Reviews

The Happiest Man on Earth, by Eddie Jaku

phobacloh's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

What a beautiful book.
This had me tearing up in so many different ways. Sometimes because something was so tragic, I couldn't even fathom it, and sometimes because his outlook was so genuine and bright it made my heart squeeze.

He seems like the kind of person that would make your life richer by just being around.
So glad I read this.

audrey_earl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Audiobook. What an incredible story! It is astonishing to hear everything that this man went through. One reason I read these type of books is to see someone’s strength even in the darkest of times. He kept true to who he was, “If you lose your morals, you lose yourself.”
He saw the the worst in some people, but he also saw some of the best of others. “With a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.” 
This book helped me reflect on how grateful I am for my life. For my body. For my family. 🤍

vlnntnn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

4.5

apulkrabek's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

jess_lovesreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

bakingbookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Wow. Simply wow.

I am so thankful that I listened to this memoir. I had borrowed both the hardcover and the eAudiobook from the library but I strongly suggest the audiobook. Hearing Jaku's life story told to me by talented narrator Raphael Corkhill made this memoir even more poignant. 

Readers will immediately be pulled into this short but powerful story about Eddie Jaku, a Holocaust survivor who, despite the horrors he faced during the war and his many near-death experiences, he remained hopeful and drew solace from his family and friends, finding joy in the tiniest of instances. 

“The best balm for the soul is friendship.”

“It is never too late to be kind, polite, and a loving human being.”

Emotional, inspirational and eye-opening, this book is a good reminder that despite what life throws at us, we have a choice. And if we focus on even the briefest moments of happiness, they can bring us through the toughest times and perhaps we can be the balm for someone else.

“Your efforts today will affect people you will never know. It is your choice whether that effect is positive or negative. You can choose every day, every minute, to act in a way that may uplift a stranger, or else drag them down. The choice is easy. And it is yours to make.”

ashstrausser's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, War, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death

leonachka's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

docdano's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

5.0

aebooksandwords's review against another edition

5.0

I rarely enjoy audio books and usually tend to prefer reading instead, but this one was a good one to listen to. I felt as if I was in the room, listening to Eddie tell his story. Highly recommend!