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Strength to Endure
A historically rich tale, Strength To Endure expertly portrays the consequences of war and the ability of the human spirit to conquer all.
Anneliese Klein was just a small girl when Hitler came into power in her home country of Germany. Fear and uncertainty were as much as part of her childhood as dolls and tea parties. As she grew up, the war crept even closer to home, taking first her two brothers and then her father. Eventually it claims the man she loves. How will she survive these horrors? And what will become of her unborn child?
Anneliese Klein was just a small girl when Hitler came into power in her home country of Germany. Fear and uncertainty were as much as part of her childhood as dolls and tea parties. As she grew up, the war crept even closer to home, taking first her two brothers and then her father. Eventually it claims the man she loves. How will she survive these horrors? And what will become of her unborn child?
258 pages, Trade Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
4 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Tristi Pinkston
226 books190 followersI'm a historical/contemporary fiction author, stay-at-home mom, homeschooler, freelance editor, and the owner of Trifecta Books.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 19, 2009
I've drawn the connection. The reason I give such high ratings to books that make me cry is because, to do that, they have to draw me in so that I make an emotional connection to the characters. If I genuinely care about them, almost like real people, then their heartaches and triumphs are things I feel as I read.
That said, I picked up Strength to Endure last night around 11 PM. I finished it at 1:30 AM. And for the first time in my life, I cried all the way through the book. Tears just fell as I read, sliding down my cheeks and mingling with my hair on the pillow. Never has a book generated such a consistent emotional response from me. It's an incredible story. If I could give it 6 stars (on a scale of 1 to 5), I would in a heartbeat.
The story starts out with Anneliese Klein as a young girl in Germany just as Hitler rises to power. I knew going in that a historical fiction novel set in Germany before and during WW II was not going to be a romp through the clover fields. But Tristi brings the beauty and horrors to life vividly. I remember my history classes. I knew about concentration camps and death camps like Auschwitz, and how people were rounded up and taken away from their homes and friends never to be seen again. But seeing these things happen through the eyes of Anneliese as she grows up changed me. And the part of the book where the story transitions from Anneliese's perspective to Hilde's perspective made me bawl. I saw it coming, but cried like a baby through two chapters anyway.
In all honesty, at one point I wiped my eyes and wondered why I was putting myself through this torture. But of course by then the story had me so absolutely, I had to finish the book and find out what happens. And Tristi didn't disappoint me there, either.
I do not have ancestors who were personally affected by what happened in Germany while Hitler was in power. There's no one in my past who can tell me what they experienced or witnessed during that time. But I did have a Jewish friend growing up, and we talked about it at length. From a historical aspect, everything in this book resonates with truth. Although the story is fiction, the things that happen gel with what I know about WW II and brought it all down to a very personal level.
Strength to Endure is an amazing book. I can't say enough about it. It's the kind of book that may change the reader, but it's a worthy change.
That said, I picked up Strength to Endure last night around 11 PM. I finished it at 1:30 AM. And for the first time in my life, I cried all the way through the book. Tears just fell as I read, sliding down my cheeks and mingling with my hair on the pillow. Never has a book generated such a consistent emotional response from me. It's an incredible story. If I could give it 6 stars (on a scale of 1 to 5), I would in a heartbeat.
The story starts out with Anneliese Klein as a young girl in Germany just as Hitler rises to power. I knew going in that a historical fiction novel set in Germany before and during WW II was not going to be a romp through the clover fields. But Tristi brings the beauty and horrors to life vividly. I remember my history classes. I knew about concentration camps and death camps like Auschwitz, and how people were rounded up and taken away from their homes and friends never to be seen again. But seeing these things happen through the eyes of Anneliese as she grows up changed me. And the part of the book where the story transitions from Anneliese's perspective to Hilde's perspective made me bawl. I saw it coming, but cried like a baby through two chapters anyway.
In all honesty, at one point I wiped my eyes and wondered why I was putting myself through this torture. But of course by then the story had me so absolutely, I had to finish the book and find out what happens. And Tristi didn't disappoint me there, either.
I do not have ancestors who were personally affected by what happened in Germany while Hitler was in power. There's no one in my past who can tell me what they experienced or witnessed during that time. But I did have a Jewish friend growing up, and we talked about it at length. From a historical aspect, everything in this book resonates with truth. Although the story is fiction, the things that happen gel with what I know about WW II and brought it all down to a very personal level.
