Not Even a Number

By: Edith Perl

Narrated by: Kay Webster

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

Rifcha and her family were living normal, happy lives. There was school, work, family dinners, outings and vacations. That was until 1938 when the first bit of turmoil started to hit their village located in the Sub-Carpathian mountains - anti-Semitism started running rampant like a disease. It began taking ahold of everyone around them. Those who were once friends now became vicious enemies. Rifcha began to realize that her world was about to crumble.

On April 18, 1944, Rifcha and her family were ripped from their home and taken by gunpoint to the Mukacheve Ghetto. The conditions were harsh and virulent but the entire family was alive and together. Their stay in Mukacheve Ghetto was brief. One month later they were loaded into cattle cars and taken to Auschwitz II- Birkeneu.

Selections were made as soon as the family was pulled from the train. There were no last hugs. No good-byes. As Rifcha's mother and her youngest siblings were being torn away and taken to their final death march, Rifcha's mother made her promise to take care of her sisters, to survive and to make sure she told the world of the atrocities of the Holocaust. At the gates of Auschwitz, Rifcha decided to become someone new. She gave herself a new name: Edita with the meaning: Spoils of war.

Over a million people, lost their lives in Auschwitz II - Birkenau, mostly in gas chambers; today, it is the world's largest Jewish graveyard. At the height of the selections, the murders would peak at 10,000 a day. This camp was home to Dr. Josef Mengele. This was where he did all of his medical experiments. Edita fell prey to Dr. Mengele several times, even becoming victim to his knife, which ended up saving her life. When selections were being made for the eviction of Auschwitz-Birkenau II, Edita once

©2016, 2017 Motivational Press (P)2017 Motivational Press

Amazing

Must read for any lover of WWII history. Heartbreaking yet somehow an incredible story of strength and Providence.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Not even a number

So sad, I hope these stories live on forever so nobody ever forgets. This was a well written story of the crimes against the Jewish. Maybe if all of us read this or books like this, we could look at things today in our government , and see red flags in our future.

Very good read of Hungarian life and love

These Hungarian Jews lived a charmed life before 1944. Then it was terrible going for all the family. Such family loyalty and love Main character was strong good intuition and to be very much admired Highly recommend this book. I learned a lot of history

The narration is absolutely horrible.

What is the thing with fake Accents? This is just bad cultural appropriation. The fake accent is so strained and wrong in places and not consistent. The flow is slow and awkward. Can I get a return?

Heart-wrenching!

it is hard to put into words how I felt after reading this book! It is so hard to believe that humans can be so mean, cruel, uncaring of other humans. I will encourage everyone I can to read this novel. I will never forget!

Inspiring!

The author's struggle to survive & her drive to help her family were deeply inspiring! Great book!

Such Courage

As emotional as this book it was horrifying and yet so hopeful. The strength and love this young woman had was beyond words her will to survive, keeping her promise to her Mama and helping her sisters to survive was so moving. It teaches us how horrible we can be to one another and how we must remember that this ca NEVER happen again.

Terrible narration

I am very sorry I couldn’t finish this book. The narrator was so grating with a version of eastern Jewish that was b movie cliche it was painful. The story deserved better than this. Shame on the publisher.

My opinion

I struggled to finish this book. Not sure the author's memory is correct. Not recommending.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful