Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Bantam (2010), Edition: Reprint, 128 pages
Description
In the winter of 1991, at a concert in Krakow, an older woman with a marvelously pitched violin meets a fellow musician who is instantly captivated by her instrument. When he asks her how she obtained it, she reveals the remarkable story behind its origin.... Imprisoned at Auschwitz, the notorious concentration camp, Daniel feels his humanity slipping away. Treasured memories of the young woman he loved and the prayers that once lingered on his lips become hazier with each passing day. Then a visit from a mysterious stranger changes everything, as Daniel's former identity as a crafter of fine violins is revealed to all. The camp's two most dangerous men use this information to make a cruel wager: If Daniel can build a successful violin within a certain number of days, the Kommandant wins a case of the finest burgundy. If not, the camp doctor, a torturer, gets hold of Daniel. And so, battling exhaustion, Daniel tries to recapture his lost art, knowing all too well the likely cost of failure. Written with lyrical simplicity and haunting beauty--and interspersed with chilling, actual Nazi documentation--The Violin of Auschwitz is more than just a novel: It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of beauty, art, and hope to triumph over the darkest adversity.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Darcia
This is a very short novel, barely more than a short story, and sort of a story within a story. It begins in 1991, with the person who now has the Auschwitz violin. That person is thinking back to the origin of the violin, at which time we're taken to the early 1940s and the Auschwitz death camp.
At the heart of the story is horror, heartbreak, and ultimately, tremendous inner strength. However, I was disappointed. I thought that both the plot and the characters lacked depth. So much more could have been done with this to make it a brilliant book. As it stands, I didn't feel the emotion or any strong pull into the characters' world.
** I won the early review copy in the Goodreads giveaway. **
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At the end, we are then brought through the generations and back to the current owner.At the heart of the story is horror, heartbreak, and ultimately, tremendous inner strength. However, I was disappointed. I thought that both the plot and the characters lacked depth. So much more could have been done with this to make it a brilliant book. As it stands, I didn't feel the emotion or any strong pull into the characters' world.
** I won the early review copy in the Goodreads giveaway. **
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LibraryThing member saratoga99
A sparse, totally riveting novella, it required two contemplative readings for me to thoroughly absorb and remember. Each minute chapter commenced with genuine excerpts from remaining enduring documents that bore unequivocal testament to the brutality which existed within the environs of
Upon compulsory detention in one of the sub camps of the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, Daniel, the unwilling protagonist dangerously hazards the possibility of immediate extermination by offering an unbidden explanation to a less than bravado violinist’s solo performance before the Commandant and his guests, “It’s not his fault, sir. The violin has a crack on the top plate. I can fix it.”
So cabinetmaker/factory worker Daniel not only repairs the violin’s cracked plate, but also is ordered to craft a new violin, one to add to the Commandant’s collection. Daniel, an authentic “luthier,” now has resolute motivation to rise each bleak morning, and without doubt, still a “sub-human” inmate in a dissolute environment, he quietly believes he has a smidgen of hope.
As we apprehensively follow Daniel’s daily progress, the overwhelming fear of imminent torture or death which can be visited upon each and every camp inmate is painfully described, and remains imbedded in the mind long after the violin is completed, and this little piece of history has been revealed to us.
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Auschwitz.Upon compulsory detention in one of the sub camps of the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, Daniel, the unwilling protagonist dangerously hazards the possibility of immediate extermination by offering an unbidden explanation to a less than bravado violinist’s solo performance before the Commandant and his guests, “It’s not his fault, sir. The violin has a crack on the top plate. I can fix it.”
So cabinetmaker/factory worker Daniel not only repairs the violin’s cracked plate, but also is ordered to craft a new violin, one to add to the Commandant’s collection. Daniel, an authentic “luthier,” now has resolute motivation to rise each bleak morning, and without doubt, still a “sub-human” inmate in a dissolute environment, he quietly believes he has a smidgen of hope.
As we apprehensively follow Daniel’s daily progress, the overwhelming fear of imminent torture or death which can be visited upon each and every camp inmate is painfully described, and remains imbedded in the mind long after the violin is completed, and this little piece of history has been revealed to us.