Strength to Endure is an amazing book. I can't say enough about it. It's the kind of book that may change the reader, but it's a worthy change.
August 17, 2023
Oh, my gosh. I loved this book. I've always felt really connected to World War II media, and this book is no exception. It's a tear-jerker, in the best way.
This book is episodic, but with well-written characters in a way where you still come to get to know them and love them super easily. The plot starts out as a spotlight of what growing up as a kid in Nazi Germany might have been like, and then it moves on to incorporate the Church, all these amazing people who came together to make miracles happen and to take care of each other and of baby Liesl, and the balances between survival, integrity, bravery, faith, grief, PTSD, horrific trials/hell, etc.
I love all the family connections and family history, and thoughts like finding a new person that you meet familiar because you were good friends with them in heaven. These characters are sweet and feel real. And so much of what really happened in that time period is fit into this story as well --- it encapsulates so much.
Some favorite quotes:
"...There's good in everyone, if you watch for that as much as you watch for them to be lunatics."
"I just wish I didn't have to wait until the beginning of forever..."
"You're not being silly. Or if you are, I am, too."
I look forward to reading more from Tristi Pinkston! This book is truly a gem, and I would highly recommend it.
This book is episodic, but with well-written characters in a way where you still come to get to know them and love them super easily. The plot starts out as a spotlight of what growing up as a kid in Nazi Germany might have been like, and then it moves on to incorporate the Church, all these amazing people who came together to make miracles happen and to take care of each other and of baby Liesl, and the balances between survival, integrity, bravery, faith, grief, PTSD, horrific trials/hell, etc.
I love all the family connections and family history, and thoughts like finding a new person that you meet familiar because you were good friends with them in heaven. These characters are sweet and feel real. And so much of what really happened in that time period is fit into this story as well --- it encapsulates so much.
Some favorite quotes:
"...There's good in everyone, if you watch for that as much as you watch for them to be lunatics."
"I just wish I didn't have to wait until the beginning of forever..."
"You're not being silly. Or if you are, I am, too."
I look forward to reading more from Tristi Pinkston! This book is truly a gem, and I would highly recommend it.
May 10, 2017
I love the building of the characters. However the building of the characters is brief so you don't get attached to them. That is important here because the story discards characters frequently since the entire story covers several decades and generations. It has a family history twist to it that I found interesting.
August 14, 2017
Wonderful
I know this book is fiction but it really touched me. Do many good people lived in Germany and the surrounding area when that madman reeked hated, torture and death to so many people. I think the people that were part of the resistance are indeed special angels. Thank you to the author and good people all over the world.
I know this book is fiction but it really touched me. Do many good people lived in Germany and the surrounding area when that madman reeked hated, torture and death to so many people. I think the people that were part of the resistance are indeed special angels. Thank you to the author and good people all over the world.
July 20, 2020
This is the story of a family living in Germany living in World War II and their struggles during the war. It has interesting characters starting with the Klein family, but I thought it was strange that the main characters disappeared half way through the book. It was good, and if you like Gerald Lund's historical fiction, you will probably enjoy this as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2017
Great story
I loved the story from page one. It makes you think about the history and what we can learn from it. Hitler was so evil that it is hard to comprehend.
I loved the story from page one. It makes you think about the history and what we can learn from it. Hitler was so evil that it is hard to comprehend.
August 16, 2008
I read all three of Tristi Pinkston's historical fiction books this week. What else is a leader supposed to do at Scout Camp while the boys are in merit badge classes for 6 hours per day?
This book was fantastic. I have placed it in my "All Time Favorites" book shelf.
Although I liked all three of Tristi's books a great deal, this one, in my opinion is the best, and also my favorite of the three.
The book did not feel like fiction. I have read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning", and "The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz (Russian labor camp escape story), and these two non-fiction books have nothing up on Tristi's book. Tristi's book has a stronger, more hopeful message to it. I would recommend the book to any of my LDS friends, and even my non-LDS friends, although they are going to come away from the reading wanting to know more about what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches about Family.
If you haven't read the book, move this one to the top of your reading list!
SPOILER ALERT: If you don't want to have one of the big surprises in the story spoiled for you, it would be wise to stop reading this review now.
