Night

By: Elie Wiesel

Narrated by: George Guidall

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?

Check out more selections from Oprah's Book Club.©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)

Little yellow stars.

If wearing a yellow star is not lethal, of what then father did you die? This question is the crux of this penetating memoir of the nightmare we call the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel's Night, is a memoir that blurs the lines between chronicle, and novel. Wiesel use the night as a metaphor to describe his ordeal as young boy whose family and culture are uprooted and plunged into the nightmare of Auschwitz. It is a story of a surreal existence, suffering, deprivation, and despair. Through Elies eyes, we witness babies being murdered, men being executed, and the death of God Himself. While the rest of the world remained silent. (You must appreciate the fact that during and immediately after the war, the Holocaust was not a popular topic as it is today.) This book is so unnerving, the reader compelled to respond. This book will not just entertain, it will not just inform, it will provoke you into thinking about humanity in ways no other book will. Let Elie Wiesel shake you up out of your sleep, and show you why you must listen, and why you must act, to make sure the Holocaust never happens again.

Very Good

I bought this more because of it being an Oprah's choice than really "wanting" to read about this topic. Her suggestions are excellent, and this one was no different. This is an important subject and it is good to be reminded of past atrocities, so they hopefully will not be repeated in the future.

Certainly the author did an excellent job of conveying his experiences. Some of the content is so subtle, I had to "rewind" to hear it again to make sure I heard it correctly. The narrator did a wonderful job. His inflections fit the emotion of the scenes perfectly.

The material is not new, nor does it bring about any different perspective. But it is significant. This should be on a required reading list in everyone's life.

Missed Opportunity...

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

This is a unique opportunity to read a first-hand account of what went on.

What other book might you compare Night to and why?

One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a similar book I found more interesting. You get a first-hand account of a Russian Goulag. I think that was a better read. The author goes into exceptional detail placing you there along with him.

Any additional comments?

I was a little disappointed in the book. I felt Elie Wiesel had a real opportunity to share much more than he did. I think it took a lot of courage to write what he did, but the book comes off a bit shallow to me. He almost speaks of the events he went through as though he’s giving a play by play account of his ordeal. I wish he had provided more insight to his feelings toward religion, his fellow man, his survival instincts, his ethics, morals. I suspect, if you were to go through something such as Mr Wiesel did, you would question and analyze everything you believed. He opened up a little bit, but I wanted to know much more. You can now get very good accounts of what happened on cable.

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.