Well written, organized and researched account of an extraordinary life. Joe Rubinstein had the misfortune to be a Jew living in Radom, Poland in 1942. Things were tough for his family growing up but they enjoyed a close bond as they did what they needed to survive. Joe was awakened one night to find that Nazi soldiers were at the door. He went to the door in his bare feet and they told him to come with them and that he didn't need to take anything - he had all he would need. No jacket and no shoes was hardly what he needed to survive the journey that would follow, a journey that took him to several concentration camps including Auschwitz where he was given a tattoo with the number 34207 - a number he bears to this day. The details of his story are horrifying, and the inner fortitude Joe shows is incredible. In one memorable scene he gets lashed with a whip and survives by soaking his torn back in a filthy pond. I was impressed with the amount of research the author had done and her documentation that backed up the details of the incredible stories told by Joe. She organized the material well and it kept my interest, even after the dramatic events of the war when Joe was liberated and eventually came to the US. She showed that he still had many obstacles to overcome but also his indomitable spirit shone through as he went on to thrive in his new life. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially to readers interested in stories of people who overcome. Even if you think you've read too many stories about WWII you should make the time for this one. It's also a great read for discussion groups. ( )

A retrospective of the first third of his life as related by Joe Rubenstein at 94.
Or, a memoir in 3 1/2 parts.
But, mostly a story of love: of family long gone, of life, of God, of new family created and grown, of friends.
Life started out pretty well for a middle class Jewish boy in a Polish town. It was altered when the eldest boy died of illness, and then the father of cancer when Joe was young. But he, his twin and other brothers and sister were a closely knit family who sheltered each other. Then came the invasion of Poland, and things went from difficult to worse. And then he was taken away, and the real nightmare began.
Now he is the voice of the people in the boxcars. And the grave pits. And the abused. He becomes one of the slaves in striped pajamas and coarse wooden shoes. He clings to hope for his family for as long as he can, begs God many times a day, and is helped by people.
Finally the war ends. But where can a man go with little education, no family, no money, but exceptional skills? In the beginning, with a never-ending list of new friends, he is in Germany. Then he meets and marries a wonderful Catholic girl. When their first child is on the way, they firmly decide that it is vital that they leave Europe as soon as may be. They do, eventually, and with hard work and special skills, things come around for them and life is good.
There is then, a brief recounting of life in America and citizenship.
Richard Reiman has the voice and cadencing to enhance it all, and each chapter is introduced with a sentence spoken by Joe, himself, to remind us that this is no work of fiction.
Not as long as Night, Anne Frank, Schindler's list, or The Book Thief, but also very moving.
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher, or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com ( )