This story is also a strange one, in that there are many characters, and each of their stories are told very well. It is a rare book where the main character ends up dying just 2/3 of the way through the story . . . Or at least I considered her the main character. Perhaps she was not . . . Perhaps the main character is really the "eternal family" portrayed here. At any rate, I read the book almost straight through and loved every minute of it. Grab a box of tissues, though. I am grateful I was able to find some semblance of privacy at Scout Camp while I read it.
This book was fantastic. I have placed it in my "All Time Favorites" book shelf.
Although I liked all three of Tristi's books a great deal, this one, in my opinion is the best, and also my favorite of the three.
The book did not feel like fiction. I have read Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning", and "The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawicz (Russian labor camp escape story), and these two non-fiction books have nothing up on Tristi's book. Tristi's book has a stronger, more hopeful message to it. I would recommend the book to any of my LDS friends, and even my non-LDS friends, although they are going to come away from the reading wanting to know more about what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches about Family.
If you haven't read the book, move this one to the top of your reading list!
SPOILER ALERT: If you don't want to have one of the big surprises in the story spoiled for you, it would be wise to stop reading this review now.
This story is also a strange one, in that there are many characters, and each of their stories are told very well. It is a rare book where the main character ends up dying just 2/3 of the way through the story . . . Or at least I considered her the main character. Perhaps she was not . . . Perhaps the main character is really the "eternal family" portrayed here. At any rate, I read the book almost straight through and loved every minute of it. Grab a box of tissues, though. I am grateful I was able to find some semblance of privacy at Scout Camp while I read it.
November 27, 2019
Annaliese Klein was a small girl in Germany when Hitler came to power. She sees what happens to her Jewish friends and determines at a young age that Hitler is evil, as does her dad. Her two older brothers join Hitler Youth and become fanatics. After they go to join the army, her father is taken away (and killed) for not saluting. She eventually falls in love with the neighbor's hemophiliac nephew Kurt Heinz. They marry and she become pregnant, but they're involved with the Resistance. When a Dachau escapee is found on their farm, Kurt, Annaliese and the Jew are captured. The Jew is killed, Anna and Kurt are taken to Dachau, where Kurt is almost immediately killed for inciting the Jews. Before their capture, they meet an LDS family and decide to join the church, but don't before Dachau. Anna lives long enough to give birth to a daughter Liesl who she gives to a visiting army guard's "wife". Hilde takes the baby and protects her for 18 months, but after the war ends, cannot find work. She goes to the train station to take her to an orphanage, but gives her to an older French couple at the station instead. Emilie and Laude Lampert spent the war years in Denmark after getting stranded there at the start of the war. They join the church there and are on their way back to Paris when given Liesl. Childless, they fall in love, eventually emigrate to Salt Lake and raise her there. As a pregnant married woman, Liesl traces her maternal Grandmother in Germany who also joined the church. Good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
This book really touched me. I enjoyed the character of Anneliese, and I felt just how confused she was with the way her world was changing. First her brothers were acting differently than they ever had. Then they disappeared. Next her father disappeared, never to be heard from again. Finally, Annaliese and her husband were taken and she had a pretty good idea what had become of him. But she had to stay strong, because she herself was expecting a baby. That scene made me cry, I loved Annaliese by that point, and I too knew what had become of her and the sacrifices she had made to bring her sweet baby into the world. Being a mother myself that part of the story resonated with me. I loved the way this book is written, I thought it was interesting how there were different main characters at different times, the way that it was written was really great. I love it when a book makes me feel like I was there when things happened, almost like I had been transported to a different time and place, this book did that for me. If you enjoy reading well-written historical fiction, you won't want to miss this book.
January 12, 2015
Strength to Endure
This is the first book by Tristi Pinkston that I've had the pleasure of reading, but it will definitely not be my last! She wove a tale so convincing and real that I expected to learn that it was a biographical story. It is not, but that doesn't take any of the thrill away. I was amazed at how well she told the story of a German family with their heartaches as Hitler took power, the grief and drama of the sons worshipping the insanity that was Hitler, the understated story of the Hitler Youth and the families wrenched apart by that group's actions. Somehow, the story of one small family in an isolated town in a Germany represented the story of what so many families must have experienced. I am going to have my family read this book if I have to read it to them! Definitely a 5-star story so well told!
