Simon Wiesenthal

The Life and Legends

By: Tom Segev

Narrated by: Marc Cashman

Length: 19 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

From esteemed Israeli journalist and historian Tom Segev, the first fully documented biography of Simon Wiesenthal, revealing the fascinating truth behind this simultaneously admired, despised, and feared hunter of Nazis.

Simon Wiesenthal was the legendary “Nazi hunter” played by Ben Kingsley and Laurence Olivier on film, a Holocaust survivor who dedicated his life to the punishment of Nazi criminals. A hero in the eyes of many, he was also attacked for his unrelenting pursuit of the past, when others preferred to forget.

For this definitive biography, Tom Segev has obtained access to Wiesenthal’s hundreds of thousands of private papers and to 16 archives, including records of the U.S., Israeli, Polish, and East German secret services. Segev is able to reveal the intriguing secrets of Wiesenthal’s life, including his stunning role in the capture of Adolf Eichmann, his controversial investigative techniques, his unlikely friendships with Kurt Waldheim and Albert Speer, and the nature of his rivalry with Elie Wiesel.

Tom Segev has written a brilliant character study of the “hunter” who was driven by his own memories to ensure that the destruction of European Jewry never be forgotten.

©2010 Tom Segev (P)2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A brilliant and gripping account of an extraordinary life. It draws upon extensive research to offer new insights into the complex personality as well as the notable achievements of Simon Wiesenthal."(Sir Ian Kershaw, author of Hitler: A Biography)

“Richly documented and written with great passion.” (Elie Wiesel, Los Angeles Times Book Review)

Well done. Balanced.

Thorough. Balanced. Well spoken. A man few now know of. A history being erased and revised.

His goal; Expose evil & avenge deaths of millions

What did you love best about Simon Wiesenthal?

He took his personal sufferings,loss of his family, & horrors he witnesses at the hands of the Nazis's, and made it his life's goal to locate, catch and bring to justice, the people who destroyed generations in what was called the "Final Solution".

What did you like best about this story?

Information brought to light about the differences between the Zionists and Jews. The constant walls he had to go through to get information and how his own ego got in the way of some of his success and created barriers between him and the people that he thought were there to help his cause.

Which character – as performed by Marc Cashman – was your favorite?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

too emotional to listen to in one sitting even if I could.

Any additional comments?

An important part of Jewish history during WWII.
Simon was his own worst enemy, at times, but a prolific writer.
Worked his whole life to catch the murderers of millions, all the while, keeping his head above water. I also found it shocking how many of his enemy were Jewish.

Important biography

This important biography is essential reading/listening.

however it is marred by the narrator being unable to correctly pronounce any of the Hebrew names and terms that appear in the book. Hence the 3 stars.

Freedom is like health, you take it for granted until you lose it

Another man who should be taught about in schools, not only for his nazi-hunting, but for how he overcame his horrible struggles as a concentration camp inmate, and never tried to use it as an excuse for not achieving something or a reason to preach victimology. I also greatly admire him for his stance there is no such thing as "collective guilt", only individual responsibility. If I had to make one complaint, I felt the author was too nitpicky over differences in Wiesenthal's story over 96 years of telling it. "NEVER AGAIN! "