The Seamstress

By: Sara Tuvel Bernstein, Louise Loots Thornton, Marlene Bernstein Samuels

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Biography and Memoir, 2013

Told with the same old-fashioned narrative power as the novels of Herman Wouk, The Seamstress is the true story of Seren (Sara) Tuvel Bernstein and her survival during wartime. This powerful eyewitness account of survival, told with power and grace, will stay with listeners for years to come.

©1999 Sara Tuvel Bernstein (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"There are many recent accounts of Holocaust victims, but this work stands alone as a testimony to personal strength and an independent spirit." ( Library Journal)

Wanted to read this book non-stop

What made the experience of listening to The Seamstress the most enjoyable?

I love books that are written in first person. Not long after you start listening you feel one with the author. The simplicity and matter of fact analysis of the author's account seem simple at first, yet are very rich and profound, once you think about them.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Seamstress?

There was no particular moment I would pick, but the way Sara handled and acted in different situations was remarkable, somewhat unexpected, witty and shaped and saved some of the lives of those that met her.

Which scene was your favorite?

Reunion

Any additional comments?

I got this book on sale, but it's worth a credit. Yes, it is a Holocaust story, but what I liked most about it was that Sara did not seem bitter and hateful. She ended up being the master of her destiny - in a worldly sense.

Beautiful Story of Strength

What made the experience of listening to The Seamstress the most enjoyable?

I'm not sure the narrator could've been better because her delivery made the story quite enjoyable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Obviously Sara sticks out as it's her story but each person added a depth to the book that I appreciated.

What about Wanda McCaddon’s performance did you like?

Her commitment to accents and emotional delivery

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

Gah!... It's a recollection of the events surrounding the Holocaust in Hungary. Most moments were moving.

Any additional comments?

While I appreciated what the intro and Epilogue had to say about Sara, I could have just as easily gone without it and the additional hour which is why, Overall, I marked the book as 4 stars.

Fastenating! Highly Recommended!

I have read a number of books about WWII lately, and I found this one very refreshing in that it was written in first person. While the experience in the camps is definitely covered, I particularly liked the pre and post camp portions of the book.

Ms. McCaddon was a perfect performer for this book. She had a great accent and her voice sounded like an older woman talking about her younger days.

Highly recommended

Excellent Book

This is a heart wrenching story, beautifully narrated. It is a story that needed to be told and heard. It is a wonderful book!

Another gripping account . . . .

This is not the first book I have read/listened to describing the horrors of the holocaust. It always amazes me to see how determined the victims were to survive such unimaginable, deplorable conditions. Although the story started out slowly, it became more and more intense the further you got into the book.. I thank the author for sharing all these events. Reliving them in a memoir could not have been an easy task..

Real story

Glad I ordered this book - while chilling and horrifying it also contains stories of family, resilience & hope told by a mist remarry able woman

A SALUTE to the Resiliency of the Human Spirit

Incomprehensible circumstances, managed with an iron will, and commitment to one another's welfare. I found myself praying for Sara at the end of the book, blessing the strength of her spirit she mustered, and all she did for those around her. This story underscores the reality that no man or woman is and island. No one can do it alone. The women in this story were buoyed by one another. If not for that, I wonder if the outcome would've been the same.

Loved it despite the difficult subject

Very well done. Engaging. Well written. Pragmatic tone makes an otherwise difficult and emotional subject bearable.

The truth

Let us never forgetthe courage, and suffering that happens when people fail to love all people.

heart breaking, and compelling

biographies and memoirs are my favorite genre and I really loved learning about Seren's life. It's amazing what one human can endure and it's sickening what other humans can do to them.
Although this story does have a lot of heartbreaking detail, it's really a story of determination and willpower. I highly recommend it