The Seamstress

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

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

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)

Romanian Jews and the Holocaust

I gained an education on many levels while listening to this incredible book, one of the most descriptive accounts of life in concentration camps that I have ever read/heard. First of all, I did not know about Romania's involvement in WWII and that it joined with the Axis countries in the war (Germany, Japan, Italy). The persecution of the Jewish people began long before the war as young Seren and her siblings were routinely called "dirty jews" by their school mates, and it was ignored and accepted by her parents, who felt blissfully safe in Romania . . . even as the years, months and days grew near to the German invasion. I also first learned about the Hungarian invasion of Romania (near the border in Transylvania) from listening to The Seamstress. I was stunned to learn that part of Romania was split off from the rest and actually was reclaimed by Hungary, as Seren had to flee from Bucharest to her home near Transylvania, only to find it was surrounded by border guards. She got in. That was Seren. DETERMINED. She took the skills she had learned as a seamstress in Bucharest with her to Budapest, Hungary, where her blue eyes and light colored hair did not automatically mark her as a Jew. I never knew that Hungary was an Axis nation either until I listened to this book. Following Seren's journey from Romania to Hungary and then to Auschwitz in Germany, I was totally engrossed in her story. In telling it to her daughter-in-law, her biggest regret was the waste of all those years . . . not anger or bitterness . . . but what she could have done with her life if she'd had those years back. Oh, but what she DID for her sister, her future family, herself and for all humanity in surviving and LIVING through one of the darkest times in history.

Captivating, entertaining, touching, inspirational

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

In my top 5

What other book might you compare The Seamstress to and why?

The Unbroken... this too is a true story and is told in a manner that I felt I was right there!

What about Wanda McCaddon’s performance did you like?

Extremely excellent! Love listening to her!

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

There are many moments that are moving in the book. This was a time of devastation and the Jews were treated so terribly. It was a cruel and grueling time and this story captivates all that a family went through.

Remarkable young woman

I learned so much from Sara about Jewish customs ,how brutal man can be to fellow man and just how far a person would go and what they would do to see to their survival and survival of those they love. I didn't see bitterness or hatred in her when she had every right to feel that .
Narration perfect with many different roles and accents. I highly recommend this novel but at times it read like a novel not real life. She calls it luck but it has to be ,ore than that and she never gave God any credit so I have to only give four stars

Not the Usual Survivor

captivated by the story, entranced by the invitation into the soul, will recommend to many friends

Over coming loss

I wanted to know about the holocaust
I wanted to hear the voices of the survivors.
I don't intend to forget