Night

By: Elie Wiesel

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the Congressional Gold Medal, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel offers an unforgettable account of Hitler's horrific reign of terror in Night. This definitive edition features a new translation from the original French by Wiesel's wife and frequent translator, Marion Wiesel.

Night is an unmistakably autobiographical account of the author's own gruesome experiences in Nazi Germany's death camps. Told through the eyes of 14-year-old Eliezer, the tragic fate of the Jews from the little town of Sighet unfolds with a heart-wrenching inevitability. Even as they are stuffed into cattle cars bound for Auschwitz, the townspeople refuse to believe rumors of anti-Semitic atrocities. Not until they are marched toward the blazing crematory at the camp's "reception center" does the terrible truth sink in.

Recounting the evils at Auschwitz and Buchenwald, Wiesel's enduring classic of Holocaust literature raises questions of continuing significance for all future generations: How could man commit these horrors, and could such an evil ever be repeated?

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©1972, 1985 Elie Wiesel
Originally published in 1958 by Les Editions de Minuit
Translation 2006 by Marion Wiesel
Preface to the New Translation 2006 Elie Wiesel
(P)2006 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"Elie Wiesel’s memoir of life in the Nazi death camps has been reissued with a new translation by Wiesel’s wife, Marion. Read by George Guidall, this new edition is a brilliant and haunting reminder of these horrific crimes, as well as a testament to Wiesel’s faith and resilience. Guidall is the ideal reader, and gives yet another masterful performance. Every word Guidall utters reminds the listener of the fear, the suffering, and the hatred Wiesel witnessed and experienced as he drew upon his every instinct to fight for survival. The audio edition also contains a new preface by Wiesel, as well as Guidall’s performance of Wiesel’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. NIGHT is already a classic, and this audio edition is a superb complement to the text. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award." (AudioFile magazine)

"[A] slim volume of terrifying power." (The New York Times)

I cried

Beautiful, I couldn't stop listening, How could this have happened. I have recommended to many others

Poignant story about a holocaust survivor

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it was well written and narrated and gripping story told from the first person view of a holocaust survivor.

What did you like best about this story?

The details of what it was like to live in a concentration camp.

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, listening to all the Craig Johnson/Walt Longmire books, This is how I discovered George Guidall and I am keen to listen to all his other books.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, nothing extreme, but was hard to "put it down." It's a short listen, 4 hours, and worth every minute.

Any additional comments?

I'm always fascinated by people overcoming the most tragic of circumstances, but they can be tough to listen to as they can be depressing, but I enjoyed this book. It was gripping but always sad knowing that humanity can be so cruel to one another. It was inspiring to hear how Wiesel overcame the hardship of the labor camp. A couple of other great books to listen to (or read) about the holocaust is Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and Schindler's List by Thomas Keanelly. These three books will always stay with me in the back of my mind as an inspiration for overcoming the worst of human conditions.

Incredible story!

Where does Night rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This one is at the top of my list, mostly because it is a first-hand account of what happened.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Night?

There are so many points that come to mind. After everything I have learned about the holocost and even after listening to this book, I still cannot understand how this happened...or, rather, how this was allowed to happen to so many people for no reason whatsoever.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

George Guidall is an amazing narrator. I appreciate that he used the proper intonations; especially when speaking Hebrew.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I cried numerous times while listening to this book, which is difficult for me because I listen while commuting to and from work!

Any additional comments?

This is story that will need to be told forever -- over and over again, so history can never repeat itself. I feel terrible when I think about the countless number of people who had to endure this, but I am thankful that Elie Wiesel had the courage to share this with the world.

moving and devastating

Any additional comments?

This was a devastating and enlightening book. Elie Wiesel's story about his time in a concentration camp, the loss of his family, and his loyalty to them until the end, was heartbreaking. What made this story unique was how many questions were raised about how people live through such suffering. The most interesting question that was woven into this book was: how do people who believe in God, and whose lives revolve around their belief in God, understand the holocaust? How does someone in a concentration camp lose the ones they love, and live through such brutality and suffering, continue to believe in God?

Reguired Reading

I was a child born in the 30's, my Dad served in WWII and all my life I have been proud of what this nation did to bring that war to an end. I have always known the story of the persecution of the Jews and the Holocust but it was not until I listened to this book that I truly experienced the horror and I can only imagine. To have lived through it seems almost impossible to me. Great book, great author and great narrator. This book should be required reading for every high school student in this country. This story and sad moment in history must never be forgotten.

Brilliant Night!

Night, by Elie Wiesel, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is great book to read. His words are gentle, but he speaks of destiny, cruelty, disease, death. The ignorance about the diabolic nazi, the ghetto, the deportation, the cattle car, the starvation, the injustice, are still ringing in my ears, as well as to many who had read the book. I've got in touch with the book when I was a naive teen, but the audible version is much, much better.
The narration by George Guidall, at first sounded strange, hard to listen, but, when I got accustumed I reconsidered, and thought that it fitted just right with the gloomy atmosphere of the story.
The crude reality of a tragic war told by a gifted writer, and very much worth listening and never forgotten.

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Must read

I cannot believe that it took me this long to read this amazing book. I finished it and started again.

Stunning

It’s difficult to even try to believe, but it’s even more heartbreaking to know that this truly happened. Incredible performance, and a powerful story told of one of humanities darkest times.

the story of human depravity...and it's true

As painful as these stories are to read, as a human being, you hope to give audience to as many voices of this horror as you possibly can, knowing full well to even read every single one doesn't even begin to touch on the number of lives lost without a voice. There's nothing I can review that hasn't already been said. Elie Wiesel gives a brave and naked view of his time in concentration camp. His account is both excruciating and matter-of-fact, from starvation, the chimney, the babies, illness, beatings, death...this is the story of human depravity...and it's true.

I enjoyed the Marion Weisel translation because his wife would know his voice best. My edition also had his Nobel Prize speech, which was incredibly moving, as well as an essay from François Mauriac.

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