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LibraryThing member Litfan
This little novel tells a deeply moving story of survival and hope in the face of hatred and ugliness. Daniel is a young man who has been ripped from his life as a violin-maker, and the arms of his fiancee, and placed at Auschwitz. Those who are imprisoned nickname the camp "Hell." Daniel does
The process of returning to his beloved art also takes Daniel, for short periods, back to his old life. It gives him a reason to live in a world where death may have seemed a kinder option. Daniel's moments of beauty and joy with his violin are juxtaposed against the horrors of the camp: beatings, torture, starvation, degradation. It is an intense book that I had to set down at times. The effect of the Holocaust on the survivors, both at the time it occurred and fifty years later, was explored with heartbreaking insightfulness.
How would you survive in a place where they had taken your family, freedom, home, your trade? Would you give up and, if you didn't, how would you find the will to get through? These are some of the many questions that came to me as I read this thought-provoking book. This is a story of survival, of the bonds of friendship which last a lifetime, of the triumph of creativity and beauty in a dark and depraved world. This little book takes you to the depths of hell, but also shows you the height of human potential.
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woodworking until he fixes a violin for one of the prisoners, who plays for the commander. This catches the commander's attention and he orders Daniel to craft a violin.The process of returning to his beloved art also takes Daniel, for short periods, back to his old life. It gives him a reason to live in a world where death may have seemed a kinder option. Daniel's moments of beauty and joy with his violin are juxtaposed against the horrors of the camp: beatings, torture, starvation, degradation. It is an intense book that I had to set down at times. The effect of the Holocaust on the survivors, both at the time it occurred and fifty years later, was explored with heartbreaking insightfulness.
How would you survive in a place where they had taken your family, freedom, home, your trade? Would you give up and, if you didn't, how would you find the will to get through? These are some of the many questions that came to me as I read this thought-provoking book. This is a story of survival, of the bonds of friendship which last a lifetime, of the triumph of creativity and beauty in a dark and depraved world. This little book takes you to the depths of hell, but also shows you the height of human potential.
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LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
The Auschwitz Violin by Maria Angels Anglada
I was very moved by this novella about a Jewish concentration camp prisoner, Daniel, who was a luthier (violin maker) by profession. Imprisoned at the Dreiflusselager (Three Rivers Camp, a sub-camp of Auschwitz) he spends his days working in the
Interspersed with Daniel’s thoughts are the actions of horrendous characters, the guards the notorious camp doctor as well as actions of the humanity of his fellow prisoners and some sympathetic guards. Introducing each chapter is authentic documentation from Nazi camp records that validate the horror of the experience.
Told beautifully and humanely by the author I was moved by the emotion portrayed. Slow, languid descriptions of the memories, the actual task of crafting the instrument reminded me that this was more than a genocide account but a glimpse into the human soul. It is more than a story about a man, a violin, the concentration camps. It is a tribute to the human spirit, the power of beauty and art to sustain the human soul and the dignity that can be evidenced in the most horrid circumstances.
I was very moved by this novella about a Jewish concentration camp prisoner, Daniel, who was a luthier (violin maker) by profession. Imprisoned at the Dreiflusselager (Three Rivers Camp, a sub-camp of Auschwitz) he spends his days working in the
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cabinetmaking shop and trying desperately to hang on to hope, meaning and his life. Never knowing when the whim of a guard or commandant will merit him a blow, a whipping, a time spent in solitary he moves anxiously through each day trying to maintain a sense of who he is as a man. Weakened by starvation, it is his memories that keep him going…memories of the beauty of the world, of the woman he loves, of the blue eyes of his treasured niece. But over time he finds even these memories fading and he struggles to hold on. When circumstances result in his revealing of his violin-making craft he is ordered to make a violin for the Camp Commander or risk being at the mercy of the camp doctor.Interspersed with Daniel’s thoughts are the actions of horrendous characters, the guards the notorious camp doctor as well as actions of the humanity of his fellow prisoners and some sympathetic guards. Introducing each chapter is authentic documentation from Nazi camp records that validate the horror of the experience.
Told beautifully and humanely by the author I was moved by the emotion portrayed. Slow, languid descriptions of the memories, the actual task of crafting the instrument reminded me that this was more than a genocide account but a glimpse into the human soul. It is more than a story about a man, a violin, the concentration camps. It is a tribute to the human spirit, the power of beauty and art to sustain the human soul and the dignity that can be evidenced in the most horrid circumstances.
