Shovelmonkey1's review of If This Is a Man • The Truce (original) (raw)
- Home
- My Books
- Browse ▾
- Recommendations
- Choice Awards
- Genres
- Giveaways
- New Releases
- Lists
- Explore
- News & Interviews
- Art
- Biography
- Business
- Children's
- Christian
- Classics
- Comics
- Cookbooks
- Ebooks
- Fantasy
- Fiction
- Graphic Novels
- Historical Fiction
- History
- Horror
- Memoir
- Music
- Mystery
- Nonfiction
- Poetry
- Psychology
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction
- Self Help
- Sports
- Thriller
- Travel
- Young Adult
- More Genres
Discover new books on Goodreads
Meet your next favorite book
Shovelmonkey1's Reviews > If This Is a Man • The Truce
If This Is a Man • The Truce
by
Philip Roth called this "One of the century's truly necessary books". Primo Levi's description of surviving in the arbeitlager at Auschwitz-Buna is the story of human tenacity and the determination to find a way to survive in the face of incomprehensible and overwhelming odds. Reading this book and books such as Fateles by Imres Kerstz give an incomparable picture of the atrocities commited in Germany and Poland by the Nazis. These activities were facilitated in part by a Europe which couldn't or wouldn't understand. If this is a Man is a fantastic book and one that really did need to be written, not only so it could be read but because Levi needed to write it in part to come to terms with what happened to him.
However, I was possibly more fascinated by the little told story of what happened in Europe after the truce was called and liberation came to the death camps. It is difficult to imagine the chaos in Central Europe as hundreds of thousands of sick, malnourished and poverty stricken prisoners of all nationalities were left stranded thousands of miles from home. The reptriation process must have been phenomenal, especially with all lines of communication and many transport networks completely destroyed as a result of the war. Primo Levi uses "The Truce" to describe how difficult it was to return home and makes a strong case demonstrating surviving the arbeitlager was just the first step in a longer battle for liberation.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read_If This Is a Man • The Truce_.
Reading Progress
February 27, 2011 –Started Reading
February 27, 2011 – Shelved
February 28, 2011 –25.13% "This is great!"
March 2, 2011 –52.51% "Finished If this is a Man - amazing! Now reading The Truce which is proving to be just as good."
March 7, 2011 –Finished Reading
Comments
No comments have been added yet.
Add a reference:
Search for a book to add a reference
add: link cover
Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.
