Facing the Lion
Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe
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4.8 • 182 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
FACING THE LION is the autobiographical account of a young girl?s faith and courage. In the years immediately preceding World War II, Simone Arnold is a young girl who delights in life ? her doting parents, her loving aunts and uncles, and her grandparents at their mountain farm in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. As Simone grows into her preteen years, her parents turn from the Catholic Church and become devout Jehovah?s Witnesses. Simone, too, embraces the faith. The Nazi party (the ?Lion?) takes over Alsace-Lorraine, and Simone?s schools become Nazi propaganda machines. Simone refuses to accept the Nazi party as being above God. Her simple acts of defiance lead her to be persecuted by the school staff and local officials, and ignored by friends. With her father already taken away to a German concentration camp, Simone is wrested away from her mother and sent to a reform school to be ?reeducated.? There, Simone learns that her mother has also been put in a camp. Simone remains in the harsh reform school until the end of the war. She emerges feeling detached from life, but the faith that sustains her through her ordeals helps her rebuild her world. Facing the Lion provides an interesting and detailed view of ordinary country and town life in the pre-war years and during Hitler?s regime. This inspiring story of a young girl standing up for her beliefs in the face of society?s overwhelming pressure to conform is a potent reminder of the power of remaining true to one?s beliefs.
? ?a compelling read. As Simone?s daily life changes from the simplicity of her earliest days, we see, with her, the corrupting impact of German occupation. With her, and through her story, we come to put new pictures to the familiar story of the Nazi regime. This is a book to read from cover to cover. It is hard not to be transported into Simone?s world and impossible not to understand, through her, something more about the terrible years of the Third Reich. Thank you, Simone, for telling us your story.?
Christine E. King, President Staffordshire University, United Kingdom.
Customer Reviews
A MUST READ
Gripping and heartbreakingly real but as a Jehovah’s Witness, I’m so proud of the stand that Simone, her parents, and the rest of her family took to stand firm and loyally maintained their integrity to Jehovah our God.
I am glad this book was written.
I really enjoyed this book. I was really in awe when reading how even at such a young age she had such a strong faith. Her example has encouraged me and convinced me that Jehovah God will always be there for us. And that we can remain faithful despite hard challenges and opposition. She really appreciated the Bible and read it even though she was at risk. This has encouraged me to also appreciate my bible. I am so thankful that this book was written. I loved every part of it. From her peaceful days in nature and funny child innocence to her firm decision to stay loyal and never surrender as opposition grew stronger. I also loved the happy ending. I was so entertained by the book that I finished it in just a few days. Definitely 5 stars :)
A book every human should read!
Truly a life changing book! It really gives perspective to the time we are living in now.
Will read yearly as a reminder to myself and out of respect for those that went through atrocities that have since passed.
I appreciated that all ages can read this book. I wish I would have read it when it was first given to me at 13 years old. It really would have helped me through some tough situations.
I’m not a reader, but I couldn’t put it down.