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LibraryThing member kathydassaro
Summary: An accomplished violinist shares the story of her cherished violin, which was built in a concentration camp by her uncle.
My Thoughts: I did not like this book. I feel guilty about it too. It almost feels disrespectful to not like a book about the holocaust. But there it is. This one did
This is really just a short story. My review copy had just 100 pages or so. It was going along okay, and then between chapter 3 and 4, I got the feeling that I had missed a whole part of the story. Now I don’t really like short stories. I like to get into the plot and characters of a story and sometimes that is hard with a short story. But, if a short story is good, I can enjoy it. In a book with such an emotional setting, I think the characters should have been full of depth. They were not. The writing seemed scattered.
Now there could be a few reasons why I didn’t like this book. It is a translation, and perhaps the choppiness of the story comes from that. Also, the information page in the front of the book stated that this should be 128 pages. It may be that my copy was missing something. Either way, I have to say that this could have been a fantastic novel. A violin created in Auschwitz by Daniel, a talented inmate….. wow! His story before was touched on with a few sentences, his life afterwards was addressed the same way. Even the way the violin made it out in one piece was only given a passing mention.
What I did like about this book was Daniel. I liked when he spoke about his passion for making the violin and how it was helping him survive. I wanted to know more about him and his story.
My Thoughts: I did not like this book. I feel guilty about it too. It almost feels disrespectful to not like a book about the holocaust. But there it is. This one did
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not impress me. Here’s why:This is really just a short story. My review copy had just 100 pages or so. It was going along okay, and then between chapter 3 and 4, I got the feeling that I had missed a whole part of the story. Now I don’t really like short stories. I like to get into the plot and characters of a story and sometimes that is hard with a short story. But, if a short story is good, I can enjoy it. In a book with such an emotional setting, I think the characters should have been full of depth. They were not. The writing seemed scattered.
Now there could be a few reasons why I didn’t like this book. It is a translation, and perhaps the choppiness of the story comes from that. Also, the information page in the front of the book stated that this should be 128 pages. It may be that my copy was missing something. Either way, I have to say that this could have been a fantastic novel. A violin created in Auschwitz by Daniel, a talented inmate….. wow! His story before was touched on with a few sentences, his life afterwards was addressed the same way. Even the way the violin made it out in one piece was only given a passing mention.
What I did like about this book was Daniel. I liked when he spoke about his passion for making the violin and how it was helping him survive. I wanted to know more about him and his story.
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LibraryThing member schatzi
Beginning in 1991 in Poland, this story details how a violin was crafted in Auschwitz and passed on to that man's niece after the war. Oskar Schindler has a cameo appearance in the novel.
Really a novella instead of a novel, this book is only a little over a hundred pages in length. I don't think
I was really excited to have won this book in the Early Reviewers Giveaway. As both a Jew and a lover of history, I read a lot of books, both fictional and non-fictional, set in this era. So I truly wanted to love this book, but it just didn't click with me.
I would probably recommend this book to those who enjoy reading fictional accounts of the Sho'ah, but there are definitely better novels out there to enjoy.
Really a novella instead of a novel, this book is only a little over a hundred pages in length. I don't think
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that that gives the characters ample time to develop. There was a good story in here somewhere, there truly was, but the characters all remained very bare-bones, and it was hard for me to identify with any of them. Had the author taking more time and fleshed out the characters, I think that this stood a chance at being an incredible book; as it stands, I only rate this as middling. I'm not sure if the translation plays a role in this (it was written in Catalan), but I simply don't think that there was enough room for the characters to develop, regardless of possible translation problems.I was really excited to have won this book in the Early Reviewers Giveaway. As both a Jew and a lover of history, I read a lot of books, both fictional and non-fictional, set in this era. So I truly wanted to love this book, but it just didn't click with me.
I would probably recommend this book to those who enjoy reading fictional accounts of the Sho'ah, but there are definitely better novels out there to enjoy.
