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Boat of Stone
“An extremely readable and ultimately moving novel” based on the true story of a boatful of Jewish refugees refused entry to Palestine (The New York Times).
In October 1940, as the storm clouds of World War II gathered, the SS Atlantic set sail for Palestine. A condemned and overcrowded ship, it was overflowing with bedraggled Jewish refugees who, having bought their way out of Nazi Germany and Austria, hoped to find safety from the concentration camps that had begun to claim their brethren. But they were not destined to find the shelter they sought.
In this poignant novel, Hanna Sommerfeld recalls her long-ago voyage on the Atlantic—a journey plagued by epidemics and food shortages that led not to freedom but, improbably, to incarceration in a British penal colony off the eastern coast of Africa. For Hanna, it would also lead to a heartbreaking loss.
Weaving Hanna’s current life with her son’s family in Haifa, Israel, with her memories of marriage and her coming-of-age in the jungles of Mauritius, Boat of Stone is a unique Holocaust story that not only reveals a little-known chapter of history, but also introduces one of the most unforgettable characters you are likely to a gritty, humorous, wise, and adventurous woman who refuses to become a victim. It is “a splendid novel” from National Book Award finalist Maureen Earl, author of Gulliver Quick (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
In October 1940, as the storm clouds of World War II gathered, the SS Atlantic set sail for Palestine. A condemned and overcrowded ship, it was overflowing with bedraggled Jewish refugees who, having bought their way out of Nazi Germany and Austria, hoped to find safety from the concentration camps that had begun to claim their brethren. But they were not destined to find the shelter they sought.
In this poignant novel, Hanna Sommerfeld recalls her long-ago voyage on the Atlantic—a journey plagued by epidemics and food shortages that led not to freedom but, improbably, to incarceration in a British penal colony off the eastern coast of Africa. For Hanna, it would also lead to a heartbreaking loss.
Weaving Hanna’s current life with her son’s family in Haifa, Israel, with her memories of marriage and her coming-of-age in the jungles of Mauritius, Boat of Stone is a unique Holocaust story that not only reveals a little-known chapter of history, but also introduces one of the most unforgettable characters you are likely to a gritty, humorous, wise, and adventurous woman who refuses to become a victim. It is “a splendid novel” from National Book Award finalist Maureen Earl, author of Gulliver Quick (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
254 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1993
254 people are currently reading
548 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 14, 2018
3.5 stars
There is nothing better than stumbling upon a book that presents a little piece of untold story. Narrated by one of the survivors, Hanna, readers are taken from the present (early 90's) to the events of the 1940's. Jewish refugees from Austria that attempted to enter Palestine and were instead thrown into a detention camp on the island of Mauritius by the British.
Not only are readers confronted with the Nazi government policies of the 30's and 40's, but also the way in which Holocaust survivors find themselves navigating the aftermath of living in a world that decades later, asks "Can't you just move on?"
There is nothing better than stumbling upon a book that presents a little piece of untold story. Narrated by one of the survivors, Hanna, readers are taken from the present (early 90's) to the events of the 1940's. Jewish refugees from Austria that attempted to enter Palestine and were instead thrown into a detention camp on the island of Mauritius by the British.
Not only are readers confronted with the Nazi government policies of the 30's and 40's, but also the way in which Holocaust survivors find themselves navigating the aftermath of living in a world that decades later, asks "Can't you just move on?"
September 27, 2017
Powerful story of survival during world war 2. This is not a holocaust story, nor a resistance story, but nevertheless a tale of incredible courage during a horrifying era. The main character (Hanna) and others are well developed as they travel from Austria to Palestine with an unexpected detention along the way.
Modern day Hanna made me tear up.
Note to my friends: not every book I start is 4 or 5 star, but every one I finish will likely be. I'm too old to waste time reading mediocre literature.
Modern day Hanna made me tear up.
Note to my friends: not every book I start is 4 or 5 star, but every one I finish will likely be. I'm too old to waste time reading mediocre literature.
March 21, 2018
3 1/2 rounded up for importance sake. Another historical event I knew nothing about. Quite shocking; even though they were on a beautiful island for 5 years. The deprivations , meted out by the British left me stunned.
June 2, 2017
Heart Wrenchjng
It broke my heart readying this gripping story of what many of the Jews went through at the hands of those who should have been protecting them.
It broke my heart readying this gripping story of what many of the Jews went through at the hands of those who should have been protecting them.
November 29, 2018
Travails in the way to freedom
This book exposed a little known corner of the horrors of WWII for Jews escaping death and persecution in Europe, only to be detained and maligned bungee British in Mauritius. Never knew of the shameful part the British played when they denied these Jewish refugees access to Palestine. A sad but enlightening story told in first person narrative in a clever, convivial way amidst egregious hardships. A good read.
This book exposed a little known corner of the horrors of WWII for Jews escaping death and persecution in Europe, only to be detained and maligned bungee British in Mauritius. Never knew of the shameful part the British played when they denied these Jewish refugees access to Palestine. A sad but enlightening story told in first person narrative in a clever, convivial way amidst egregious hardships. A good read.
December 18, 2018
There should be a good book like this published every other year. People the world over have gotten sloppy about what is written about the evil of Nationalism. While we’re at it books should be written about the slave trade, about white people poaching others land. There are too many atrocities inflicted on one race by another to name here, but we should never stop hearing and caring.
June 7, 2023
I love historical events like this.
Boats and historical events are what make me love reading. Could you please share the sequel books of your series?
In fact, even though I started reading very late, I'm getting more and more immersed every day.
It is a great chance to read the books of important authors. I know that. I'm looking forward to your new books.
I am writing the importance of reading a book here for friends who want to read this book. I hope it will benefit sellers and customers...
Are the top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
While reading, we have to remember different characters and settings that belong to a given story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you have to remember the details throughout the time you take to read the book. Therefore, reading is a workout for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading is a Form of (free) Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV shows and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading. Most importantly, it’s free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and the Ability to Focus
We can all agree that reading cannot happen without focus and in order to fully understand the story, we have to concentrate on each page that we read. In a world where gadgets are only getting faster and shortening our attention span, we need to constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, therefore, improving your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you came across an unfamiliar word? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate. Additionally, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Now, more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. Therefore, by setting your phone aside and picking up a book, you are telling your brain that it is time to quiet down. Moreover, since reading helps you de-stress, doing so right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve the quality of sleep.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always filled with fun and interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fictions, books have the ability to provide us with information we would’ve otherwise not known. Reading a variety of topics can make you a more knowledgeable person, in turn improving your conversation skills.
7. Reading is Motivational
By reading books about protagonists who have overcome challenges, we are oftentimes encouraged to do the same. The right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive, regardless of whether it’s a romance novel or a self-help book.
https://numberoneboats.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/proline-20-s...
https://numberoneboats.com/proline-20...
https://theboatyacht.com/sunseeker-ma...
https://numberoneboats.com/pontoon-bo...
Boats and historical events are what make me love reading. Could you please share the sequel books of your series?
In fact, even though I started reading very late, I'm getting more and more immersed every day.
It is a great chance to read the books of important authors. I know that. I'm looking forward to your new books.
I am writing the importance of reading a book here for friends who want to read this book. I hope it will benefit sellers and customers...
Are the top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:
1. Reading Exercises the Brain
While reading, we have to remember different characters and settings that belong to a given story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you have to remember the details throughout the time you take to read the book. Therefore, reading is a workout for your brain that improves memory function.
2. Reading is a Form of (free) Entertainment
Did you know that most of the popular TV shows and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading. Most importantly, it’s free with your Markham Public Library card.
3. Reading Improves Concentration and the Ability to Focus
We can all agree that reading cannot happen without focus and in order to fully understand the story, we have to concentrate on each page that we read. In a world where gadgets are only getting faster and shortening our attention span, we need to constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, therefore, improving your ability to concentrate.
4. Reading Improves Literacy
Have you ever read a book where you came across an unfamiliar word? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate. Additionally, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.
5. Reading Improves Sleep
By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Now, more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. Therefore, by setting your phone aside and picking up a book, you are telling your brain that it is time to quiet down. Moreover, since reading helps you de-stress, doing so right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve the quality of sleep.
6. Reading Increases General Knowledge
Books are always filled with fun and interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fictions, books have the ability to provide us with information we would’ve otherwise not known. Reading a variety of topics can make you a more knowledgeable person, in turn improving your conversation skills.
7. Reading is Motivational
By reading books about protagonists who have overcome challenges, we are oftentimes encouraged to do the same. The right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive, regardless of whether it’s a romance novel or a self-help book.
https://numberoneboats.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/
https://theboatyacht.com/proline-20-s...
https://numberoneboats.com/proline-20...
https://theboatyacht.com/sunseeker-ma...
https://numberoneboats.com/pontoon-bo...
September 25, 2021
I've read many books from the World War II fiction genre, and a good deal of them are the same, flashing from today ( a found diary, notebook etc.) to the past. This book is different. The main character is remembering her horrific experiences but they come as things remind her of the past. The prose is beautiful; it is finely written with bittersweet details. This was one historical incident I was unaware of during the war. That it originated from Britain against the Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism in 1940 is inexcusable. I was quite impressed with the author's ability to make me angry and sad at the same time.
December 25, 2023
A book about Jewish refugees from Romania. . .first they flee in a ship, then they transfer ships and sail to Palestine where the British authorities will not let them land. The people are arrested and sent to prison for 5 years on an island off the African coast.
For all of this terrible hardship, the narrator finds time to share some joy, find some allies, and survive. She tells her story from her present-day old age with some remaining family in Israel.
Though there are many barbarous and sickening details, the underlying spirit is of strength and hope.
A brilliant book about a terrible injustice.
For all of this terrible hardship, the narrator finds time to share some joy, find some allies, and survive. She tells her story from her present-day old age with some remaining family in Israel.
Though there are many barbarous and sickening details, the underlying spirit is of strength and hope.
A brilliant book about a terrible injustice.
October 11, 2021
With lyrical prose and a self deprecating sense of humor this book educated me about a little-known part of the Holocaust. It did not follow the tired format of “one chapter present day, next chapter flashback to the 40’s.” The narrator went from past to present fluidly and unexpectedly. That she was able to mix in some real insights into aging and truly laugh out loud zingers made it that much better. Loved this book!
November 4, 2018
Will treasure this treasure.
I laughed, I cried, I loved. I felt each emotion as I turned each page. So well written that I would be surprised to lift my head and find myself at home, on my sofa, with my dog rather than in the camp or in a squalid bed. Wonderful book.
I laughed, I cried, I loved. I felt each emotion as I turned each page. So well written that I would be surprised to lift my head and find myself at home, on my sofa, with my dog rather than in the camp or in a squalid bed. Wonderful book.
November 25, 2019
Very dark, sad story but hard to put down. So many things happened during WWII that people have never heard of yet!! I had no idea this was possible or that people could be so uncaring, careless and heartless!! I pray that we and those in power, learn from the past and vow to never repeat it!!!
May 2, 2020
A great read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is very fast paced that you don’t want to stop when you start reading. It also brings to life an aspect of history that I knew little about.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is very fast paced that you don’t want to stop when you start reading. It also brings to life an aspect of history that I knew little about.
July 16, 2017
Interesting experience from WWII. True story account of cruelty inflicted by the very individuals that should have protected the Jews.
November 14, 2017
I felt like the story skipped around a lot and the author was VERY wordy...
March 16, 2018
A wonderful story
A wonderful book. I felt as if I was there with Hannah. I read a lot of nooks each month. By far and away this will go down as one of my favorites this year.
A wonderful book. I felt as if I was there with Hannah. I read a lot of nooks each month. By far and away this will go down as one of my favorites this year.
March 23, 2018
3 1/2 rounded up. see review of another edition
May 4, 2018
Enjoyable read
It has been a long time since I have read a book that I could not put down. Truly enjoyable read even though it addressed a myriad of issues.
It has been a long time since I have read a book that I could not put down. Truly enjoyable read even though it addressed a myriad of issues.
April 8, 2019
I never knew that the British interned Jews in Mauritius during the Holocaust. This was a fiction book based on fact.
November 14, 2020
Hanna is a feisty and unforgettable character. Maureen Earl's writing is lyrical and descriptive.
We will be discussing this book at our next book club meeting.
We will be discussing this book at our next book club meeting.
April 24, 2021
Beautiful prose and I learned a bit of history that I must admit I knew nothing about. What more could you ask for? Highly recommend.
February 13, 2022
I've read a lot of historical fiction about the Holocaust, World War II, and the Jews, but I've never read a book on this specific topic. In 1940 a number of Jews from Vienna boarded boats for Palestine. One of the boats was bombed with many being killed. The British decided to deport the remaining survivors to Mauritius, an island colony of Britain's in the Indian Ocean. The men and women were separated and assigned to separate living quarters within a prison. This book tells the story of a family from the point of view of the matriarch who lived through it all. This was a great book about survival, faith, cruelty, and more.
February 22, 2019
Boat of Stone, Maureen Earl
Exposing a little know and distressing episode that took place during the holocaust, Earl introduces us to a group of refugees fleeing Germany and Austria in the early days of WWII in an effort to avoid being caught up in the removal of jews to concentration camps. What these refugees can't foresee is the ordeal they will have to overcome in their effort to achieve their ultimate goal of getting to Israel.
The book moves back and forth in time from present day Israel and the treacherous and wretched journey for the refugees as we learn about the historic tragedy through Hanna, who is now an old woman living with her son and his family in Haifa.
In 1940, Hanna was newly married and she and her husband Daniel did what they had to do to get Visa's from the Nazi's so they could travel to Israel, then under British. Not sure the British were going to let Jewish refugees into Isreal, but desperate to get our of Nazi controlled Austria, three boat loads of half starved, sick and desparate Jews travel towards Romania and than Greece in an effort to eventually get to Israel.
Their travels are at times terrifying and horrible, but that is not the worst of what they face, because, when they finally arrive in Isreal, the British don't let them stay. Instead, about 1500 of these refugees, including children and some who have escaped from Buchenwald, are forced onto yet another boat and are shipped off to Mauritius, an Island off the coast of Africa. To make things worse, once they arrive on the island, they are imprisoned in a camp, and the men and women are spepartated, forcing families to be separated as well.
Earl tells this dark and upsetting piece of British history with much sympathy for the Jews who had to face miserable conditions during their flight from the Nazi's and once they reached Mauritius. Typhoid, lack of decent food, lack of communication with the outside world, British overlords who could not have cared about how they were being treated, were part and parcel of their experience on the Island for their 5 year stay. Yet these people had stamina and a will to live and thrive.
Hanna is a wonderful, gutsy, smart woman who finds much personal strength under these terrible conditions. She also faces terrible loss and heartache. And, as she looks back on her life as an old women, she must finally come to terms with how survivors pass their guilt on to their family members. She must also, finally, learn how to let go and live her life, even though so many were unable to live theirs.
What an important piece of holocaust history. The British were such jerks during this period of time, not allowing Jews fleeing the brutality and death at the hands of the Nazi's to find sanctuary in Israel. I hope much reparations were paid to these and others who were not allowed to land in what is not the Jewish homeland. An important book at a time when anti-semitism is on the rise again. #NeverForget
Exposing a little know and distressing episode that took place during the holocaust, Earl introduces us to a group of refugees fleeing Germany and Austria in the early days of WWII in an effort to avoid being caught up in the removal of jews to concentration camps. What these refugees can't foresee is the ordeal they will have to overcome in their effort to achieve their ultimate goal of getting to Israel.
The book moves back and forth in time from present day Israel and the treacherous and wretched journey for the refugees as we learn about the historic tragedy through Hanna, who is now an old woman living with her son and his family in Haifa.
In 1940, Hanna was newly married and she and her husband Daniel did what they had to do to get Visa's from the Nazi's so they could travel to Israel, then under British. Not sure the British were going to let Jewish refugees into Isreal, but desperate to get our of Nazi controlled Austria, three boat loads of half starved, sick and desparate Jews travel towards Romania and than Greece in an effort to eventually get to Israel.
Their travels are at times terrifying and horrible, but that is not the worst of what they face, because, when they finally arrive in Isreal, the British don't let them stay. Instead, about 1500 of these refugees, including children and some who have escaped from Buchenwald, are forced onto yet another boat and are shipped off to Mauritius, an Island off the coast of Africa. To make things worse, once they arrive on the island, they are imprisoned in a camp, and the men and women are spepartated, forcing families to be separated as well.
Earl tells this dark and upsetting piece of British history with much sympathy for the Jews who had to face miserable conditions during their flight from the Nazi's and once they reached Mauritius. Typhoid, lack of decent food, lack of communication with the outside world, British overlords who could not have cared about how they were being treated, were part and parcel of their experience on the Island for their 5 year stay. Yet these people had stamina and a will to live and thrive.
Hanna is a wonderful, gutsy, smart woman who finds much personal strength under these terrible conditions. She also faces terrible loss and heartache. And, as she looks back on her life as an old women, she must finally come to terms with how survivors pass their guilt on to their family members. She must also, finally, learn how to let go and live her life, even though so many were unable to live theirs.
What an important piece of holocaust history. The British were such jerks during this period of time, not allowing Jews fleeing the brutality and death at the hands of the Nazi's to find sanctuary in Israel. I hope much reparations were paid to these and others who were not allowed to land in what is not the Jewish homeland. An important book at a time when anti-semitism is on the rise again. #NeverForget
December 11, 2021
I put this in the holocaust category. It is about WWII and the extermination of the Jews. It is mostly set around 1940 in the lead up to the war and the intensification of the persecution of the Jews in Europe. But it is a different little piece of the story I didn't know. A few thousand Jews try to escape the persecutions. They are promised safe haven in Palestine, soon to become Israel. But when they get there after many trials and torments, they are refused entry. So they stay in a British run Palestinian prison camp for five years. This is based on a true story.
It is sort of dual timelines, 1940 and present day (in the 1990's when the main character, a survivor of the boat of stone, is in her 70's) . But it is her memories and she floats freely through them, so there are pieces of her childhood and other times.
It is compelling reading, vividly written, which makes it almost too horrifying to read. I had to stop and put it down at different times just because I couldn't stand it. I added the category of survival stories. Any Holocaust story that isn't about someone who died is a story of survival against all odds. This one is certainly that-- all the privations and torments of getting to Palestine and then five years in the prison camp. It differed from the German concentration camps only in that people weren't deliberately killed there. There were no ovens, no gas chambers, no Zyklon B, no lamp shades made if human skin. But people did die there, of starvation and vitamin deficiencies, of dysentery and typhoid and cholera from the lack of sanitation. What especially made this one a survival story is her long range perspective. The next to last part of the book focuses on the birth of her son Martin and fifty other babies in the prison camp and how the whole community came together to manage to give them good care. The last part of the book focuses on the birth of her great grandson Daniel.
All the Jews in the Mauritan prison camp were finally at the end of the war admitted into Palestine. The narrator helps in the founding of Israel. Her son fights in the Six Day war. Her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren grow up free in Israel. Fortunately the book ends before it has to deal with the shamefulness of how the Jews are treating the Palestinians now, with prison camps run by Jews with generations of homeless Palestinians in them. Human beings seem incapable of learning or becoming better, more humane. But that's my bleak ending, it isn't hers. She ends with an optimistic story if courage, resilience and survival.
It is sort of dual timelines, 1940 and present day (in the 1990's when the main character, a survivor of the boat of stone, is in her 70's) . But it is her memories and she floats freely through them, so there are pieces of her childhood and other times.
It is compelling reading, vividly written, which makes it almost too horrifying to read. I had to stop and put it down at different times just because I couldn't stand it. I added the category of survival stories. Any Holocaust story that isn't about someone who died is a story of survival against all odds. This one is certainly that-- all the privations and torments of getting to Palestine and then five years in the prison camp. It differed from the German concentration camps only in that people weren't deliberately killed there. There were no ovens, no gas chambers, no Zyklon B, no lamp shades made if human skin. But people did die there, of starvation and vitamin deficiencies, of dysentery and typhoid and cholera from the lack of sanitation. What especially made this one a survival story is her long range perspective. The next to last part of the book focuses on the birth of her son Martin and fifty other babies in the prison camp and how the whole community came together to manage to give them good care. The last part of the book focuses on the birth of her great grandson Daniel.
All the Jews in the Mauritan prison camp were finally at the end of the war admitted into Palestine. The narrator helps in the founding of Israel. Her son fights in the Six Day war. Her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren grow up free in Israel. Fortunately the book ends before it has to deal with the shamefulness of how the Jews are treating the Palestinians now, with prison camps run by Jews with generations of homeless Palestinians in them. Human beings seem incapable of learning or becoming better, more humane. But that's my bleak ending, it isn't hers. She ends with an optimistic story if courage, resilience and survival.
September 24, 2021
Rated 1.8
The historical events of this book are extraordinary. How awful for Jews to purchase passage from
Austria-Germany to Palestine to avoid German concentrations camps, have the ship hijacked and held in port for two years and only when they thought they could sail to have their ship taken by the British and taken to Maritius to a penal colony for five years. All of these times could have been so beautifully and horribly told but the author missed the point for me. She mixed current day with the past in a very confusing manner. This is a poor example of dual timelines that was difficult for me to follow. I was very disappointed by this book but would like to learn more about this event.
In October 1940, as the storm clouds of World War II gathered, the SS Atlantic set sail for Palestine. A condemned and overcrowded ship, it was overflowing with bedraggled Jewish refugees who, having bought their way out of Nazi Germany and Austria, hoped to find safety from the concentration camps that had begun to claim their brethren. But they were not destined to find the shelter they sought.
In this poignant novel, Hanna Sommerfeld recalls her long-ago voyage on the Atlantic—a journey plagued by epidemics and food shortages that led not to freedom but, improbably, to incarceration in a British penal colony off the eastern coast of Africa. For Hanna, it would also lead to a heartbreaking loss.
Weaving Hanna’s current life with her son’s family in Haifa, Israel, with her memories of marriage and her coming-of-age in the jungles of Mauritius, Boat of Stone is a unique Holocaust story that not only reveals a little-known chapter of history, but also introduces one of the most unforgettable characters you are likely to meet: a gritty, humorous, wise, and adventurous woman who refuses to become a victim. It is “a splendid novel” from National Book Award finalist Maureen Earl, author of Gulliver Quick
The historical events of this book are extraordinary. How awful for Jews to purchase passage from
Austria-Germany to Palestine to avoid German concentrations camps, have the ship hijacked and held in port for two years and only when they thought they could sail to have their ship taken by the British and taken to Maritius to a penal colony for five years. All of these times could have been so beautifully and horribly told but the author missed the point for me. She mixed current day with the past in a very confusing manner. This is a poor example of dual timelines that was difficult for me to follow. I was very disappointed by this book but would like to learn more about this event.
In October 1940, as the storm clouds of World War II gathered, the SS Atlantic set sail for Palestine. A condemned and overcrowded ship, it was overflowing with bedraggled Jewish refugees who, having bought their way out of Nazi Germany and Austria, hoped to find safety from the concentration camps that had begun to claim their brethren. But they were not destined to find the shelter they sought.
In this poignant novel, Hanna Sommerfeld recalls her long-ago voyage on the Atlantic—a journey plagued by epidemics and food shortages that led not to freedom but, improbably, to incarceration in a British penal colony off the eastern coast of Africa. For Hanna, it would also lead to a heartbreaking loss.
Weaving Hanna’s current life with her son’s family in Haifa, Israel, with her memories of marriage and her coming-of-age in the jungles of Mauritius, Boat of Stone is a unique Holocaust story that not only reveals a little-known chapter of history, but also introduces one of the most unforgettable characters you are likely to meet: a gritty, humorous, wise, and adventurous woman who refuses to become a victim. It is “a splendid novel” from National Book Award finalist Maureen Earl, author of Gulliver Quick
December 3, 2019
A very moving and disturbing story based on the true experiences of Jewish refugees trying to flee Europe in 1940 to reach Palestine. They were refused entry by the British and then were sent to Mauritius island east of Africa to live in a crowded prison camp for the next 5 years. It was told through the eyes of a fictional woman as flashbacks to her time in the prison camp. It sadly echoes life for many refugees in camps around the world right now.
November 8, 2016
What an amazing sorry of courage and perseverance I had no idea of this aspect of WWII. It was a well crafted memoir. Beautiful characters sharing the their hopes, fears and dreams. War truly brings out the best and the worst of humankind.
June 4, 2019
True story about Jews who flee Germany to Palestine.
March 28, 2018
A very well written book. Well thought out and has a good ending.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews