excellent story but bit delighted with herself

I adored this very moving family chronicle almost without reservation until the author reached her own generation . I found her boastful description on of her husband's career, never mind her own, cringeworthy. Her husband's 'meteoric ' rise in his medical career along with the disclosure that he displayed his holiday snaps in 'all the top Sydney galleries,' , irritating abd unnecessary . The family sounds great; no need to turn people off with the bragging.

I was also disappointed that after all the horror associated with religion, one of the greatest moments of her life was when her daughter-in-law converted to Judaism . I was totally fascinated to learn more about the Jewish religion but I was sad to learn that in order to carry on her family's traditions, religion had to get on board . Wasn't the lesson of the Holocaust that we're all the same? .

Just a personal observation The story remains extremely compelling and beautifully read .

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A very brilliant book

A very moving and enthralling story. This is a must listen. The narrator was very good.

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Brilliant , touches every emotion

It took me 2 weeks to tell my 84 year old mom to read this because the emotions were still to raw to find a way to put into words. Touches on so many of our lives in so many ways but for those of us lucky enough to have relatives who left in time, a must-read account of what could have been for us and was for so many...and left us wondering about the familes we never knew nor ever will. The way Ms Armstrong has written this tapestry of her family....especially as an audio book, read by the perfect person...places it in a place in my heart and mind I will never forget...and I thank her for writing it and sharing it because I know I will never be the same. If only the world understood the senselessness in hate and the rewards in tolerance.

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Utterly compelling

This audio book was utterly compelling. It reads like a beautifully written historical novel, and is all the more remarkable because it is a true biographical and autobiographical account of a real family, rather than fiction.
It was painful at times to listen to, when holocaust atrocities are detailed, but, even in the midst of the horror, human courage, love, faith, the miraculous, and the power of family bonds still shine through the narrative.
I cannot recommend this highly enough if you appreciate history and human interest biographies, this one is unforgettable.

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2 people found this helpful