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LibraryThing member JaneSteen
Daniel is a luthier--a violin maker. In his Auschwitz sub-camp, he survives by working as a carpenter, spending his afternoons laboring in the I.G. Farben factory. An impulsive--and insanely dangerous--remark brings him to the notice of the camp's commander, who orders him to produce a violin to
The Auschwitz Violin (or, possibly, The Violin of Auschwitz: the Amazon and ARC titles differ) will be released on August 31, 2010. Translated from Catalan by Martha Tennent, the original version has had considerable success in Europe, and film rights have been acquired. That doesn't surprise me one bit, as my first thought when I finished reading this short novel (at just over 100 pages, I'd call it a novella) was that it would make a beautiful film in the right hands. It has so many sensual elements: the music, the visual beauty of the violin, the contrast with the brutality of the camp. Give it to an outstanding director, and you've got an Oscar winner right there.
As for the book, I felt that the writing (or perhaps the translation?) could have flowed more smoothly at times, but the story is beautiful and poignant. It's like Night with a less depressing ending, and could become just as successful commercially. The message is one of hope: being able to exercise the profession he loves keeps Daniel alive in circumstances where men die of sheer hopelessness just as much as starvation and disease. Like Night, the story is told in a straightforward, unembellished way; if you've ever heard the survivors of horrors speaking, that's pretty much the way they tell it. The facts are so heartrending that they don't need elaboration.
The moment in the book that has stuck with me is the sheer terror that Daniel experiences in the presence of the camp's doctor, who selects prisoners for experiments, and the way he uses his work to disguise and control his fear. This is a book worth reading, and I'd unhesitatingly recommend it to almost anyone. It would make a good addition to a history or even music class, and middle or high school readers would probably also find it accessible. The extracts from genuine Nazi documents at the beginning of the chapters are very telling.
I'm really looking forward to that movie.
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the specifications of a Stradivarius. Daniel later finds that this task is the object of a macabre bet.The Auschwitz Violin (or, possibly, The Violin of Auschwitz: the Amazon and ARC titles differ) will be released on August 31, 2010. Translated from Catalan by Martha Tennent, the original version has had considerable success in Europe, and film rights have been acquired. That doesn't surprise me one bit, as my first thought when I finished reading this short novel (at just over 100 pages, I'd call it a novella) was that it would make a beautiful film in the right hands. It has so many sensual elements: the music, the visual beauty of the violin, the contrast with the brutality of the camp. Give it to an outstanding director, and you've got an Oscar winner right there.
As for the book, I felt that the writing (or perhaps the translation?) could have flowed more smoothly at times, but the story is beautiful and poignant. It's like Night with a less depressing ending, and could become just as successful commercially. The message is one of hope: being able to exercise the profession he loves keeps Daniel alive in circumstances where men die of sheer hopelessness just as much as starvation and disease. Like Night, the story is told in a straightforward, unembellished way; if you've ever heard the survivors of horrors speaking, that's pretty much the way they tell it. The facts are so heartrending that they don't need elaboration.
The moment in the book that has stuck with me is the sheer terror that Daniel experiences in the presence of the camp's doctor, who selects prisoners for experiments, and the way he uses his work to disguise and control his fear. This is a book worth reading, and I'd unhesitatingly recommend it to almost anyone. It would make a good addition to a history or even music class, and middle or high school readers would probably also find it accessible. The extracts from genuine Nazi documents at the beginning of the chapters are very telling.
I'm really looking forward to that movie.
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LibraryThing member jsprenger
The “Violin of Auschwitz" is an emotional, gripping story of a Jewish luthier (a violin maker), Daniel. The story begins in 1991 in Krakow, when the orchestra’s first violinist plays a ‘beautiful tone quality’ violin. When asked about the origins of this violin, Regina reveals a story about
Daniel has disguised himself as a “carpenter”, but his ability as a luthier comes to the attention of the camp commander. Later on, Daniel discovers that he is center of a bet between the commander and doctor. Overcome emotionally and physically, Daniel is able to create a work of art while surviving in the most horrific circumstances.
I liked this book, and the historic notations at the beginning of each chapter add chilling facts about the holocaust.
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her uncle imprisoned at a sub-camp of Auschwitz that is both painful and emotional.Daniel has disguised himself as a “carpenter”, but his ability as a luthier comes to the attention of the camp commander. Later on, Daniel discovers that he is center of a bet between the commander and doctor. Overcome emotionally and physically, Daniel is able to create a work of art while surviving in the most horrific circumstances.
I liked this book, and the historic notations at the beginning of each chapter add chilling facts about the holocaust.
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LibraryThing member meggyweg
I received this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers giveaway program.
