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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Evening Edition --- Free Kindle Book!

There are three places I have visited that have hit me more than any other --- those things that make History more REAL than “story” ---

The first time I went to the Netherlands, I went with Lucy to Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam. And I felt like I couldn’t breathe –seriously.

But even more than that, we visited the home of Corrie ten Boom in Haarlem…and saw “The Hiding Place”. And as we rode our bikes over the cobblestone streets I imagined all that happened there --- this was LIFE then. And Lucy’s parents, having lived through it, remembered it so well as if it were yesterday to them. It changed me in so many ways.

I’ve visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC twice ---and you almost have to give yourself a whole day there for it to sink in….just how much it encompassed---that whole couple of decades that some people think did not even happen! How could they say it didn’t happen? With all this documentation?

So when this book came up on the freebies over at Amazon, I had to get it, even though I do not really want to read it. It’s hard. It’s hard to read it and hard to realize just what happened, and that it could happen again ---could it ever happen again? To other peoples? I can’t think of it. My mind and heart don’t want to process it.

But through it all, I know it is imporant. These stories are important. Life changing. The few voices that were left are sharing and speaking, and I feel compelled to listen.

With Hanukkah beginning at sunset on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, and endings at sunset on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 I thought this might be a good time to read Rena’s Promise.

***Note*** This is free for Prime members..but remember, if you can't get it free, check it out of your library ---or buy it. With all the freebies we've posted, it's okay to BUY one once in a while, they can't all be free!

Rena’s Promise: Two Sisters in Auschwitz by Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam is free today in the Amazon Kindle store, and has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 14 customer reviews.

Category: Autobiography / History

Book’s description:

“I do not hate. To hate is to let Hitler win.” Rena Kornreich Gelissen

“The most important book of the modern age!” Neal Lavon, Voice of America

“The most historically accurate book ever written of the first transport of women into Auschwitz–the only book ever written by a survivor of that transport, who survived 3 years and 41 days in the camps.” Irena Strezlecka, Director of the Museum of Women at Auschwitz

On March 26, 1942, the first transport of women arrived in Auschwitz. Among the 999 young Jewish women was Rena Kornreich, the 716th woman numbered in camp. A few days later, her sister Danka arrives and so begins a trial of love and courage that will last 3 years and 41 days, from the beginning Auschwitz death camp to the end of the war.

Rena’s Promise stands out from other memoirs in mere length of time she spent in the camps. No other survivor from the first transport has ever written about her experience and what it meant to survive for so long as a peasant and a hard laborer who spent 10-12 hours a day making bricks, pushing lorries, sifting sand, performing cartwheels…. From her escape from Dr. Mengele’s experiment detail to her surreal meetings with SS woman Irma Grese, Rena tells a dynamic tale of courage and compassion that reminds us of the resiliency of the human spirit, and the power of people to help one another in unimaginable circumstances, be they Gentile or Jew, German or Pole, kapo or prisoner.

Used in secondary school Holocaust programs.

Recommended for Holocaust collections by the Library Journal.

Visit www.renaspromise.com to see photos and art.

13 comments:

debbie m said...

Oh, When I was a teen I met Corrie ten Boom. Her story was just amazing, and left quite an impression on me.

I'm not a kindle owner, or prime member so this book is not free for me. Thanks for all of the other free books you have posted. I've down loaded many and have even found the time to read some of them. The others are here on my iPad for later :o)

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

this one is only free to prime members :( I have a kindle but not a prime member.
Karen

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Bonnie. I also visited the Anne Frank house 40 years ago now and it still brings chills to my bones. I was frightened beyond saying during the tour.
Maryella

The 2 Spies said...

My heart is so moved by this touch of 'reality' you have shared. I too visited the Ten Boom home years ago. It is one of the highlights of my life. Corrie and her family inspire me and encourage me. You are right that it may possibly happen again. Lord willing no.. but... we didn't think it would happen then, did we. Bless you Bonnie for sharing this...

Janet O. said...

The Hiding Place is one of my favorite books of all time. So cool you got to visit THE house.

Andee said...

This book looks interesting...dangit I have a Nook at it is 9.99 for me...may order it anyways! Had a thought...I am really enjoying all your linky deals...and was thinking it is about time to link up the Cheddary Challenge participants so we can see how we have come half way into your challenge. Really fun to see half the net making cheddar bow ties! Thanks Bonnie for all you do!

Quilter Steph said...

I have also been to the Anne Frank house. It was very creepy. I cried after my friend and I got outside. She thot I was nuts!! I can't even imagine.

I have also been to the Holocaust museum in DC. It also was very creepy.

Smiley Quilter said...

Thanks for sharing, I didn't buy it yet but wrote down the name for future consideration. I know what you mean about how you feel when the reality hits you. I visited a museum in a former Japanese internment camp in British Columbia this summer. Looking at the pictures and reading the news articles of the day made me want to cry for how innocent people were treated; I had not realized the whole scope of what happened.
We have to hope we have learned enough to not let any of these things happen again.

Miss Jamee Quilts said...

I love your blog, for sew many reasons! I am a paper book addict...i love the smell of books, the feel of books, and love used book stores! that, and, i doubt i will ever be able to afford an e book reader...I thought i might mention to you that my 25yo son read mine comf by hitler last year. not because he is a nazi sympathizer, but because he wanted to know more about how the whole holocaust thing got going. he said it was bone chilling, that much of what hitler said in his books is almost verbatum what our Mr. President is saying now. this is how the holocaust started, with sacrificing individual liberty for the welfare of many. not trying to be political...just thought it might be an interesting read for you, since you seem to want to know and understand more about this human tragedy.

Shirley said...

Please remove that last comment. I am so offended that "miss jamee" would associate our president with Hitler!!! What is this? Fox News?

Please don't let this become a political slam-fest.

Eleana said...

eleanaz@gmail.com
this is America when i last checked. freedom of speach, hello!

Eleana said...

eleanaz@gmail.com
this is America when i last checked. freedom of speach, hello!

Eileen said...

We went to the Holocaust Museum last year, but didn't make it all the way through. Neither our DD nor myself could catch our breath. It was too overwhelming. You're right; now is the time to read this.

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