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O Rapaz de Auschwitz
Um testemunho da capacidade de superação do ser humano.
Esfomeado, espancado e molestado assim foi a vida de Steve Ross nos anos que passou nos campos de morte de Hitler. Ross nunca perdeu a esperança, mesmo quando foi deixado inconsciente numa pilha de corpos para incinerar.
Sobreviveu a 10 campos de concentração e esta obra é o seu testemunho de dor e de crueldade, mas também uma demonstração da resiliência e da capacidade de superação do ser humano.
Esfomeado, espancado e molestado assim foi a vida de Steve Ross nos anos que passou nos campos de morte de Hitler. Ross nunca perdeu a esperança, mesmo quando foi deixado inconsciente numa pilha de corpos para incinerar.
Sobreviveu a 10 campos de concentração e esta obra é o seu testemunho de dor e de crueldade, mas também uma demonstração da resiliência e da capacidade de superação do ser humano.
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2018
217 people are currently reading
2005 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
September 8, 2019
A detail of one of the quotes by a Holocaust survivor is seen on the New England Holocaust Memorial. (JESSICA RINALDI/GLOBE STAFF)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle...
A testimony of resilience and hope against the monotonous horror and cruelty, they must be heard.
January 2, 2020
A minha opinião em vídeo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj2tq...
April 17, 2018
I don’t understand how this man managed to bring so much joy and optimism to his life after experiencing what he did in the Holocaust. To say he is an inspiration is so completely trite, but so completely true.
April 5, 2018
Whenever I read a Holocaust story, I'm always reminded of the Museum of Tolerance tour I had during high school many years ago. Not sure how the tours are done now, but they handed out a plastic card to represent a real person who was sent to one of the camps. After the tour of various replicas of the Holocaust—which set my life standard for making my heart stop cold in record time—you put your card into a machine reader to see if your person survived. My card had a black and white photo of a young boy with rosy looking cheeks. Nobody in our class of twenty-nine survived.
So when Ross opens his story by sharing he was one of the founders for a Holocaust memorial in Boston, my heart immediately went back to one of the volunteers from my high school tour who was an actual Holocaust survivor and one of the sweetest strangers to have entered my life. I began to tear up within the first twenty pages. Wow.
Regarding From Broken Glass, I think people from Ross's local community may have heard these stories already. The writing is approachable and comes across as though he were talking to you or volunteering time to share his story with you. It's gut wrenching. He's sincere and humble, even if the experiences that he shares before and during his imprisonment are horrifying.
That's why I appreciated the nonlinear approach. Whenever the nihilism and hatred of the Nazis start to become too much for me, the jumps to his life beyond the Holocaust are like warm hugs. No, his life didn't become perfect once his camp was liberated and yes, the memories of his stolen childhood have never left him. Yet the altruism and kindness he has afterwards are welcome reminders of hope that Ross ultimately wants all of us to have. Life is not all suffering. It doesn't have to end once we lose everything. We can change.
Absolute recommended reading for everyone. If you had a problem with Night 's semi-fictional approach, then please read Ross's story. His simple and concise wording weave a quick and profound read. Thank you so much, Ross, for authoring this memoir so people outside of your community can be touched by you too.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
So when Ross opens his story by sharing he was one of the founders for a Holocaust memorial in Boston, my heart immediately went back to one of the volunteers from my high school tour who was an actual Holocaust survivor and one of the sweetest strangers to have entered my life. I began to tear up within the first twenty pages. Wow.
Regarding From Broken Glass, I think people from Ross's local community may have heard these stories already. The writing is approachable and comes across as though he were talking to you or volunteering time to share his story with you. It's gut wrenching. He's sincere and humble, even if the experiences that he shares before and during his imprisonment are horrifying.
That's why I appreciated the nonlinear approach. Whenever the nihilism and hatred of the Nazis start to become too much for me, the jumps to his life beyond the Holocaust are like warm hugs. No, his life didn't become perfect once his camp was liberated and yes, the memories of his stolen childhood have never left him. Yet the altruism and kindness he has afterwards are welcome reminders of hope that Ross ultimately wants all of us to have. Life is not all suffering. It doesn't have to end once we lose everything. We can change.
Absolute recommended reading for everyone. If you had a problem with Night 's semi-fictional approach, then please read Ross's story. His simple and concise wording weave a quick and profound read. Thank you so much, Ross, for authoring this memoir so people outside of your community can be touched by you too.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
February 5, 2024
Uma extraordinária história de resiliência e sobrevivência a algumas das mais terríveis provações a que um ser humano já foi submetido.