A slim and beautiful novella, the story of a young man in a sub-camp of Auschwitz, making a violin that could save his life, or end it. Daniel had been pretending to be a cabinetmaker, but after he accidentally revealed his
The making of the violin is described in loving, intimate detail and I think the author must have done a great deal of research into that aspect of the story. And as the violin is constructed, the suspense rises -- will it get done in time? Will it be good enough?
This is a rather unusual Holocaust novel and I don't think it would be of much attraction to the ordinary reader. Rather, I would recommend it to people who are really into Holocaust stories, and also to violinists. Slightly interesting detail: Oskar Schindler, of Schindler's List fame, is a minor character.
A slim and beautiful novella, the story of a young man in a sub-camp of Auschwitz, making a violin that could save his life, or end it. Daniel had been pretending to be a cabinetmaker, but after he accidentally revealed his
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real profession the commandant ordered him to make a violin. It must be a perfect violin and play beautifully, or Daniel will be turned over to the tender mercies of a sadistic camp doctor who is clearly based on Mengele.The making of the violin is described in loving, intimate detail and I think the author must have done a great deal of research into that aspect of the story. And as the violin is constructed, the suspense rises -- will it get done in time? Will it be good enough?
This is a rather unusual Holocaust novel and I don't think it would be of much attraction to the ordinary reader. Rather, I would recommend it to people who are really into Holocaust stories, and also to violinists. Slightly interesting detail: Oskar Schindler, of Schindler's List fame, is a minor character.
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LibraryThing member brainella
Daniel is a violin maker, a luthier. He is also Jewish and a prisoner at sub-camp of Auschwitz. He sees violence and hatred daily. He is slowly starving, exhausted constantly and fears for his life always.
The Commandant of the camp tells Daniel he must make a violin much the likes of a
Throughout this trial Daniel remains focused and determined on the goal. He relies on his friends for encouragement and help. To find friends, companionship and loyalty in such a horrific place is incredibly amazing. This story is achingly sad, but somehow uplifting. The characters are wonderfully developed and the plotline flows well. It is not a long book, but will stay with you long after you are done.
The Commandant of the camp tells Daniel he must make a violin much the likes of a
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Stradivarius. Though he is a gifted violin maker, Daniel is afraid he will die if the violin is not perfect. Each day he works on the violin and in the factory. Each day he wonders what his fate will be; other prisoners disappear, never to be seen again. Will that happen to him?Throughout this trial Daniel remains focused and determined on the goal. He relies on his friends for encouragement and help. To find friends, companionship and loyalty in such a horrific place is incredibly amazing. This story is achingly sad, but somehow uplifting. The characters are wonderfully developed and the plotline flows well. It is not a long book, but will stay with you long after you are done.
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LibraryThing member jennbisk
I loved this book. It was short and filled with horror, but also passion. Very powerful. I couldn't put the book down once I started because I couldn't wait to find out the end. I was not disappointed once I got there. I also loved the historical documents beginning each chapter -- it was a
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constant reminder that even though the story was horrific, real life is just as bad. Show Less
LibraryThing member BlackSheepDances
Let me preface my review by stating that I have a particular interest in translated novels, and I'm always excited to see a Catalan author. I was really excited to read this title, as I've found stories about the Holocaust to be inspiring, especially in that I am able to better evaluate my own
In any case, I found this novel to be disappointing, although it's premise is original. The story proceeds through the imprisonment of a violin maker who gets marginally better treatment than other prisoners because he is able to repair the Commander's violin, as well as make a new one for the man. He designs a new violin, but is under constant tension because he knows any flaws will mean his death. Eventually, in a flashforward, we find that his niece now owns the violin and plays artfully in a symphony in Krakow. The violin is her greatest treasure (these aren't really spoilers...)
I've read many books about the Holocaust, and the pain and images is visceral. At times, I had to put Schindler's List down, for days, because of the devastating content. Elie Weisel's Night affected me similarly. It's probably unfair to compare, but Anglada's novel lacks something of the humanity of the other titles. I didn't feel any pull from the main character, there was simply nothing to hook me into the book. His behavior as a prisoner never seemed to change or offer any insight to his mindset, other than overwhelming hunger and tension. The character speaks of some of the horrors of Auschwitz, but they come off almost as if read from an encyclopedia; they lack a human element. It's almost as if the author was trying to downplay the tragedy to the point that it's impact was lost.
