I'm a big, big fan of books like this - I'm fascinated by the Holocaust. I'm not very sure that's a PC thing to say, but it's also the truth. I'm fascinated & horrified & amazed by the Holocaust, the evil of it, and how anyone managed to survive it, and I'm always very, very honored to read anything written by someone who lived through those terrible dark days.

that being said, I really struggle to write reviews about this subject - I try very hard to point out the positive & the negative in reviews & I think I've gotten better about it lately, but how do you write anything negative about a biography, especially a biography about someone who lived through WWII?

That being said - I have nothing negative to say about this book. It's very well written, and the stories that are shared throughout really let us know what it was like to have lived through this time, something that I think is very very important in this type of book - not only to know, but to feel, what the author felt. There's a quick story in the beginning about a bombing, and how her and her friend discover her friend's father is dead under a pile of debris, and that just sets the tone for the rest of the book.

I received a review copy from ? (I think the author's family, but I'm ashamed to admit I don't remember, & I can't find the original emails) ( )

GREAT BOOK!! We all endure travesty, but some you would never have imagined.
I loved this story. It's a life story of her growing up and surviving World War II in Germany. It's honest, shocking, brutally sad, and yet endearing.
She grew up in a small town, with lots of relatives, a farm to play on, lots of animals and abundant love. Well abundant love from most people anyway. Her life before the war started brought back many memories of mine with my grandparent's farm, many animals, and plenty of cousins to create wonderful memories. Fortunately I didn't have to endure the pains or severe trials of young life in a war zone.
Edeltraud wrote with a naked truth that brought you to love her for all that she was and became. Without even knowing it she teaches you to look beyond the surface and into the depths of their souls. You realize that people don't all become the evil that leads them. And most everyone's vision is 20/20 in hindsight. You begin to wonder what you would have done. What would you have become? How would the scars of survival have affected you the rest of your life? The whole story provokes deep thought with strong emotional insight.
Some of the people put in her path were some of the most helpful during the harshest times. I don't believe in coincidences, so even wondering how she was so lucky is a waste of thought. The much more useful thought is whether you would have been the sliver of light for her. It's easy to say yes, but being truthful of your real selflessness is quite difficult but certainly can enhance self growth. The truth of her life that she puts forth shows us how even in her darkest hours there was a sliver of light, and she grabbed hold of it. Seeing how thankful she was for each encounter and each gift, no matter how small, gave you a feeling of admiration and pride for her. Her attitude was not one of deserving, but rather one of grace. Those people not only helped her keep moving forward with hope, they helped solidify her fortitude. You have to wonder had she not had the attitude she did, how different would her life have been.
Throughout the book, I felt enormous appreciation and respect for Edeltraud and many others. We who never served in that war, have never endured and actually really understood what many Germans went through. What they felt and thought. You must read this book. It is educational, thought provoking, and an emotional event that just shouldn't be missed.
Reading a life story can be fun. In this case it was extraordinary. I had always wondered what life was life in Germany during World War II, but it was much more extreme than I have ever imagined. If you have ever wondered about how the people of Germany allowed Hitler to be, then this is a must read. ( )