



The Tattooist of Auschwitz - The Tattooist of Auschwitz Book 1 (Unabridged)
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4.6 • 566 Ratings
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- £12.99
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- £12.99
Publisher Description
A tale of love and survival, and the real story behind one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust – the blue numbers tattooed on prisoners' arms.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews, who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival – literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.
There have been many books about the Holocaust – and there will be many more. What makes this one so memorable is Lale Sokolov's incredible zest for life. He understood exactly what was in store for him and his fellow prisoners and he was determined to survive – not just to survive, but to leave the camp with his dignity and integrity intact, to live his life to the full. Terrible though this story is, it is also a story of hope and of courage. It is also – almost unbelievably – a love story. Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale – a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer – it was love at first sight and he determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure that Gita did, too. His story – their story – will make you weep, but you will also find it uplifting. It shows the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.
Like many survivors, Lale and Gita told few people their story after the war. They eventually made their way to Australia, where they raised a son and had a successful life. But when Gita died, Lale felt he could no longer carry the burden of their past alone. He chose to tell his story.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The Tattooist of Auschwitz isn’t an easy story to digest. But it’s a story everybody should hear. Heather Morris's story, inspired by real events, centres on Holocaust survivor Lale Sokolov, the “Tätowierer” of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The Jewish captive is given the unthinkably difficult job of branding tens of thousands of fellow prisoners with permanent numbers that become their identities—erasing their names, lineages and occupations. Morris also writes of Sokolov’s relationship with Gita, the love of his life, whom he meets in the camp. This immensely moving listen is more than a story of one of history’s darkest hours; it’s a story of spirit and the will to live.
Customer Reviews
Not working
Loved the story but stopped playing at chapter twenty five and will not restart at all - very annoyed
The Tattooist Of Auschwitz
Indeed, a unique lesson in humanity.
Heartbreaking
I was hooked from the 1st chapter. You just can’t believe such atrocities happened... and it wasn’t that long ago.