The novel is filled with references to composers, cities, and Schindler himself, but somehow it still felt small and too contained. Possibly because there are only three significant characters, and possibly because they were never fully revealed.
The book is very short, almost novella sized, as was Weisel's Night. But Night is exponentially more powerful and moving.
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attitudes in life towards loyalty and inner reserves of strength.In any case, I found this novel to be disappointing, although it's premise is original. The story proceeds through the imprisonment of a violin maker who gets marginally better treatment than other prisoners because he is able to repair the Commander's violin, as well as make a new one for the man. He designs a new violin, but is under constant tension because he knows any flaws will mean his death. Eventually, in a flashforward, we find that his niece now owns the violin and plays artfully in a symphony in Krakow. The violin is her greatest treasure (these aren't really spoilers...)
I've read many books about the Holocaust, and the pain and images is visceral. At times, I had to put Schindler's List down, for days, because of the devastating content. Elie Weisel's Night affected me similarly. It's probably unfair to compare, but Anglada's novel lacks something of the humanity of the other titles. I didn't feel any pull from the main character, there was simply nothing to hook me into the book. His behavior as a prisoner never seemed to change or offer any insight to his mindset, other than overwhelming hunger and tension. The character speaks of some of the horrors of Auschwitz, but they come off almost as if read from an encyclopedia; they lack a human element. It's almost as if the author was trying to downplay the tragedy to the point that it's impact was lost.
The novel is filled with references to composers, cities, and Schindler himself, but somehow it still felt small and too contained. Possibly because there are only three significant characters, and possibly because they were never fully revealed.
The book is very short, almost novella sized, as was Weisel's Night. But Night is exponentially more powerful and moving.
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LibraryThing member libsue
As with others that reviewed the book this was a nicely translated book (novella), but with so many truly great books on the subject to read this just didn't compare.
LibraryThing member jennifour
I really liked the idea of this book and the simplicity of a novella. However, like other readers I found the characters to be not fully developed and felt diconnected from them. It took awhile to get into the story.
LibraryThing member cameling
A prisoner in one of the subcamps in Auschwitz battles fear, hunger, cold, beatings and torture at the hands of the Nazis. A luthier before the war, he manages to avoid the gas chamber or being called upon as a subject in terrifying human experiments when he professes to have carpentry skills. He
In between the calm and detailed descriptions of the luthier's gradual progress in violin making, are sharp and jerky descriptions of the manner in which the camp guards control the prisoners, the fear the prisoners feel in the uncertainty over how long they have to live and the methods by which they will die, and the unholy glee that the soldiers take at abusing and humiliating the prisoners.
A very short read, but not, I think very well written. I don't know if it's the translation and if it would have been better read in the original Spanish.
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works on cabinets in the camp Commander's house and through a chance encounter, is provided the task of repairing a damaged violin. Satisfied with his work, the Commander sets him on a new task - to build him a violin as wonderful as a Stradivarius.In between the calm and detailed descriptions of the luthier's gradual progress in violin making, are sharp and jerky descriptions of the manner in which the camp guards control the prisoners, the fear the prisoners feel in the uncertainty over how long they have to live and the methods by which they will die, and the unholy glee that the soldiers take at abusing and humiliating the prisoners.
A very short read, but not, I think very well written. I don't know if it's the translation and if it would have been better read in the original Spanish.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
This is a tender little book, very moving and enlightening although it is barely more than 100 pages. I find that no matter how much I have read or how much I think I know about the Holocaust and its perpetrators, there always seems to be some new horrible behavior or event to learn about with
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regard to the heinous actions that were perpetrated upon a helpless people simply because of what they believed and/or how they worshiped. I believe sincerely that it is the reason why we must never forget. At that time, our wildest imaginations would not have produced such monsters or events. I hope in this age, we will not allow ourselves to become more creative in the use of prejudice and its incumbent brutality. Show Less
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Considering how many true accounts exist about the Holocaust this novel was basically not that great. The real life stories of the musicians in Auschwitz are so powerful that this brief account was not worth reading.
LibraryThing member jo-jo
This short novel takes us into the life of a Jewish prisoner of a concentration camp over just a short period of time. We are introduced to Daniel, whose profession was building violins before becoming imprisoned.