Aos 9 anos, Steve separa-se de toda a sua família, e acaba por ir parar a um campo de concentração, um dos 10 em que iria estar durante os anos seguintes, até à sua libertação em Dachau.
Estas histórias de sobreviventes, enquanto testemunho dos horrores do Holocausto, tanto nos dão a conhecer o pior que o Homem pode infligir ao seu semelhante, mas também o poder que a esperança, o amor, a fé e pura preserveranca podem ter na sobrevivência destas pessoas.
Aos 9 anos, Steve separa-se de toda a sua família, e acaba por ir parar a um campo de concentração, um dos 10 em que iria estar durante os anos seguintes, até à sua libertação em Dachau.
Estas histórias de sobreviventes, enquanto testemunho dos horrores do Holocausto, tanto nos dão a conhecer o pior que o Homem pode infligir ao seu semelhante, mas também o poder que a esperança, o amor, a fé e pura preserveranca podem ter na sobrevivência destas pessoas.
March 20, 2020
Opinião no blogue: https://marcadordelivros.blogspot.com...
May 25, 2018
There are simply no words for this simply and beautifully told story of complete atrocity and yet a man's conviction that he is meant to help others, specifically, children. I may need to go and re-read Night by Wiesel, because I think this is even more poignant.
August 16, 2018
An amazing story of survival during the brutal Nazi regime, and the equally amazing life Szmulek Rozental (Steve Ross) was able to live afterwards. Readers of WWII memoirs and histories won't be surprised by the details, but will still be affected emotionally. It never gets jaded for me.
What Rozental's story does at this point in time is to illuminate the fact that white supremacy, fascism, and advocates of Nazi ideology are still here among us, and are, almost unbelievably, being raised up and given support by Donald J Trump, the GOP, and many more. The vandalism and desecration of the New England Holocaust Memorial in Summer 2017, of which I was unaware, is all the proof you need.
I cried at the end. I cried not for Rozental's story, but because of the forces occurring today in the world that are poised to make this happen all over again, and I feel powerless to stop it. I hope I can find the strength that Rozental found, in his interaction with the American soldier and his food tins, to fight this current evil and bring about a better world.
What Rozental's story does at this point in time is to illuminate the fact that white supremacy, fascism, and advocates of Nazi ideology are still here among us, and are, almost unbelievably, being raised up and given support by Donald J Trump, the GOP, and many more. The vandalism and desecration of the New England Holocaust Memorial in Summer 2017, of which I was unaware, is all the proof you need.
I cried at the end. I cried not for Rozental's story, but because of the forces occurring today in the world that are poised to make this happen all over again, and I feel powerless to stop it. I hope I can find the strength that Rozental found, in his interaction with the American soldier and his food tins, to fight this current evil and bring about a better world.
January 27, 2020
Esta é uma história incrível sobre sobrevivência, crueldade, resiliência e esperança numa das épocas mais monstruosas de que há registo. Penso que não será surpresa para ninguém dizer que me despedaçou o coração. Sendo um testemunho real, esperava encontrar, à partida, um cunho muito pessoal nesta história, o que se verificou. No entanto, e apesar de já ter lido diversos livros sobre o tema, acho que não estava à espera de me deparar com o que li. As descrições das atrocidades que eram levadas a cabo foram tão detalhadas que se tornaram completamente chocantes. Posso dizer com toda a certeza que nunca nenhum livro me deixou tão desconfortável, parecia até que conseguia ver e sentir o que era descrito. Não consigo sequer avaliar o que terá sido passar por um campo de concentração e viver com as marcas que isso implica, quanto mais calcular o que terá sido viver uma experiência como a de Steve Ross. Steve era uma criança aquando da altura em causa e tinha apenas 8 anos, repito, 8 anos! Uma altura em que devia ir à escola e brincar, simples como isto. Sem dúvida alguma que este senhor é muito mais do que um sobrevivente.
Ainda me questiono sobre a força de vontade e coragem que o ser humano é capaz de encontrar no meio dos destroços. Steve teve-as nas alturas certas e, apesar de tudo aquilo por que passou, tornou-se num modelo a seguir e numa inspiração não só para todos aqueles que o rodeiam, como também para todos nós que temos acesso à sua história através deste livro.
Este tipo de memórias é extremamente importante por dois motivos. O primeiro prende-se em nunca deixarmos cair no esquecimento os fatídicos atos praticados nos campos de concentração. O segundo passa por prevenir e garantir que tudo isto não se volte a repetir, porque Aqueles que não conhecem a história estão condenados a repetí-la. Mas nós conhecemo-la e isso, por si só, já diz tudo.
Ainda me questiono sobre a força de vontade e coragem que o ser humano é capaz de encontrar no meio dos destroços. Steve teve-as nas alturas certas e, apesar de tudo aquilo por que passou, tornou-se num modelo a seguir e numa inspiração não só para todos aqueles que o rodeiam, como também para todos nós que temos acesso à sua história através deste livro.
Este tipo de memórias é extremamente importante por dois motivos. O primeiro prende-se em nunca deixarmos cair no esquecimento os fatídicos atos praticados nos campos de concentração. O segundo passa por prevenir e garantir que tudo isto não se volte a repetir, porque Aqueles que não conhecem a história estão condenados a repetí-la. Mas nós conhecemo-la e isso, por si só, já diz tudo.
October 1, 2018
With tears streaming I just finished this book - a phenomenal story of survival and an outstanding life afterwards. How someone could live through that horror is miraculous. Steve Ross is a true hero.
Donald Trump has always seemed to me to be the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler - the words on page 195 seem to have come from his mouth. Has he forgotten? If so, he might want to visit the beautiful Holocaust Memorial in Boston instead of haunting his golf courses. He works the unwashed masses into a frenzy that cause disrespect and vandalism to everything America stands for. This bigotry and racism needs to be stopped before he has the Gestapo knocking at our doors.😢
Donald Trump has always seemed to me to be the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler - the words on page 195 seem to have come from his mouth. Has he forgotten? If so, he might want to visit the beautiful Holocaust Memorial in Boston instead of haunting his golf courses. He works the unwashed masses into a frenzy that cause disrespect and vandalism to everything America stands for. This bigotry and racism needs to be stopped before he has the Gestapo knocking at our doors.😢
September 1, 2018
Steve Ross is more than a survivor. He is a role model, a doer, an inspiration to all.
His story is both heartbreaking and inspirational. If he was able to find hope in his darkest moments so can we.
His story is both heartbreaking and inspirational. If he was able to find hope in his darkest moments so can we.
January 28, 2019
Recensione a cura di FranLu per Feel the Book
Perché leggere un’altra testimonianza di quanto l’uomo può essere mostruoso?
Perché, visto che le storie dei sopravvissuti si assomigliano un po’ tutte? Sono stralci di vita raccontati con fatica, a volte con distacco, probabilmente risparmiando sempre qualcosa di sé, perché l’orrore è stato troppo; troppo doloroso, troppo straziante, inimmaginabile.
Già, perché farlo, quindi?
È una domanda che mi sono posta molte volte e, ancora oggi, non riesco a darmi una risposta del perché io senta questo bisogno. Credo, però, che sia una sorta di necessità l’ascoltare la voce di chi ha vissuto l’inferno – quello vero, che annienta la parte migliore di se stessi – e che, spesso per “fortuna”, è sopravvissuto per renderne testimonianza, per far sì che non si ripeta mai più ciò che i suoi occhi hanno visto e il suo corpo ha subìto.
Ecco… ho bisogno di ascoltarli, ho bisogno di sentir strisciare sulla pelle una minima parte di quell’orrore per fare una sorta di ammenda; per chiedere scusa, perché tutto quel dolore non sia ignorato.
La storia di Steve, un tempo Szmulek, inizia a Łódź, la cittadina polacca in cui a otto anni viveva una vita serena con i genitori e sei tra fratelli e sorelle. Con lui camminiamo sui viali della memoria, lastricati di dolore e morte: la fuga verso Kraśnik quando le voci sui campi si facevano insistenti; la scelta tremenda della madre di affidarlo a una famiglia sconosciuta, con la speranza di salvare almeno lui, il più piccolo; fino ad arrivare alla sopravvivenza a stento nei boschi e poi alla cattura.
Otto anni, SOLO OTTO anni di vita e già un bagaglio così pesante sulle spalle. Basta questo per far riflettere sulla furia scellerata con la quale il male, fatto da esseri umani, si è abbattuto su altri esseri umani, indifesi, non risparmiando nessuno: non vecchi, non donne o uomini, e nemmeno i bambini.
Szmulek entra a Budzyń, un campo di concentramento in Polonia, nell’autunno 1942, e lì scopre che l’inferno in terra esiste. Sevizie, torture quotidiane, fame, tanta fame da perdere la ragione, lavoro massacrante e poi violenze fisiche e psicologiche sistematiche, atte a disumanizzare, ad annichilire, a distruggere l’essenza stessa dello spirito umano.
