about their transformative healing powers, you may enjoy reading this book.

[Samantha Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sesame Street's Mr. Rogers said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." I burst into tears when Erich - who didn't even know Max prior - helped save Max's life fully knowing what the consequences would be if he were caught hiding a blind Jew.

I also can't forget Max's incredible brothers, Jack and Sigmund, who helped and encouraged Max every step of the way. There were also many others featured who selflessly risked their lives to save Max, or just to do the right thing when the opposite would have been much easier. And lastly, I love Max's three incredible guide dogs - Calvin, Boychick, and Tobi - who selflessly devoted their lives to him, and taught him the meaning of life. Showing both the very best and the very worst of humanity, Trusting Calvin poignantly reminds us of triumph of the human spirit, and the everlasting importance of tolerance, kindness, and character.

You can read my full review here.

[Luann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book to read about the Holocaust, especially if you are a dog-lover.

The book is mainly about how dogs can help people, in particular how a Holocaust survivor changes when he gets his first seeing-eye dog, although it also provides a very moving and clear example of the horrors of the Holocaust.

As hard as it is to read Max's story during the Holocaust, stick with this book. The descriptions of Max's experiences with his dogs is uplifting, especially in the later half of the book.

Trusting Calvin has several aspects and serves several purposes, informing, and uplifting the spirit. It provides an important example of a Holocaust victim (ever more critical in an age where a Holocaust denier is so prominent in the news and online). It explains the history and purposes of seeing-eye dogs. It also shows the significance of love in life, both human and canine.

I highly recommend this book for anyone over the age of 12. I would even suggest it be required reading for high school. Humanity must not forget the Holocaust did happen. This book reminds us, yet is a gentle reminder, with hope in the power of love and the human and canine spirits.

[Ginny G · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many fine reasons to pick up this book. You will first be drawn in by a riveting true tale of a teenage boy whose dreams are smashed by the Holocaust. The writing is so rich in detail and history that you feel you're with Max Edelman throughout his austere early years as you follow him into the hell of the concentration camps. You will marvel at how he suffered and persevered to come out alive when so many others did not. On an entirely different level, perhaps you'll stumble across this book as a lifelong lover of dogs, as I am. You will be warmed to learn how a service Lab came to give life back to a crotchety older man, blinded by brutal Nazi guards, terrified of dogs, and a most uncertain candidate to bring any dog into his home.
The two stories do not collide, but permeate each other as if this is what destiny intended all along ... as if young Max Edelman's story could only have followed this road. A beautiful and enriching read, highly recommended.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is half about the Holocaust, half about how a blind survivor overcame his fear of dogs (which were used to maul people to death in Nazi camps) enough to become dependent upon three of them as guide-dogs during his later years. It is about "the magic" healing nature that a dog can provide. In Max's case, he needed a guide-dog to increase his mobility (that which a cane cannot provide), and he fought against his fears until he felt truly open and trusting with his guide-dog Calvin. I found it to be so informative of the many beneficial qualities guide/therapy dogs can provide. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Holocaust, or guide-dogs. If you are considering getting a guide-dog for you or a family member, this book is a good example of the amazing healing qualities that could come from that. Guide/Therapy dogs have helped many people with fewer struggles to overcome than Max Edelman had. At times hard to read, I did really appreciate this book.

[Chrisann Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Holocaust survival story unlike any other I have ever read for many reasons. First of all the very fact that Max is able to survive the camps once he is blinded is miraculous. The fact that his brothers and others are able to cover for his disability and help him survive is a testament of their love the fact that there was much goodness in the face of so much evil. And there are some sides of the evil that I hadn't heard about before reading this book. The differences in what was offered for blind people in Germany and the US at the time was startling to me. I would have been happy to read a lot more about those details. The healing that Max experienced through his interaction with his dogs brought me to tears. This will be one of my favorites because there were so many new perspectives because of Max's disability.

[Lindalee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a true story about a Polish teenager who survived horrifying ordeals at the hands of the Nazis during WWII that left him blind. His brothers, a couple of concentration camp staff members, and a few others helped him survive physically but the emotional scars followed him throughout his life.

The twin challenges of his blindness and his past affected everything as he soldiered through life. When it came time to get a guide dog, he had to face his terror of dogs - caused by what he saw in the camps during his youth. Gradually, he let himself get attached and a new, more meaningful life opened up for him.

It was hard for me to read about the camps and the casual cruelties inflicted on Max. I also thought the ending chapters could have been shortened with no loss of meaning. I learned a lot about the challenges of blindness, and it was worth reading for that.

[Charlotte O'donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into the life of the blind and the impact of seeing eye dogs on their lives as well as those around them. Based on the true story of a holocaust survivor it was done with compassion and understanding but full awareness of the horrors of WWII and the Nazis. Also brought to light the discrimination that existed within the U.S. during those times towards handicapped individuals and races. Very well written and lessons learned were very good. Would recommend it to all but be aware that the brutalities of the holocaust are descriptive. hard to imagine they happened let alone that anyone survived them.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presented parts of the Holocaust that I had never read before, that in itself is worth the rating. But also the story of adjusting to having a dog 24/7 when the only experiences you have had with dogs was horrifying.

Now I will stand on my soap box please The people of the greatest generation who went through WWII are dying off--soon there will be no one left who remembers the atrocities and terrible cost that this war cost--Please read at least one historical WWII book so that we can say together that we will never forget and will never let what happened to the people of Europe start again. Never forget!!!!!

[Lonnie West · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book about the Holocaust is fun, but the second half of this book is as special as the first part is hard. Max saw men torn to pieces by dogs in the concentration camps. He was afraid of dogs--but NEEDED one. He'd lost his sight during the holocaust. He wanted to live life once deliverance finally came; to be mobile and independent. A guide dog was needed. This story takes us through 3 service dogs along with learning how dogs are chosen for their people.

Max is in his 80s. His brother died in his 90s. I cannot fathom how people who have been reduced to skin and bones can live to be that old. My only explanation is that God doesn't want that part of history forgotten either.

[Melissa Kayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly inspiring story about a Holocaust Survivor who lost his sight during his time in the concentration camp. After immigrating to America and becoming an outstanding citizen who taught himself English and became an advocate for blind, he has to learn to trust a dog (after being terrified of them for years due to experiences during the War) and develops wonderful relationships with several dogs. I was so inspired by this man that I wanted to email him, only to learn that he died a month before at the age of 95.

[Jenny Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and inspiring

This book not only provides a good lesson in history, but it also takes the reader through an incredible journey of one man's life as he, with the help of his brothers and fellow prisoners, manages to escape certain death in the labor camps on numerous occasions, despite having been rendered completely blind in the process. But even long after his release and rescue, Max has deamons of his own to battle, only one of which is his unlikely partnership with a guide dog..