Although Daniel is a carpenter at the work camp, he somehow ends up being at the right
When the commander of the work camp discovers that Daniel is a talented violin maker he gives Daniel the task of creating a superior violin. Throughout this novel as there is killing, mutilation, and starvation within the camp, Daniel finds a way to survive by immersing all of his energy and passion into the creation of this violin. Every step of the way Daniel worries that one wrong move will be the end of his existence.
I enjoyed this story but I must admit that I was confused at times, and I wonder if this could possibly have something to do with how it was translated. This story was obviously about how Daniel survived while he was at the work camp, although it began and ended with Bronislaw, the violin player. This book also contained some documents at the beginning of a few chapters that were very eye opening and sad. With just over a hundred pages this book was well worth the read with themes of survival, passion, music, and of course the Holocaust.
Although Daniel is a carpenter at the work camp, he somehow ends up being at the right
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place at the right time when a violin needs repairs at a dinner the officials are attending. At this party Daniel meets Bronislaw who happens to be a very talented violin player. How could Bronislaw know that later Daniel's life would be in his hands?When the commander of the work camp discovers that Daniel is a talented violin maker he gives Daniel the task of creating a superior violin. Throughout this novel as there is killing, mutilation, and starvation within the camp, Daniel finds a way to survive by immersing all of his energy and passion into the creation of this violin. Every step of the way Daniel worries that one wrong move will be the end of his existence.
I enjoyed this story but I must admit that I was confused at times, and I wonder if this could possibly have something to do with how it was translated. This story was obviously about how Daniel survived while he was at the work camp, although it began and ended with Bronislaw, the violin player. This book also contained some documents at the beginning of a few chapters that were very eye opening and sad. With just over a hundred pages this book was well worth the read with themes of survival, passion, music, and of course the Holocaust.
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LibraryThing member jayde1599
Synopsis: The story begins at a 1991 concert in Krakow, where a musician asks a female violinist where she obtained her violin. She said it was a family heirloom and then left the violin's story with the musician. Her uncle Daniel made the violin while imprisoned in Auschwitz, in order to save his
Pros: I enjoyed this short novel for its simple, yet compelling story. Daniel's story felt real as he struggled to survive in the concentration camp. I felt that the emotional content of the book was its driving force.
Cons: I don't know if the translation affected the story at all - but scenes in the concentration camp felt a little disconnected.
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life.Pros: I enjoyed this short novel for its simple, yet compelling story. Daniel's story felt real as he struggled to survive in the concentration camp. I felt that the emotional content of the book was its driving force.
Cons: I don't know if the translation affected the story at all - but scenes in the concentration camp felt a little disconnected.
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LibraryThing member macart3
There is a musician who lives in the Auschwitz death camp. And this story is about the conditions that he endured while there.
I thought that the writing was terrible. We are told that Daniel, the musician felt x, y, z. Maria, in her story, told us the prisoners felt humiliated when they were
I thought that the writing was terrible. We are told that Daniel, the musician felt x, y, z. Maria, in her story, told us the prisoners felt humiliated when they were
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forced to wear better clothes than normal and show the photographers that they were happy working in a death camp. The author used the correct grammatical mark, words, etc., but I didn't get any feeling. The characters were very wooden, more narrative than dialogue; I felt nothing towards the characters. I think, if you want to read a short novel about the Holocaust that moves much more than this one, I'd read "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne. Show Less
LibraryThing member swolman
Beautiful book. Somehow I think it lost in itranslation.
LibraryThing member john257hopper
A gem of a life-affirming novella about a Jewish man who manages to survive in Auschwitz by building a violin for a musical instrument-appreciating camp commandant. The care and passion he devotes to his task illustrates the maxim that having a purpose in life can be the key to surviving in the
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most extreme of difficult circumstances. It also demonstrates the power of beauty and art to triumph silently over a warped and extreme ideology. Wonderful stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member spotteddog
A short but very emotional read.
LibraryThing member SigmundFraud
a touching, sensitive story
LibraryThing member PennyAnne
An interesting novella, translated from Catalan and apparently by a revered Catalan author. The story is about how a man survives the horror of a concentration camp by crafting a violin for the camp's commandant. It is about hope and friendships, art and beauty and while I was moved by the story I
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do think that perhaps the translation left a little to be desired. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
8.53 inches
ISBN
0553807781 / 9780553807783