Szmulek ha appena undici anni quando sogna il cibo, nella speranza che gli dia sollievo al dolore costante, incessante. Varcherà la soglia di dieci campi di concentramento – anche Auschwitz, brevemente, affinché venga tatuato – fino ad arrivare a Dachau, dove sarà liberato il 29 aprile 1945, a quattordici anni e con intere vite di orrore negli occhi e nelle ossa.
Non mi soffermerò sulle atrocità vissute da Szmulek, non mi soffermerò su dei passaggi che mi hanno provocato conati dall’orrore, poiché quello di cui voglio parlarvi, qui e ora, è il suo percorso di rinascita: un essere umano che avrebbe potuto essere sopraffatto da una delle più grandi tragedie dell’umanità e abbruttirsi e che, invece, ha reagito, impiegando al meglio l’unica cosa che non gli era stata sottratta: la sua vita.
Szmulek, che durante l’Olocausto ha perduto tutta la sua famiglia (tranne il fratello maggiore), che non ha potuto far nulla per salvare il suo amico Pinia, una volta arrivato negli Stati Uniti – con tutte le difficoltà del caso, visto che non aveva più nulla e nessuno e gli uomini lì parlavano una lingua diversa – non si dà per vinto: inizia a studiare, facendo enormi sacrifici per riuscire, per poter laurearsi in Psicologia e costruirsi un futuro.
Szmulek, oramai diventato Steve, nome datogli dall’ufficiale dell’immigrazione una volta sbarcato a Ellis Island, da quel momento in poi dedicherà tutta la sua vita ai ragazzi emarginati, quelli senza speranze, poveri, vittime dell’ignoranza e della totale indifferenza della società. Lo farà come assistente sociale, trovando la sua missione di vita nell’aiutare il prossimo, come mai era stato aiutato lui quando era solo un bambino.
È quindi un messaggio di speranza quello che ci lascia, infine, questo romanzo, una speranza che è più potente di tutte le testimonianze delle atrocità, perché, alla fine, quei mostri non sono riusciti a distruggere Szmulek/Steve, non lo hanno polverizzato, non ce l’hanno fatta ad annientare l’essenza stessa della sua anima.
Vi confesso che ho pianto per quel bambino e ho ringraziato il cielo che l’uomo che è diventato abbia camminato su questa terra, perché a me ha lasciato un gran senso di pace il sapere che la bellezza della sua anima e la sua forza interiore non sono andate distrutte e che sia vissuto per tramandare il suo esempio.
Fate un favore a voi stessi, onorate il ricordo, leggete questa storia.
Per non dimenticare. Mai.
Editing a cura di Aletheia per Feel the Book
Perché leggere un’altra testimonianza di quanto l’uomo può essere mostruoso?
Perché, visto che le storie dei sopravvissuti si assomigliano un po’ tutte? Sono stralci di vita raccontati con fatica, a volte con distacco, probabilmente risparmiando sempre qualcosa di sé, perché l’orrore è stato troppo; troppo doloroso, troppo straziante, inimmaginabile.
Già, perché farlo, quindi?
È una domanda che mi sono posta molte volte e, ancora oggi, non riesco a darmi una risposta del perché io senta questo bisogno. Credo, però, che sia una sorta di necessità l’ascoltare la voce di chi ha vissuto l’inferno – quello vero, che annienta la parte migliore di se stessi – e che, spesso per “fortuna”, è sopravvissuto per renderne testimonianza, per far sì che non si ripeta mai più ciò che i suoi occhi hanno visto e il suo corpo ha subìto.
Ecco… ho bisogno di ascoltarli, ho bisogno di sentir strisciare sulla pelle una minima parte di quell’orrore per fare una sorta di ammenda; per chiedere scusa, perché tutto quel dolore non sia ignorato.
La storia di Steve, un tempo Szmulek, inizia a Łódź, la cittadina polacca in cui a otto anni viveva una vita serena con i genitori e sei tra fratelli e sorelle. Con lui camminiamo sui viali della memoria, lastricati di dolore e morte: la fuga verso Kraśnik quando le voci sui campi si facevano insistenti; la scelta tremenda della madre di affidarlo a una famiglia sconosciuta, con la speranza di salvare almeno lui, il più piccolo; fino ad arrivare alla sopravvivenza a stento nei boschi e poi alla cattura.
Otto anni, SOLO OTTO anni di vita e già un bagaglio così pesante sulle spalle. Basta questo per far riflettere sulla furia scellerata con la quale il male, fatto da esseri umani, si è abbattuto su altri esseri umani, indifesi, non risparmiando nessuno: non vecchi, non donne o uomini, e nemmeno i bambini.
