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Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe
Drawing on oral histories, diaries, letters, photographs, and archival records, the author presents a look at the lives of the children who lived and died during the Holocaust
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 1991
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About the author
Deborah Dwork
17 books21 followersA renowned historian of Holocaust, Dwork is the Rose Professor of Holocaust History and Director of the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the Department of History, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 3, 2021
I read this book several years ago--before I even knew about Goodreads. Today, when I went to my bookshelf looking for something else I saw it and the tears immediately came to my eyes, and I was moved to post about it. I had never heard of this book and had no intention of purchasing it and then it literally fell into my hands.
I was at a conference and I heard the author speak. I then won the book at one of those publisher's daily draws that are so common at academic conferences. At first, I was very glad that this happened because I later ran into the author in one of the lobbies and was able to ask her to autograph it. I ended up reading it in my hotel room during the conference. I did not expect "pleasure reading" but I was looking for a distraction. It was very distracting and difficult--because of its content. Despite the subject matter, I confess I did not expect it to be so difficult to read. I am now glad it "literally fell into my hands" because I believe I needed to read it. It was one of the many holocaust stories that are rarely told and one I had not heard about before.
The book's format is a collection of stories of Jewish children in Europe during Hitler's reign. All are touching and most are painful. Some make it impossible to continue reading and it is necessary to take a break. Some have touches of humour. Most show the resilience of children, and some show signs of the persistent bits of goodness in humanity during very inhumane times. The most important thing one is reminded of when reading this book is that there was no room for Jewish children in Hitler's realm.
I suppose it is required to say something about the literary style of a book and not rely solely on the content when writing a book review. It will suffice to say that it is well researched, and for a factual accounting of events, is surprisingly touching. The author is indeed gifted.
It is a book that I think all who concern themselves with justice issues would benefit from reading, and yet, I cannot recommend it easily. I know there are some who simply could not, and perhaps should not, read it.
I was at a conference and I heard the author speak. I then won the book at one of those publisher's daily draws that are so common at academic conferences. At first, I was very glad that this happened because I later ran into the author in one of the lobbies and was able to ask her to autograph it. I ended up reading it in my hotel room during the conference. I did not expect "pleasure reading" but I was looking for a distraction. It was very distracting and difficult--because of its content. Despite the subject matter, I confess I did not expect it to be so difficult to read. I am now glad it "literally fell into my hands" because I believe I needed to read it. It was one of the many holocaust stories that are rarely told and one I had not heard about before.
The book's format is a collection of stories of Jewish children in Europe during Hitler's reign. All are touching and most are painful. Some make it impossible to continue reading and it is necessary to take a break. Some have touches of humour. Most show the resilience of children, and some show signs of the persistent bits of goodness in humanity during very inhumane times. The most important thing one is reminded of when reading this book is that there was no room for Jewish children in Hitler's realm.
I suppose it is required to say something about the literary style of a book and not rely solely on the content when writing a book review. It will suffice to say that it is well researched, and for a factual accounting of events, is surprisingly touching. The author is indeed gifted.
It is a book that I think all who concern themselves with justice issues would benefit from reading, and yet, I cannot recommend it easily. I know there are some who simply could not, and perhaps should not, read it.
March 4, 2015
During my History study I wrote a essay about children in concentration camps during the World War II. This book was a great help for me then. It's a very moving book and it shows again how senseless war is.
November 24, 2023
Had I read this before October 7, 2023, I might have been able to find a clinical way to digest the history and move on. Because I read this after that date, this was a much harder read. That's not the author's fault, but sometimes timing really is everything. I simply didn't enjoy this as much as I might have when it was farther away; there's an immediacy to this these days that made it a hard read.
October 24, 2022
A moving book. Details many individual accounts and the happenings that shaped the times.
November 12, 2009
Not as well organized as it could be.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews