Dear Andrew: Letters and Memoirs of a Holocaust Survivor to His Grandson

by Andre Ross, Deborah Erna Oury

Endre Lovinger was only seventeen years old when the Nazis invaded Budapest, Hungary, in March 1944. Taken from his family at gunpoint to work on a Jewish Forced Labor Brigade, he eventually escaped and found himself on the run trying to keep one step ahead of the Nazis and certain death. After more than seventy years of buried memories, he finally opened up and shared his past in letters to his oldest grandson who was attending the Air Force Academy. In Dear Andrew: Letters and Memoirs of a Holocaust Survivor to his Grandson, Andrew Ross (Endre Lovinger) tells of his heartache and triumph in uncertain times.

162 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2017

Reviews

[D Nine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm without words on how to express the depth Endre reached into my heart with his letters to Andrew. This is a must read for everyone, but especially teens.

I think every high school student needs to read this memoir because:
- these letters were written to a teen about a teen who survived
- the writing reads as though you're listening to Endre speak to you
- this is history with an important connection between WWII and today
- the lesson isn't just history, it's about family, hope, survival, persistence, love, and all experiences coming back full circle.

Debby Oury co-authored with her dad, Andy Ross. I have tears thinking of the emotional investment Debby made to share her dad's story written to her son.

What this is not: typical
Definitely, a special story!
Not found in the library. Buy a copy on Amazon.

[Lauren Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoirs/biographies are always a strange read for me but I do enjoy reading about a person's personal experiences and how their experiences have dramatically impacted their lives.
He was so so lucky to have escaped both Nazi and Russian occupation! I am glad that after all that, he was able to reconnect with his family in NYC.
I also really enjoyed the letter format, bringing a personal feeling of conversing with them to the table, like you're reconnecting with a grandparent or a loved one yourself.
I would have been interested to see how the other party in the letter exchanges was responding to their correspondence.

[Susan Eberhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very moving story of a Hungarian Jewish man who survived Nazi and Russian terrors during WWII. Uniquely told through letters written to his grandson, author Andrew Ross tells his story in a way that brings this time period to life. Highly recommend this book!

[Julia Simpson-Urrutia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title and cover do not indicate the profound impact of the story delivered in the letters contained in this book. This is a less well-known angle on the Holocaust, one that history lovers will be glad they read.