Szmulek entra a Budzyń, un campo di concentramento in Polonia, nell’autunno 1942, e lì scopre che l’inferno in terra esiste. Sevizie, torture quotidiane, fame, tanta fame da perdere la ragione, lavoro massacrante e poi violenze fisiche e psicologiche sistematiche, atte a disumanizzare, ad annichilire, a distruggere l’essenza stessa dello spirito umano.
Szmulek ha appena undici anni quando sogna il cibo, nella speranza che gli dia sollievo al dolore costante, incessante. Varcherà la soglia di dieci campi di concentramento – anche Auschwitz, brevemente, affinché venga tatuato – fino ad arrivare a Dachau, dove sarà liberato il 29 aprile 1945, a quattordici anni e con intere vite di orrore negli occhi e nelle ossa.
Non mi soffermerò sulle atrocità vissute da Szmulek, non mi soffermerò su dei passaggi che mi hanno provocato conati dall’orrore, poiché quello di cui voglio parlarvi, qui e ora, è il suo percorso di rinascita: un essere umano che avrebbe potuto essere sopraffatto da una delle più grandi tragedie dell’umanità e abbruttirsi e che, invece, ha reagito, impiegando al meglio l’unica cosa che non gli era stata sottratta: la sua vita.
Szmulek, che durante l’Olocausto ha perduto tutta la sua famiglia (tranne il fratello maggiore), che non ha potuto far nulla per salvare il suo amico Pinia, una volta arrivato negli Stati Uniti – con tutte le difficoltà del caso, visto che non aveva più nulla e nessuno e gli uomini lì parlavano una lingua diversa – non si dà per vinto: inizia a studiare, facendo enormi sacrifici per riuscire, per poter laurearsi in Psicologia e costruirsi un futuro.
Szmulek, oramai diventato Steve, nome datogli dall’ufficiale dell’immigrazione una volta sbarcato a Ellis Island, da quel momento in poi dedicherà tutta la sua vita ai ragazzi emarginati, quelli senza speranze, poveri, vittime dell’ignoranza e della totale indifferenza della società. Lo farà come assistente sociale, trovando la sua missione di vita nell’aiutare il prossimo, come mai era stato aiutato lui quando era solo un bambino.
È quindi un messaggio di speranza quello che ci lascia, infine, questo romanzo, una speranza che è più potente di tutte le testimonianze delle atrocità, perché, alla fine, quei mostri non sono riusciti a distruggere Szmulek/Steve, non lo hanno polverizzato, non ce l’hanno fatta ad annientare l’essenza stessa della sua anima.
Vi confesso che ho pianto per quel bambino e ho ringraziato il cielo che l’uomo che è diventato abbia camminato su questa terra, perché a me ha lasciato un gran senso di pace il sapere che la bellezza della sua anima e la sua forza interiore non sono andate distrutte e che sia vissuto per tramandare il suo esempio.
Fate un favore a voi stessi, onorate il ricordo, leggete questa storia.
Per non dimenticare. Mai.
Editing a cura di Aletheia per Feel the Book
May 3, 2018
I received an advance reading copy from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
What a powerful, difficult book to read. I read it in one sitting, and it wasn't easy. Of course it was hard to read; it's a memoir by a survivor of the horrors of World War II's Holocaust, a survivor of several of Hitler's concentration/death camps against all the odds. It is a timely read in these divisive political times of what can happen when hate and bigotry are the norm. When you can dehumanize people, it is easy to justify all kinds of evil to inflict upon them in the name of 'progress' or 'the greater good.' While this book was being written, the New England Holocaust Museum, founded by the author, was twice vandalized.
The foreword in my advance copy was by Ray Flynn, the former Boston mayor and US ambassador to the Vatican, and the introduction was by the author's son. The mayor helped bring the author's vision of a Holocaust memorial to life, and the son described his pilgrimage to Europe to retrace the footsteps of his father's family who were murdered in the war. The son also described the relevance of the book to our times today.
The memoir rotates between the author in the modern-day and from his time during the War, beginning in his Polish hometown in 1939 when he was 8 years old. His family tried to flee to Russia, but were unsuccessful. The author's mother begged a family of farmers to take him in, to protect him, which they reluctantly did. It was the last time he saw his mother. During his time at the farm, he was captured by the Nazis. He was beaten and sent to a concentration camp. He nearly starved to death, but he survived. He came to United States where he got an education and helped those who lived in a bad situation. He helped those whom might be called at-risk youth get back and stay in school, graduate, and then go to college and on to fulfilling careers, out of poverty.
One of the things the author talked about that really stuck with me was when he discussed what could have been a deadly encounter with a hitchhiker that he stopped to assist. The tattoo on his arm and his lack of fear helped him to speak with the hitchhiker, whom he was able to help without violent incident. This was so inspiring to me.
This memoir was hard to read, as could be expected. I think it is an important contribution to the literature of our times and as a vital personal history of the horrors of World War II. They always say 'never forget,' and reading this book and others like it is a valuable way to remember our history as humans to prevent such atrocities from being committed again.
Trigger Warning: Rape. Those who struggle with reading about rape, murder, and violence, including the death of children and the elderly, might be better off skipping this book. The Nazis perpetrated extensive violence, which is well-known, but such graphic descriptions of it might be too much for some sensitive individuals. Much like they say for graphic TV programs, reader discretion is advised.
What a powerful, difficult book to read. I read it in one sitting, and it wasn't easy. Of course it was hard to read; it's a memoir by a survivor of the horrors of World War II's Holocaust, a survivor of several of Hitler's concentration/death camps against all the odds. It is a timely read in these divisive political times of what can happen when hate and bigotry are the norm. When you can dehumanize people, it is easy to justify all kinds of evil to inflict upon them in the name of 'progress' or 'the greater good.' While this book was being written, the New England Holocaust Museum, founded by the author, was twice vandalized.
The foreword in my advance copy was by Ray Flynn, the former Boston mayor and US ambassador to the Vatican, and the introduction was by the author's son. The mayor helped bring the author's vision of a Holocaust memorial to life, and the son described his pilgrimage to Europe to retrace the footsteps of his father's family who were murdered in the war. The son also described the relevance of the book to our times today.
The memoir rotates between the author in the modern-day and from his time during the War, beginning in his Polish hometown in 1939 when he was 8 years old. His family tried to flee to Russia, but were unsuccessful. The author's mother begged a family of farmers to take him in, to protect him, which they reluctantly did. It was the last time he saw his mother. During his time at the farm, he was captured by the Nazis. He was beaten and sent to a concentration camp. He nearly starved to death, but he survived. He came to United States where he got an education and helped those who lived in a bad situation. He helped those whom might be called at-risk youth get back and stay in school, graduate, and then go to college and on to fulfilling careers, out of poverty.
One of the things the author talked about that really stuck with me was when he discussed what could have been a deadly encounter with a hitchhiker that he stopped to assist. The tattoo on his arm and his lack of fear helped him to speak with the hitchhiker, whom he was able to help without violent incident. This was so inspiring to me.
This memoir was hard to read, as could be expected. I think it is an important contribution to the literature of our times and as a vital personal history of the horrors of World War II. They always say 'never forget,' and reading this book and others like it is a valuable way to remember our history as humans to prevent such atrocities from being committed again.
Trigger Warning: Rape. Those who struggle with reading about rape, murder, and violence, including the death of children and the elderly, might be better off skipping this book. The Nazis perpetrated extensive violence, which is well-known, but such graphic descriptions of it might be too much for some sensitive individuals. Much like they say for graphic TV programs, reader discretion is advised.
August 7, 2018
May we all strive for unity the way this man has. To overcome the worst of humanity only to change the world with positivity. May his story and the stories of others live on so we can see that hate is never the right choice.
I thank him for sharing his difficult journey and know that his story will resonate and make a difference.
I thank him for sharing his difficult journey and know that his story will resonate and make a difference.
July 2, 2019
What an amazing book of resilience, hope, and using your hardships to help others.
February 1, 2020
8,5 de 10*
Como é possível um ser humano que passou por atrocidades incalculáveis dedicar o resto da sua vida a quem necessita, preocupado com a sua educação e saúde? Como se consegue seguir com uma vida? É de uma hombridade inquestionável.
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Como é possível um ser humano que passou por atrocidades incalculáveis dedicar o resto da sua vida a quem necessita, preocupado com a sua educação e saúde? Como se consegue seguir com uma vida? É de uma hombridade inquestionável.
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
May 13, 2018
This is a five star because of the story of a survivor. I read these books to remember that not everyone has an easy life. I read to remember why it is important to recognize these survivors and read to hope that we can prevent more of these genocides from occurring again.
Steve Ross was a young boy when his mom left him with a Polish family in the early days of the German invasion. Steve ended up in several concentration camps and this book is a testament to his fighting spirit. What is amazing is that he continued to fight throughout the rest of his life. He didn't just stop fighting for justice once he got to America, no, he continued to fight for it. He continued to help people, especially teenagers who were in danger of drifting into an aimless life of crime and poverty. He fought for them as a truant officer and later on, as an administrator in the Boston school systems. He used his experiences as a bridge to help the youth to realize that they are survivors too.
Steve Ross shows that one can be subjected to the most dehumanizing events in one's life and still come out to be human on the other side. His life in the camps were brutal, harsh and awful things happened to him, but he survived. Not only did he survive, he continued to fight for youth who did not have anyone fighting for them. To me, that is inspiring. He could have just said, "I've had enough. I am just going to live my life the way I want to and no one else needs to know anything else." But he didn't. He continued the fight and now he is continuing the fight so we wouldn't forget the Holocaust. It did happen. His life is testimony of that.
I would definitely recommend this book if you're into memoirs and history. For a small volume, he packs a lot of information in there. It is harsh, but it is also inspiring.
Steve Ross was a young boy when his mom left him with a Polish family in the early days of the German invasion. Steve ended up in several concentration camps and this book is a testament to his fighting spirit. What is amazing is that he continued to fight throughout the rest of his life. He didn't just stop fighting for justice once he got to America, no, he continued to fight for it. He continued to help people, especially teenagers who were in danger of drifting into an aimless life of crime and poverty. He fought for them as a truant officer and later on, as an administrator in the Boston school systems. He used his experiences as a bridge to help the youth to realize that they are survivors too.
Steve Ross shows that one can be subjected to the most dehumanizing events in one's life and still come out to be human on the other side. His life in the camps were brutal, harsh and awful things happened to him, but he survived. Not only did he survive, he continued to fight for youth who did not have anyone fighting for them. To me, that is inspiring. He could have just said, "I've had enough. I am just going to live my life the way I want to and no one else needs to know anything else." But he didn't. He continued the fight and now he is continuing the fight so we wouldn't forget the Holocaust. It did happen. His life is testimony of that.
I would definitely recommend this book if you're into memoirs and history. For a small volume, he packs a lot of information in there. It is harsh, but it is also inspiring.
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September 19, 2018I’m a self-proclaimed WW2 nerd. I read every book I can about it. I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t ever rate a book by a Holocaust survivor. It just doesn’t feel right for me to judge or rate their tales of their journey through the hell they endured.
That being said, I firmly believe every American...every person in the world... should read these stories; including this one. They should be mandatory reading in high schools across the world. These stories, while heartbreaking and horrifying, serve as a powerful tool to educate and fight against hate and evil.
That being said, I firmly believe every American...every person in the world... should read these stories; including this one. They should be mandatory reading in high schools across the world. These stories, while heartbreaking and horrifying, serve as a powerful tool to educate and fight against hate and evil.
March 4, 2019
Szmulek Rozental ( Steve Ross) was a boy who survived the Holocaust and spent his years in America dedicated to helping less fortunate kids aim higher than their circumstances. He reminds us all that we should never forget what could happen again if we let prejudice and racism take over. I'm glad he wrote this book to share his remarkable journey. At times hard to read, it needs to be heard repeatedly so that we remember that we should never turn our backs and tolerate injustices in our society.
August 25, 2018
FROM BROKEN GLASS
By Steve Ross
Hatchette Book Group
If you don't believe the Holocaust occurred = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe in Socialism or Eugenics = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe that Anti-Semitism is alive and well today = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe a great life can come from a horrific beginning = READ THIS BOOK!!
This book is the true story of a Holocaust survivor who lost his family at the age of 8 then, over the next years of WWII, passed through 10 different death camps. There are parts of this book that are horrific, appalling, and heart-wrenching. There are parts of this book that will prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that some people are sent by God to make an amazing life for themselves and, many, many other people, simply because they refuse to EVER GIVE UP!!!
This book will HAUNT ME for the rest of my life. It will also give me hope for the rest of my life!!!
5+STARS
By Steve Ross
Hatchette Book Group
If you don't believe the Holocaust occurred = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe in Socialism or Eugenics = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe that Anti-Semitism is alive and well today = READ THIS BOOK! If you don't believe a great life can come from a horrific beginning = READ THIS BOOK!!
This book is the true story of a Holocaust survivor who lost his family at the age of 8 then, over the next years of WWII, passed through 10 different death camps. There are parts of this book that are horrific, appalling, and heart-wrenching. There are parts of this book that will prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that some people are sent by God to make an amazing life for themselves and, many, many other people, simply because they refuse to EVER GIVE UP!!!
This book will HAUNT ME for the rest of my life. It will also give me hope for the rest of my life!!!
5+STARS
July 19, 2018
This book was so moving.....that he chose to love and be loved by other people and to just be a good person is not just amazing it's just a testament to the goodness of humanity and the goodness of human spirit that' alot of humanity has. He could have chosen to be a totally different person but he didn't. I think that there's a lesson in that for everyone who believes that you can't be redeemed, that there is no hope ,that there are people out here who are becoming a physical representation of hope and being and that's what a lot of people should strive to be. We can have empathy for each other. If we choose to....whether you agree or not please read this book..... it deserves to be added to one of the many historical representations of the levels of human suffering, and continued healing.
March 14, 2019
Close enough to 5 stars, although it’s rare I rate any Holocaust memoir below that. Stephan Ross was from the area of Poland (Łódź) my grandfather was from during WW2. Ross, being Jewish, ended up separated from his family in attempts to save his life, but was then captured and moved around to 10 different concentration camps. Like most survivor stories, Ross comes close to death a million times. And what sets this apart more than other survivor stories is Ross discusses the sexual abuse he endured as a male in the camps. A painfully raw story and interspersed is Ross’s life after the Holocaust where he became a dedicated social worker in Boston. He later helped to create the beautiful glass Holocaust memorial that you should see in Boston, which is unfortunately being vandalized as hate always exists.
July 31, 2018
Stunning
This is not an easy book to read. I know many people who will never have the courage to take this journey and that is sad. Mr. Ross has shared these excruciating memories so that we may not only learn from them but also to show that the human spirit is quite simply astounding. How he survived the horrors of his childhood defies imagination, yet he did and went on to inspire others. He is a warrior and the kind of hero deserving of our attention. So, people, turn off the mind numbing reality shows for a few hours and spend some time with Steve Ross. You will be a better human for it.
This is not an easy book to read. I know many people who will never have the courage to take this journey and that is sad. Mr. Ross has shared these excruciating memories so that we may not only learn from them but also to show that the human spirit is quite simply astounding. How he survived the horrors of his childhood defies imagination, yet he did and went on to inspire others. He is a warrior and the kind of hero deserving of our attention. So, people, turn off the mind numbing reality shows for a few hours and spend some time with Steve Ross. You will be a better human for it.
August 1, 2018
Amazing, amazing story of survival. A young boy eight years old, survives the concentration camps (10 of them) over a period of about 6 years. He is starved, beaten, sexually abused and still he survives. The most amazing thing
Is what he does with his life after that. He comes to America, gets an education including a PhD but uses his experiences to help at risk youth in Boston. His most important message is that if he could survive what he did, then they could survive whatever was happening to them. The book moves back and forth between the two time periods in his life. I saw him interviewed on Sunday morning.
Is what he does with his life after that. He comes to America, gets an education including a PhD but uses his experiences to help at risk youth in Boston. His most important message is that if he could survive what he did, then they could survive whatever was happening to them. The book moves back and forth between the two time periods in his life. I saw him interviewed on Sunday morning.
January 14, 2019
Eye opening, heartbreaking, and inspiring! Steven Ross manages to makes the reader feel all of these these emotions. Ross tells the story of his life before, during, and after the Holocaust. It is amazing how much the human body can endure. As a young boy, Steve had to endure hideous cruelty at the hand of the Germans. How people can be so cruel is unimaginable, yet it happened (as we can never forget). The book switch back and forth to his adult life. He allowed his experiences to shape in a a good way and is able to help so many young people. This book shows how great the human spirit is despite the cruelness of others.
July 25, 2018
Heart-wrenching and painful to read and at the same time, impossible to put down. I’ve read many books written by and about Holocaust survivors, but this one, about a child torn from his naive, protected, innocence and thrust into unfathomable barbarism made my heart literally ache. His survival is nothing short of miraculous, and the way he has lived his life and impacted so many troubled youth since then is truly inspiring. I hope to never take a single day for granted.
December 4, 2018
I forced myself to read Ross' painful story/stories. If he could survive, bear to remember, write, establish a new and meaningful life here, then I figured I should be able to take reading it in full. Especially given what is happening now in our country, we can not look away.
While there may be a few typos, and the ugliness is almost too much to take in, it's a very important work. Please read and pass along.
While there may be a few typos, and the ugliness is almost too much to take in, it's a very important work. Please read and pass along.
July 9, 2018
Inspiring person, horrible journey, but the writing is not great. I would be more charitable if the book didn't list 2 contributors. I wish someone would write his biography to include more of his life in America.
February 20, 2019
So painful to read, but so important. Steve Ross is an exceptional man, and I am so thankful that he had the courage to tell his story. His messages of tolerance and finding the inherent good in people are relevant and inspiring.
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