leahsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
For my full review, go to:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/night
Night by Elie Wiesel is not one of those books people read for enjoyment. It’s a book to be read because it’s about history, humanity, hate, religion, and evil. It’s particularly relevant to me because as a Jewish woman and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor it’s part of my own family history. As human beings, it is relevant to all of us.
I feel guilty as I read about how everything was taken from Elie and the others in the camp: their home, their family, their belongings, their clothing, their names, their hair, their gold teeth, their dignity, their hope, their humanity, their faith, and ultimately the goal was to take their lives in the slowest, most brutal and agonizing way possible.
There is no happy ending to this story. Elie doesn’t make it out unscathed. He doesn’t miraculously find love in the camp. He doesn’t perform a daring rescue and fight the guards off, saving his father’s life. He does what he can do to survive. He lives his entire life with guilt and trauma. He didn’t romanticize the story to make it appealing to readers. He told his story, to educate.
George Santayana said that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” I can’t speak for Mr. Wiesel, but my father felt that he had a duty to bear witness and to educate people about what had happened. He had the opportunity to speak up, not just for himself, but for the people who didn’t have a voice. This is a powerful, moving, and important book, Consider reading it. Just have some tissues handy, and something light lined up for reading/watching afterwards. Trust me, you’ll need it.
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/night
Night by Elie Wiesel is not one of those books people read for enjoyment. It’s a book to be read because it’s about history, humanity, hate, religion, and evil. It’s particularly relevant to me because as a Jewish woman and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor it’s part of my own family history. As human beings, it is relevant to all of us.
I feel guilty as I read about how everything was taken from Elie and the others in the camp: their home, their family, their belongings, their clothing, their names, their hair, their gold teeth, their dignity, their hope, their humanity, their faith, and ultimately the goal was to take their lives in the slowest, most brutal and agonizing way possible.
There is no happy ending to this story. Elie doesn’t make it out unscathed. He doesn’t miraculously find love in the camp. He doesn’t perform a daring rescue and fight the guards off, saving his father’s life. He does what he can do to survive. He lives his entire life with guilt and trauma. He didn’t romanticize the story to make it appealing to readers. He told his story, to educate.
George Santayana said that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” I can’t speak for Mr. Wiesel, but my father felt that he had a duty to bear witness and to educate people about what had happened. He had the opportunity to speak up, not just for himself, but for the people who didn’t have a voice. This is a powerful, moving, and important book, Consider reading it. Just have some tissues handy, and something light lined up for reading/watching afterwards. Trust me, you’ll need it.
samanthadenk's review against another edition
5.0
I normally don’t like these kinds of books but I loved this. A super short, quick read that was so heart wrenching.
duffypratt's review against another edition
5.0
I rarely comment on star ratings, but here I must. When I entered my books in Goodreads, I gave this 3 stars, based on my hazy recollection from having read it over 20 years earlier. I think that rating was honest, but who knows what I was thinking or doing when I first read this book, that it did not make that big an impression on me. It certainly should have.
This is a story about the defeat of the human spirit. Of course, it centers in the Holocaust, and the depictions are harrowing, though presented in a flat, matter of fact manner. What comes through clearly is that no matter how bad things got, they became the new normal, and things inevitably get worse. And on top of that, the narrators and others cling to the new normal, whatever it is, rather than risk the unknown. Thus, there are at least three opportunities in the book to escape future horrors, and at every point the narrator or his family chooses the horror that they think they know.
The other thing that is extraordinary is that Wiesel spares no-one. Of course, the German's are inhuman monsters. But they are not contrasted by noble, suffering Jews. Rather, the Jews sink to every depth imaginable simply trying to survive. And in the process of surviving (which is only the fate of a very few) they give up every shred of humanity and decency. Wiesel isn't blaming them, or forgiving them. He is simply stating the fact, and his condemnation applies first and foremost to himself.
It's a quite an extraordinary book, and one of the bleakest I've ever read. It makes, for example, McCarthy's The Road seem like a triumph of joy by comparison.
Upon re-reading January 2019-
Nothing much to add from previous review. It's a harrowing, brilliant book. It lost nothing on third reading. Hits just as hard as it did.
This is a story about the defeat of the human spirit. Of course, it centers in the Holocaust, and the depictions are harrowing, though presented in a flat, matter of fact manner. What comes through clearly is that no matter how bad things got, they became the new normal, and things inevitably get worse. And on top of that, the narrators and others cling to the new normal, whatever it is, rather than risk the unknown. Thus, there are at least three opportunities in the book to escape future horrors, and at every point the narrator or his family chooses the horror that they think they know.
The other thing that is extraordinary is that Wiesel spares no-one. Of course, the German's are inhuman monsters. But they are not contrasted by noble, suffering Jews. Rather, the Jews sink to every depth imaginable simply trying to survive. And in the process of surviving (which is only the fate of a very few) they give up every shred of humanity and decency. Wiesel isn't blaming them, or forgiving them. He is simply stating the fact, and his condemnation applies first and foremost to himself.
It's a quite an extraordinary book, and one of the bleakest I've ever read. It makes, for example, McCarthy's The Road seem like a triumph of joy by comparison.
Upon re-reading January 2019-
Nothing much to add from previous review. It's a harrowing, brilliant book. It lost nothing on third reading. Hits just as hard as it did.
bluenicorn's review against another edition
5.0
Still amazing. Every time. One of those books you re-read because you forget how powerful it is, and then when you put it down again, you vow to never forget.
sherylcat's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this book on the same day as I saw the incredible film The Last Suit at our local independent film festival which could not have been more fitting. It was like bringing parts of this book to life.
shanban0303's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Went into this book the same way I go into most that are part of the canon: a bit fearful and prepared to be disappointed. Not by the story, but by the writing. Was not disappointed at all. Such a quick-paced, moving retelling of a time in the authors life. Will be coming to this one forever and ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
spookyinthestacks's review against another edition
4.0
A hard read, but a necessary read. Everyone should read this at least once. Heartbreaking but real.
mirel's review against another edition
5.0
This is a must read.
See more at: http://storiesworthsharing.net/book-review-night-by-elie-wiesel/
See more at: http://storiesworthsharing.net/book-review-night-by-elie-wiesel/