The Tattooist of Auschwitz

A Novel

De: Heather Morris

Narrado por: Richard Armitage

This beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage is based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov - an unforgettable love story in the midst of atrocity.

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for "tattooist"), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.

Imprisoned for more than two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism - but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful recreation of Lale Sokolov's experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is also a testament to the endurance of love and humanity under the darkest possible conditions.

©2018 Heather Morris (P)2018 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Richard Armitage is a superb narrator whose performance here is among his best.... Armitage's performance captures every emotion from fear to trepidation to hope and even to love with understated warmth." (AudioFile)

"The audio version of this book is a particularly strong marriage of narrator and material. The British actor Richard Armitage uses an impressive variety of actorly tools as he shifts perspective.... He skillfully conveys the cruel, mocking tone that the SS officers and guards often used with prisoners as a way of reinforcing their power. Even when he isn't portraying a specific character, Armitage keeps the listener engaged and alert by modulating his tone, sometimes within individual sentences. At times it seems as if there are two narrators, so often, and ably, does Armitage vary his delivery.... [The author's] compassion for her characters, combined with Armitage's riveting delivery, makes this an immensely satisfying book to listen to, whatever else you might happen to be doing." (The New York Times Book Review)

"The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an extraordinary document, a story about the extremes of human behavior existing side by side: calculated brutality alongside impulsive and selfless acts of love. I find it hard to imagine anyone who would not be drawn in, confronted and moved. I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone, whether they’d read a hundred Holocaust stories or none." (Graeme Simsion, internationally best-selling author of The Rosie Project)

Great Story, Mediocre Production

I feel bad for the author that such a wonderful book wasn't given more time and attention to detail in the production. As others have said, it gets comical around Chapter 26 when words or names are spliced into the middle of sentences with a different voice. The production comes across as the result of a rushed effort to meet a short deadline. Excellent story, still worth a listen, but not at full price.

I hung on every word...

Because I generally listen to audible books while I’m driving or doing other things, I sometimes miss certain passages but THIS book stopped me in my tracks and I listened, focused, until the very last word of the afterword. This compelling story of the overriding strength of will to survive in the face of such horrors is a must read; made even more powerful by the TRUTH of it.

Excellent Read

Best book I have listened to in a long time. The reader was fabulous. Don't miss this one.

Wow

This book would be good for high school age and adults of all ages. The story of Lale and Gita is a powerful story of a strong love, determination, and heroism. “To save one is to save the world.” Lale always said. In such a dark time and place in humanity, Lale displays mental strength and perseverance over and over again. Truly incredible.

Love and humanity

A powerful story highlighting humanity and love during one of the darkest chapters of our human history. We'll written and read very well, too.

Slow to start, but enjoyable

It look me a while to get into the story, but once I did I was hooked!

May we always remember

Too few stories exist of the life inside the camps, given how many stories would never be told, as so many died. Humanity in such circumstances is so moving.
In the end of the book, it really makes you think; there is so much to be grateful for in our own lives, if the horrors done to them could not remove their resolve, there is room for light in the darkest of places.

Very good

I have read books about WW II that I enjoyed more. Not a white knuckle book for me. Really liked the narrator.

Extremely well written and sad but also very worth reading.

Very much brings the concentration camps alive. Sad but also very interesting. I had no idea about the lives of the tattooists. I’ve read a lot of Holocaust history and this was a very well researched book.

Excellent in performance and moving in story

I listen to a lot of audiobooks. Many of the stories are shallow and do not uplift in anyway. Many of the performers have much to be desired. This book is excellent in its story of tragedy yet renewal. The narrator is superb!