This is the first book by Tristi Pinkston that I've had the pleasure of reading, but it will definitely not be my last! She wove a tale so convincing and real that I expected to learn that it was a biographical story. It is not, but that doesn't take any of the thrill away. I was amazed at how well she told the story of a German family with their heartaches as Hitler took power, the grief and drama of the sons worshipping the insanity that was Hitler, the understated story of the Hitler Youth and the families wrenched apart by that group's actions. Somehow, the story of one small family in an isolated town in a Germany represented the story of what so many families must have experienced. I am going to have my family read this book if I have to read it to them! Definitely a 5-star story so well told!
July 15, 2008
This well-researched book has heart-tugging moments and drama that has your heart in your throat as you wonder what could possibly fix the stare-death-in-the-face situations. Some sadness, as war brings, and some triumphs of the human spirit are woven into the story.
My in-laws lived through WWII in occupied Holland, and when they read it, they were amazed at author Tristi Pinkston's youth. My mother in law said, "Miracles did happen."
My in-laws lived through WWII in occupied Holland, and when they read it, they were amazed at author Tristi Pinkston's youth. My mother in law said, "Miracles did happen."
October 5, 2014
This book has had me experience more emotions than I do in a typical week! So much hope, devastation, faith and then hope again is inevitably going to leave it's mark on any reader.
I'd recommend anyone reading 'Strength to Endure' but if you're going through a tough time this will definitely help you.
The way Tristi wrote this book had me convinced that these people were real, my friends and people to aspire to follow!
Thank you Tristi, for an amazing read.
Debs
I'd recommend anyone reading 'Strength to Endure' but if you're going through a tough time this will definitely help you.
The way Tristi wrote this book had me convinced that these people were real, my friends and people to aspire to follow!
Thank you Tristi, for an amazing read.
Debs
April 14, 2008
This is a novel that follows the development of WWII from the perspective of characters inside Nazi Germany. I absolutely loved this book and highly reccomend it. It's written by an LDS author but has very minor LDS elements to it. It can be hard to find as it wasn't widely distrubuted but I found it to be one of the best written LDS books I've ever read.
October 30, 2011
This was a really enjoyable look at WWII from the perspective of a German family. I loved the characters from the start and the story line caught my attention and held it from the beginning. I have to say I was pretty shocked in the middle of the book, but it turned out to be a beautiful story of love.
January 10, 2010
Another historical fiction about WWII, this one told from the point of view of a young girl who grew up in Germany and then from the p.o.v. of her daughter. Heartrending in places, but also many parts are beautiful and peaceful and happy. Considering the topic, this is one of the few books that actually does leave you uplifted.
July 31, 2013
I am always drawn to WW2 books and enjoyed this very much. The writing was certainly not Pat Conroy, but passable. I thought there were a few too many coincidences which seems fairly typical in the genre I call "cheeseball LDS fiction". However---that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I did. And, I recommend it.
June 21, 2008
This author left a comment on my blog and I was curious, so I checked out her book. I expected it to be typical Mormon drivel fiction writing but it is really good. Fun to be unexpectedly surprised by this.
September 12, 2015
Wow What a great book. I really like reading stories
about the Holocaust, Hitler. What the poor Jews went through
This story is about a family, not Jewish, hiding a Jew then
getting caught. I really recommend the book. I'm not much
of a reviewer but I try.
about the Holocaust, Hitler. What the poor Jews went through
This story is about a family, not Jewish, hiding a Jew then
getting caught. I really recommend the book. I'm not much
of a reviewer but I try.
November 13, 2008
A historical fiction set in Germany during WW2. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were believable, the story of courage was refreshing.
April 26, 2009
Met Tristi! Wonderful and funny. My daughter loves historical fiction. So, I'm excited to branch out and read Tristi's books. Who knows, maybe some day she'll be writing novels like Tristi.
May 12, 2009
This is a wonderful story!
September 14, 2009
I enjoyed this story set during WWII from the German citizens point of view. Another good read from Tristi.
March 1, 2010
Very interesting. Most events occured during WW II in Germany but story continued to 1960s with a daughter of the main character. I'll read more by this author.
June 19, 2010
This was a very good book. It tells the story of a German family during Hitler's rise to power. I really liked this book.
November 20, 2010
Loved it!! I was expecting something completly different and predictable. I was plesantly surprised. Shocked at some parts! Would totally recommend!
January 10, 2011
The last half of the book is the best, with a twist and great emotion.
February 17, 2012
I really enjoyed this book of a girl when Hitler came into power in Germany. It would be an excellent book for middle school - high schoolers to read.
October 10, 2015
Liked it.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews