Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Viking (2017), Edition: First Edition Later Printing, 416 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Historical Fiction. HTML:The New York Times bestseller with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to surviveâ??and to reuniteâ??We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds. â??Love in the face of global adversity? It couldn't be more timely.â?ť â??Glamour It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety. As one sibling is forced into exile, another attempts to flee the continent, while others struggle to escape certain death, either by working grueling hours on empty stomachs in the factories of the ghetto or by hiding as gentiles in plain sight. Driven by an unwavering will to survive and by the fear that they may never see one another again, the Kurcs must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to persevere. An extraordinary, propulsive novel, We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth centuryâ??s darkest moment, the human spirit can endur… (more)
Awards
National Jewish Book Award (Finalist — Book Club Award — 2017)
Connecticut Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2018)
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member tamarack804
I would like to thank Net Galley for my copy of We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter. This is her first novel and it was outstanding. A holocaust novel unlike any other, takes one Jewish family separated with the split of Poland by the Germans and Soviets. The story tells of each members
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hardships and struggles along with their joys and happiness during their 5 to 6 years apart before reuniting at the end of the war. The book for me was very slow at the beginning but after picking up I could not put it down. The book showed the importance of family and the will to survive the most horrible circumstances to come home after the war. A very moving book. Show Less
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Spoken to many many survivors and never heard about so many family members surviving. Many facts I did not know.
LibraryThing member Darcia
I'm not sure where to start in summing up my feelings on this book. My emotions ran the gamut as I read. I felt like a used up, wet dishrag afterward; too soppy to move, too emotionally spent to speak. This book is powerful, aching heartbreak wrapped up in hope and love, and tied together with
One of the things that makes this book exceptional is the underlying truth of the story. I don't mean the truth of the Holocaust, which is difficult enough to fathom in an abstract way. I'm talking about the truth of the characters, who are in fact loosely fictionalized members of the author's family. I cannot even begin to put myself in that place where they existed. I have no words for how I felt about their courage and absolute grace, while the world raged around them and against them.
This is an impossibly difficult, emotional read, in part because of the truth of it, but also because of Georgia Hunter's writing. She puts us there, in the heart of the Holocaust, from beginning to end. She lets us feel what the characters felt. She shows us what they see. Hunter's research is impeccable. At the start of each chapter, she orients us with a short paragraph or two, with the year, place, and what was happening with the war at that time. Then she takes us deep into that place and time, like she has opened a curtain on the past.
At the end of the book, the author shares how she learned about her family's history, and she updates us on all the family members we meet in this story. I am astounded by this family's resilience. We can all learn from their ability to move past unfathomable horror and not just survive, but thrive.
*I was provided with an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
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beautiful writing.One of the things that makes this book exceptional is the underlying truth of the story. I don't mean the truth of the Holocaust, which is difficult enough to fathom in an abstract way. I'm talking about the truth of the characters, who are in fact loosely fictionalized members of the author's family. I cannot even begin to put myself in that place where they existed. I have no words for how I felt about their courage and absolute grace, while the world raged around them and against them.
This is an impossibly difficult, emotional read, in part because of the truth of it, but also because of Georgia Hunter's writing. She puts us there, in the heart of the Holocaust, from beginning to end. She lets us feel what the characters felt. She shows us what they see. Hunter's research is impeccable. At the start of each chapter, she orients us with a short paragraph or two, with the year, place, and what was happening with the war at that time. Then she takes us deep into that place and time, like she has opened a curtain on the past.
At the end of the book, the author shares how she learned about her family's history, and she updates us on all the family members we meet in this story. I am astounded by this family's resilience. We can all learn from their ability to move past unfathomable horror and not just survive, but thrive.
*I was provided with an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
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LibraryThing member debkrenzer
This was an excellent book narrating the story of one family during WWII. The hardships that they went through, how they endured, how they suffered, how they were estranged and how they found each other again.
Their's was not an easy life. The book definitely described this. It also told of love and
A family who were evicted from their stately home where they had lived for many years. They had put a lot of pride, time and money into this home. They were given a few hours to collect their belongings and leave. They then had to find a new home, one that was empty, in what was to become the "ghetto" and what was a two room apartment for four adults and one child. It was a trying time and a scary time for all of them. One which years would go by and they would not hear from each other. It was almost a decade before they would hear from their one son, Addy.
This was such a sad story. Unfortunately, I know that were many of these. I did find it interesting though that these people kept on having babies. That part I just didn't understand. That being said, this was an interesting read, one that I found mesmerizing and one that I could not put down. I felt for these people, the author made them so real. I was engrossed in their daily lives and had to know what became of them.
Thanks to Penguin Group Viking for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Their's was not an easy life. The book definitely described this. It also told of love and
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how the family took risks to save each other and to help bring them back together. It was especially sad to read about the things that Mila had to put her young daughter of less than five years old through in order to save her life. A family who were evicted from their stately home where they had lived for many years. They had put a lot of pride, time and money into this home. They were given a few hours to collect their belongings and leave. They then had to find a new home, one that was empty, in what was to become the "ghetto" and what was a two room apartment for four adults and one child. It was a trying time and a scary time for all of them. One which years would go by and they would not hear from each other. It was almost a decade before they would hear from their one son, Addy.
This was such a sad story. Unfortunately, I know that were many of these. I did find it interesting though that these people kept on having babies. That part I just didn't understand. That being said, this was an interesting read, one that I found mesmerizing and one that I could not put down. I felt for these people, the author made them so real. I was engrossed in their daily lives and had to know what became of them.
Thanks to Penguin Group Viking for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member hollysing
Talk of war fills the Kurc family home in Radom, Poland. Addy, their son, is safe for now in France. His desire to return home mirrors the family members' devotion to each other. Even as they celebrate Passover, we realize they all will soon be disbursed. Soon the Nazi's occupy the city. Kurc
Stories of families dispersed during the Holocaust will alternately lift your spirits and break your heart. We were the Lucky Ones is no exception, although, as the title suggests this story is special. Author Georgia Hunter's gift is to write reality with compassion, though it be in the form of fiction. Her characters are luminous, inspired by oral histories passed down through her own family. Don't miss the Author's note at the end of the book.
Will the characters love, ingenuity and daring keep them alive? You will be gripped by their stories. Highly recommended.
I thank NetGalley and Viking Publishers for an advance readers copy.
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family members, grasping to save the life they enjoy, alternately display courage and fear.Stories of families dispersed during the Holocaust will alternately lift your spirits and break your heart. We were the Lucky Ones is no exception, although, as the title suggests this story is special. Author Georgia Hunter's gift is to write reality with compassion, though it be in the form of fiction. Her characters are luminous, inspired by oral histories passed down through her own family. Don't miss the Author's note at the end of the book.
Will the characters love, ingenuity and daring keep them alive? You will be gripped by their stories. Highly recommended.
I thank NetGalley and Viking Publishers for an advance readers copy.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bayleaf
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter is based on the true story of the Kurc family, living in Radom, Poland during the beginning of 1939. Hitler has invaded Czechoslovakia and annexed Austria. What follows is an incredible account of each family member’s experience from this crucial point in
Two things. The family tree is very helpful and you might need to refer back to it several times during your reading of this book. I know I did. Keeping track of the number of siblings, their spouses and significant others can be daunting. And then, I must admit to missing the note at the beginning of the book, stating it was based on a true story so when I read the Epilogue, I fully realized what a gem I’d been holding in my hands.
We Were the Lucky Ones takes you from the ghettoes in Poland and a Soviet gulag to the streets of Vichy, France and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Told in alternating stories, it conveys as movingly as 400-plus pages can, how one family endured and survived a senseless war and remained strong throughout.
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time to the end of WWII. These are individual and collaborative accounts of strength and pure pluckiness that coalesce into a very cohesive and moving tale.Two things. The family tree is very helpful and you might need to refer back to it several times during your reading of this book. I know I did. Keeping track of the number of siblings, their spouses and significant others can be daunting. And then, I must admit to missing the note at the beginning of the book, stating it was based on a true story so when I read the Epilogue, I fully realized what a gem I’d been holding in my hands.
We Were the Lucky Ones takes you from the ghettoes in Poland and a Soviet gulag to the streets of Vichy, France and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Told in alternating stories, it conveys as movingly as 400-plus pages can, how one family endured and survived a senseless war and remained strong throughout.
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LibraryThing member BettyTaylor56
This book is categorized as fiction. However, at the end of the book I learned that it is story of the author’s family. At the age of fifteen Georgia Hunter was assigned a research project in school. Thus began her quest to interview her relatives and learn of her ancestors.
In 1939 the Kurc
Other than that Ms. Hunter’s writing made the scenes so realistic with her descriptions of what the Kurcs suffered and how difficult and uncertain everyday life was at the time. Going along for the ride was terrifying. Life was brutal, and survival nearly impossible. How do you survive when food is scarce, you are on the run constantly, and you feel you can’t trust anyone?
Members of the family dispersed all over -- France, Italy, Kazakhstan (which I found interesting since I wondered how Jews ended up there), Tehran, Siberia, West Africa, Morocco, Brazil, Tel Aviv. Considering how difficult and dangerous it was to travel it was suspenseful wondering who would survive the ordeal and who wouldn’t.
I have read a lot of books about the Holocaust and at first I thought this one was like all the rest. But I was wrong. This book is different and definitely worth reading.
In 1939 the Kurc
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family was Jewish and living in Poland – father Sol, mother Nechuma, sons Selim, Jakob, and Genek, and daughter Halina. Son Addy was living in Paris. As the war begins the family goes in various directions. For the first half of the book I had difficulty keeping the characters straight. There’s all the siblings, their wives, their children, and aunts, uncles, and cousins. As they went on the run, the story fragments. This is where I found myself flipping back and forth to refresh my memory as to which sibling this was and what had happened several chapters back. The last half of the book was easier to read as by then I had the characters in my head.Other than that Ms. Hunter’s writing made the scenes so realistic with her descriptions of what the Kurcs suffered and how difficult and uncertain everyday life was at the time. Going along for the ride was terrifying. Life was brutal, and survival nearly impossible. How do you survive when food is scarce, you are on the run constantly, and you feel you can’t trust anyone?
Members of the family dispersed all over -- France, Italy, Kazakhstan (which I found interesting since I wondered how Jews ended up there), Tehran, Siberia, West Africa, Morocco, Brazil, Tel Aviv. Considering how difficult and dangerous it was to travel it was suspenseful wondering who would survive the ordeal and who wouldn’t.
I have read a lot of books about the Holocaust and at first I thought this one was like all the rest. But I was wrong. This book is different and definitely worth reading.
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LibraryThing member susan0316
This is a wonderful historical fiction novel based on the true story of the author's family. As with all books about the Holocaust, it's difficult to read in parts but these are facts in our history that we don't want to forget if we don't want them to happen again.
It's the story of the Kurc
I strongly recommend this book. It's a story about WWII but more importantly it's the story of a family's love for each other and their ability to survive the worst conditions imaginable through their love and strength.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
It's the story of the Kurc
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family, parents and five children who are Polish Jews and the story begins in the late 1930s. The Nazis are gaining power but the family continues to feel safe because they are prestigious members in their community. As the Nazis continue to take over Poland with their goal being to wipe out the Jewish community in the country, the family travel to different places in Europe. For the duration of the war, most of them have no communication with each other and no idea if any of the family is still alive. It's a well told story and follows each member of the family as they struggle to survive the horrendous conditions that were going on during these years.I strongly recommend this book. It's a story about WWII but more importantly it's the story of a family's love for each other and their ability to survive the worst conditions imaginable through their love and strength.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member ireneattolia
got about 60 pages into this one and the writing is just so mediocre, all telling not showing etc. this is one of those narratives that would be much better served as a movie/tv show
LibraryThing member Karen59
We Were the Lucky Ones is the harrowing story about a Polish Jewish family during the Holocaust and their miraculous survival. It's a story based on a real-life family and the author is the granddaughter of one of the adult children in the book. It is being marketed as a work of fiction and that,
The challenge of the book for me was the characterizations of each of the family members (fiction) as they strove to survive. They did not individually come to life for me or seem distinct enough. The lack of any tension between them just does not seem real. No family members had cross words with each other, no disagreements, completely conflict free, and given the death and destruction all around them and the fear and terror that this created it's hard to imagine that every interaction was supportive and loving.
We Were Lucky also made me think about what it means to be lucky. It could be easy to think that the Krucs were braver, tougher or more resilient than others but I detest this idea for what does it mean that so many ordinary and extraordinary people did die? It is unimaginable that those who died did not fight for their lives as hard as they could. Maybe we will never really know the how's and why's of survival but I think the author's title of the book and its emphasis on luck is on target and greatly appreciated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for allowing me to review this book for an honest opinion.
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in many ways, is the strength but also the weakness of the book. As a factual account of the Holocaust and the annihilation of Polish Jews, I was deeply moved. Every pogrom, every round-up, every massacre and every instance of the liquidation of the ghettos, especially the Warsaw ghetto, made my teeth clench and my heart beat wildly. Every scene where it seemed possible that one of the members of the Kruc family might be jailed, or tortured or killed was unbearable. The historical context, the fact-based timeline, the exhaustive descriptions of the destruction of Polish Jewry is so just so vividly written I couldn't put it down. The challenge of the book for me was the characterizations of each of the family members (fiction) as they strove to survive. They did not individually come to life for me or seem distinct enough. The lack of any tension between them just does not seem real. No family members had cross words with each other, no disagreements, completely conflict free, and given the death and destruction all around them and the fear and terror that this created it's hard to imagine that every interaction was supportive and loving.
We Were Lucky also made me think about what it means to be lucky. It could be easy to think that the Krucs were braver, tougher or more resilient than others but I detest this idea for what does it mean that so many ordinary and extraordinary people did die? It is unimaginable that those who died did not fight for their lives as hard as they could. Maybe we will never really know the how's and why's of survival but I think the author's title of the book and its emphasis on luck is on target and greatly appreciated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking for allowing me to review this book for an honest opinion.
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LibraryThing member teeth
This was a wonderful heartbreaking debut novel that was based on the lives of the author's family. This is a story of the Kurc family who survived World War II and all of it's atrocities. This book follows the Kurc family, the parents and their five children beginning in 1939,in Radom, Poland. The
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five children are following very different paths which makes the story even more intriguing. If you are a fan of historical fiction you will love this book! Not to be missed! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member iadam
I received a free advance e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and have chosen of my own free will to post a review. Wow!! An amazing story of the strength and will of the human spirit to survive and triumph. This is an extremely well written book telling us the story of the
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author’s ancestors who are Polish Jews and how they survived hardship and horrendous persecution during the Nazi regime. They were smart, strong, innovative, and willing to do whatever was necessary in order to survive and find their way to safety and back to each other to be together again as a family. They never lost hope and the sense of family is very strong throughout the book. Yes, they were the lucky ones! This is an amazing story of the survival of the human spirit through a very dark time in history that we should never forget and that everyone should read. I look forward to reading more from Georgia Hunter. Show Less
LibraryThing member PamV
This was a well written WWII story. The story is based on true events from this author's family.
The thing that I did not care for much was the number of players and the way the chapters were laid out. There were just too many characters to keep track of. Just when I thought that I was getting to
The thing that I did not care for much was the number of players and the way the chapters were laid out. There were just too many characters to keep track of. Just when I thought that I was getting to
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know someone, a new chapter begins with a new character. As I was nearing the end of the book, I thought that I knew who was who, another character was being introduced. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
We Were The Lucky Ones, Georgia Hunter Author; Robert Fass, Kathleen Gati, narrators
This novel is based on a family that miraculously survived intact, after suffering unspeakable hardship and danger beginning in 1939 with Hitler’s rise to power and continuing some years after the end of World War
When the war began, there were 30,000 Jews living in Radom. At the war’s end, fewer than three hundred survived. Those that returned were intact, but none were unscarred by their experiences over those previous 6 or so years. Considering the fact that such great numbers disappeared, it was also necessary to suspend disbelief when remembering that we have been told that those not victimized were unaware of what happened to those that were.
The Kurc’s family was one of the few that did not lose a member, and one of the few that was not interned in a Concentration Camp and murdered. That part of the story is factual. Parents, siblings and children returned, but none of them resettled back in Radom. There were some Poles, Germans and others who were righteous; there were some members of the Church who were, as well. They helped the Jews survive, in spite of the extreme danger to themselves. It would seem that most were not righteous, however, judging from the number of victims that fell at the hands of the Axis.
At times, I had the unhappy feeling that the author soft pedaled the idea of collaboration with the enemy and hard pedaled the idea of Jews who were soft and naïve, only able to survive because of their affluence and contacts, not necessarily their wits and their courage. She seemed to want to stress those that helped, and possibly, to overlook those that deliberately betrayed them, unless it was a fellow Jew. I hope, sincerely, that I am wrong. Whitewashing the horrors the victims suffered to make the reader believe that their enemies were not truly complicit in their brutal treatment, although they stood by in compliance, would be a disservice to those victims. Their suffering deserved 100% respect. Although fear for their own lives was considered a worthy reason to abandon the Jews to the Nazis, it would require the readers to suspend disbelief to ask them to believe that those who turned a blind eye or collaborated did not really know what was happening. There is simply no way for millions to disappear without anyone raising an eyebrow or a question, until it was too late to stop the momentum of the genocide. Most of those who looked away were afraid and self serving and didn’t care about what was happening as long as their own nests were well feathered, even if the feathers were taken from the nests of the Jews. They never questioned why these new found gifts befell them. They just enjoyed them. When the Jews returned, they even refused to return their property. I am sorry, but as a Jew, I cannot forget the selfish and hateful behavior of many hypocrites who still believe that way today.
I often felt that the author made the Jews seem a bit self serving and spoiled, perhaps even a bit Pollyanna, making choices that should have gotten them killed but by accidents of fate, did not. Perhaps they were in shock and unable to grasp the horrors awaiting them, but Pollyanna, I don’t think so. It is true that those who survived had to be somewhat selfish, making hard choices that would possibly put others in danger, but they truly had no other rational choice. Their persecutors did, though, and still, they chose to be despicable sadists, murderers, and thieves. There is only worthy description of the Jews that survived, and that would be that of heroes, not cowards. They were forced to withstand unspeakable treatment by their monstrous enemies, enemies without any humanity, without moral conviction of any kind.
This is a rare book; it speaks of Jews who survived largely outside the Concentration Camps, in enemy territory, using their intellect, intuition, bartering abilities and contacts to move from place to place, to save each other and protect each other. Although they were often betrayed by traitors, some of whom were Jews trying to save themselves, the survivors had the wherewithal to last just a bit longer than those less fit or financially able. In spite of weather, age, health and unknown dangers that awaited them, they soldiered on to freedom, soldiered on beyond all expectations. Only those that were truly lucky could survive.
Victims had to depend on the kindness of others which often came at a price, rather than from the heart. Even after the war ended, there were those who were despicable enemies, who continued to steal from and murder Jews, who turned them away from their own property with veiled threats and not so veiled threats to their safety. The unpardonable behavior of the hateful people who conveniently claimed ignorance as they turned in their Jews, turned in those that were not pure Aryans, those ill and mentally unfit, stole their possessions and never gave a thought to where these victims had gone, has been glossed over by history, on the one hand to protect their image, and on the other to prevent further bloodshed, I imagine, but these people should not be called human, by any stretch of the imagination, because they had to know what was happening, and they, therefore, were complicit.
People were being slaughtered and one of the sons seemed to be living it up in Ipanema, interested far too much in romance, almost unaware of the plight or not as concerned about the plight of his family, as he should have been. The inclusion of love scenes, perhaps to try and make some part of their lives seem normal, seemed very out of place. On the other hand, the women in the family seemed to shed their cloaks of helplessness when the need arose, often becoming heroic figures.
Perhaps the written book would be better than the audio I heard. The female narrator exaggerated the accent too much and spoke far too slowly which often made the book overly long and the details far too time consuming. In addition, the author waxed too poetic, at times, which seemed inappropriate regarding the content. A story about the Holocaust, with or without Concentration Camp experience, is far too horrible to be treated as melodrama to create tension. The subject is tense enough. Some of the dialogue seemed too clichéd and trite; some was too mundane and unnecessary.
I felt that there was not enough emphasis placed on the Jews in the Underground, those unsung heroes, and no mention was made of Israel’s beginning or of the war and the valiant effort of the Jews to save their homeland when the Arab countries attacked although the book could have extended into that time frame.
I believe that the author was the product of the one intermarriage, between Addy (Adolf) and Caroline, and perhaps she was not as invested in the Jewish cause as a whole, but rather only in her ancestry. The book is interesting and worth reading, but the editor should have had a heavier hand.
This novel is based on a family that miraculously survived intact, after suffering unspeakable hardship and danger beginning in 1939 with Hitler’s rise to power and continuing some years after the end of World War
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II. This family, like so many real families that experienced the horrors of the Holocaust, kept silent about their experiences, until generations later, when pressed for answers by a friend or relative. Flung to far corners of the world, they settled in any country that would have them; there they acclimated, learned the language and survived as productive members of the society, grateful for the opportunity given them, and dedicated to forgetting the nightmares of their past. This book came to be when a great-grandchild began to ask questions and discovered the truth of her ancestor’s past experiences in Europe; she decided to write this book based on her grandfather Addy’s life. This, then, is historic fiction at its core. Georgia Hunters’s affluent great-grandparents, Nehouma and Sol Kurc, lived in a place in Poland called Radom, a place like all others inhabited by Jews, a place in which Jews believed that common sense would prevail and no harm would come to them in the end. Often the reader has to suspend disbelief when faced with the possibilities awaiting the Kurc family, in the same way as they refused to believe the writing on the wall about what was about to befall them. Some of the unspeakable terror is indeed difficult to believe. Man’s inhumanity to man is, as always, unfathomable.When the war began, there were 30,000 Jews living in Radom. At the war’s end, fewer than three hundred survived. Those that returned were intact, but none were unscarred by their experiences over those previous 6 or so years. Considering the fact that such great numbers disappeared, it was also necessary to suspend disbelief when remembering that we have been told that those not victimized were unaware of what happened to those that were.
The Kurc’s family was one of the few that did not lose a member, and one of the few that was not interned in a Concentration Camp and murdered. That part of the story is factual. Parents, siblings and children returned, but none of them resettled back in Radom. There were some Poles, Germans and others who were righteous; there were some members of the Church who were, as well. They helped the Jews survive, in spite of the extreme danger to themselves. It would seem that most were not righteous, however, judging from the number of victims that fell at the hands of the Axis.
At times, I had the unhappy feeling that the author soft pedaled the idea of collaboration with the enemy and hard pedaled the idea of Jews who were soft and naïve, only able to survive because of their affluence and contacts, not necessarily their wits and their courage. She seemed to want to stress those that helped, and possibly, to overlook those that deliberately betrayed them, unless it was a fellow Jew. I hope, sincerely, that I am wrong. Whitewashing the horrors the victims suffered to make the reader believe that their enemies were not truly complicit in their brutal treatment, although they stood by in compliance, would be a disservice to those victims. Their suffering deserved 100% respect. Although fear for their own lives was considered a worthy reason to abandon the Jews to the Nazis, it would require the readers to suspend disbelief to ask them to believe that those who turned a blind eye or collaborated did not really know what was happening. There is simply no way for millions to disappear without anyone raising an eyebrow or a question, until it was too late to stop the momentum of the genocide. Most of those who looked away were afraid and self serving and didn’t care about what was happening as long as their own nests were well feathered, even if the feathers were taken from the nests of the Jews. They never questioned why these new found gifts befell them. They just enjoyed them. When the Jews returned, they even refused to return their property. I am sorry, but as a Jew, I cannot forget the selfish and hateful behavior of many hypocrites who still believe that way today.
I often felt that the author made the Jews seem a bit self serving and spoiled, perhaps even a bit Pollyanna, making choices that should have gotten them killed but by accidents of fate, did not. Perhaps they were in shock and unable to grasp the horrors awaiting them, but Pollyanna, I don’t think so. It is true that those who survived had to be somewhat selfish, making hard choices that would possibly put others in danger, but they truly had no other rational choice. Their persecutors did, though, and still, they chose to be despicable sadists, murderers, and thieves. There is only worthy description of the Jews that survived, and that would be that of heroes, not cowards. They were forced to withstand unspeakable treatment by their monstrous enemies, enemies without any humanity, without moral conviction of any kind.
This is a rare book; it speaks of Jews who survived largely outside the Concentration Camps, in enemy territory, using their intellect, intuition, bartering abilities and contacts to move from place to place, to save each other and protect each other. Although they were often betrayed by traitors, some of whom were Jews trying to save themselves, the survivors had the wherewithal to last just a bit longer than those less fit or financially able. In spite of weather, age, health and unknown dangers that awaited them, they soldiered on to freedom, soldiered on beyond all expectations. Only those that were truly lucky could survive.
Victims had to depend on the kindness of others which often came at a price, rather than from the heart. Even after the war ended, there were those who were despicable enemies, who continued to steal from and murder Jews, who turned them away from their own property with veiled threats and not so veiled threats to their safety. The unpardonable behavior of the hateful people who conveniently claimed ignorance as they turned in their Jews, turned in those that were not pure Aryans, those ill and mentally unfit, stole their possessions and never gave a thought to where these victims had gone, has been glossed over by history, on the one hand to protect their image, and on the other to prevent further bloodshed, I imagine, but these people should not be called human, by any stretch of the imagination, because they had to know what was happening, and they, therefore, were complicit.
People were being slaughtered and one of the sons seemed to be living it up in Ipanema, interested far too much in romance, almost unaware of the plight or not as concerned about the plight of his family, as he should have been. The inclusion of love scenes, perhaps to try and make some part of their lives seem normal, seemed very out of place. On the other hand, the women in the family seemed to shed their cloaks of helplessness when the need arose, often becoming heroic figures.
Perhaps the written book would be better than the audio I heard. The female narrator exaggerated the accent too much and spoke far too slowly which often made the book overly long and the details far too time consuming. In addition, the author waxed too poetic, at times, which seemed inappropriate regarding the content. A story about the Holocaust, with or without Concentration Camp experience, is far too horrible to be treated as melodrama to create tension. The subject is tense enough. Some of the dialogue seemed too clichéd and trite; some was too mundane and unnecessary.
I felt that there was not enough emphasis placed on the Jews in the Underground, those unsung heroes, and no mention was made of Israel’s beginning or of the war and the valiant effort of the Jews to save their homeland when the Arab countries attacked although the book could have extended into that time frame.
I believe that the author was the product of the one intermarriage, between Addy (Adolf) and Caroline, and perhaps she was not as invested in the Jewish cause as a whole, but rather only in her ancestry. The book is interesting and worth reading, but the editor should have had a heavier hand.
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LibraryThing member Slevyr26
Thank you to Penguin First to Read for the opportunity to read this book in advance.
What an astonishing piece of work. It's largely based on genuine events that occured to a Jewish family in Poland before, during and after the Holocaust and World War II.
The author does a wonderful job of conveying
I almost couldn't believe it, learning that an entire family of seven survived, as well as multiple grandchildren. They truly were the lucky ones, and I feel quite lucky that such a book exists and that the author was able to tell the Kurc family tale. Furthermore, that she was able to tell each individual tale of all seven original Kurc's. Quite remarkable the amount of detail Georgia Hunter was able to reveal about each singular journey that all five siblings and their parents suffered through.
Such resilience, to survive through the most tragic and dire of circumstances, and to be able to gather nearly a decade later continents away from what once was their home, family fully intact, with additional members as proof of that resilience.
How they all entirely managed to escape the fate of concentration camps is unimaginable, yet they did. Really incredible, brilliant story, and awe-inspiring.
What an astonishing piece of work. It's largely based on genuine events that occured to a Jewish family in Poland before, during and after the Holocaust and World War II.
The author does a wonderful job of conveying
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the pain each family member felt being torn away from the others, how what was once normal, peaceful life, devolved into hell in the blink of an eye.I almost couldn't believe it, learning that an entire family of seven survived, as well as multiple grandchildren. They truly were the lucky ones, and I feel quite lucky that such a book exists and that the author was able to tell the Kurc family tale. Furthermore, that she was able to tell each individual tale of all seven original Kurc's. Quite remarkable the amount of detail Georgia Hunter was able to reveal about each singular journey that all five siblings and their parents suffered through.
Such resilience, to survive through the most tragic and dire of circumstances, and to be able to gather nearly a decade later continents away from what once was their home, family fully intact, with additional members as proof of that resilience.
How they all entirely managed to escape the fate of concentration camps is unimaginable, yet they did. Really incredible, brilliant story, and awe-inspiring.
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LibraryThing member janismack
What an incredible story of perseverence and family loyalty. The will to live found in jewish people during the Holocost is astounding. This is a true story of the Kurc family’s story of survival during the second world war. It was told by various members of the family and took us to Russia,
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France, Palestine, Brazil. Toward the end of the book, I was so anxious for the war to end so I could read how this family survived this horrible time. If you like WWII holocost survivors stories, this book is recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
As I read this I kept saying this is clearly fiction. How could this Polish Jewish family survive all the harrowing nightmares World War II put in their way. And then I get to the afterword and find out the story is true, that it is based on the author’s family.
LibraryThing member teachlz
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group, Viking for the ARC of "We Were the Lucky Ones" by Georgia Hunter. I enjoyed this historical fiction genre and would highly recommend it. Kudos to Georgia Hunter for telling her family's story and the historical research into the timeline and family
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history. The novel starts at the beginning of World War Two, in Poland,and the author discusses how the Kurk family ,who are Jewish face the hardships and devastation of the Holocaust. There are three generations of Kurks, and the family is separated by countries and continents in an effort to survive. Georgia Hunter examines the various ways that the members of the family try to exist. One son heads to Brazil, another member of the family is with the underground resistance and forges documents, Two of the family pretend they are not Jewish.There are many everyday threats and dangers There are also marriages and babies born. .As the war comes to an end. the family members that survive tries to find information about other family members. I find that the author talks about determination, fear, survival, hope, love and family traditions. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beamis12
3.5 Any book about a Jewish family caught in the horrific web of the Holocaust is, by its very nature, going to be difficult reading. Heartbreaking. This is based on the lives of the author's family, something she didn't have a hint about until the age of nine. There are so many of these books, so
The family will soon be separated, take different but dangerous paths and this novel travels from Radom, to Lvov, which will soon be Russian occupied, to France, a Siberian prison camp , a prison in Northern Africa, South America and Italy. Not knowing who is alive or who is dead, individual or couples will do whatever it takes to survive. There is one touching yet horrific moment in Siberia, where one of the couples has given birth to their first son in freezing conditions. Every morning the baby's eyes are frozen shut and the mother must squeeze breast milk on his eyes Southey are able to open. Little touches like this help offset the large amount of people and places that this novel encompasses.
The authors note at books end details not only her research but also how her family is now, where they are at, and what happened to those caught in Hitler's madness. The title of the book is explained and the reason for the title is amazing and unbelievable.
ARC from Netgalley.
Published February 14th by Viking.
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many based on true events but what set this one apart is the scope of narrative. Starting in Radom, Poland, the Kurc family, mother, father, four adult children, the youngest son already in France, are happy, worried but sure things will be fine as long as they are together. It is, however, the beginning of 1939 and things will soon be far from fine.The family will soon be separated, take different but dangerous paths and this novel travels from Radom, to Lvov, which will soon be Russian occupied, to France, a Siberian prison camp , a prison in Northern Africa, South America and Italy. Not knowing who is alive or who is dead, individual or couples will do whatever it takes to survive. There is one touching yet horrific moment in Siberia, where one of the couples has given birth to their first son in freezing conditions. Every morning the baby's eyes are frozen shut and the mother must squeeze breast milk on his eyes Southey are able to open. Little touches like this help offset the large amount of people and places that this novel encompasses.
The authors note at books end details not only her research but also how her family is now, where they are at, and what happened to those caught in Hitler's madness. The title of the book is explained and the reason for the title is amazing and unbelievable.
ARC from Netgalley.
Published February 14th by Viking.
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LibraryThing member Lisa5127
This is the story of the Kurc family and what they all must endure during WWII. It is inspiring and awful. I had not read the back cover before I started reading, so I didn't realize it was based on the true story of the author's family.
I am giving it 3 stars rather than 5 just because the story
My other reason for the 3-star review is the number of times we were told how someone felt, rather than allowing us to feel it for ourselves. For example, when there is a knock at the door in the middle of the night and you are Jewish during WWII, obviously you are afraid and think it is something bad. Don't tell me that. Let me feel their fear. Get my heart racing. I should not be able to put the book down at that point because I need to know what comes next. The author told us what they felt a lot, but never got us to feel that as well. I think that made me care less about the people than I would have liked to.
I am giving it 3 stars rather than 5 just because the story
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changed perspectives so often, and with so many people, it was really hard to keep track of everyone. Some of the details I would have liked to know were skipped over between chapters about that particular person. Just when you would get really into what was going on, the perspective would change and I'd have to figure out who the person was again. I got used to it, but I would have liked it more with less changing.My other reason for the 3-star review is the number of times we were told how someone felt, rather than allowing us to feel it for ourselves. For example, when there is a knock at the door in the middle of the night and you are Jewish during WWII, obviously you are afraid and think it is something bad. Don't tell me that. Let me feel their fear. Get my heart racing. I should not be able to put the book down at that point because I need to know what comes next. The author told us what they felt a lot, but never got us to feel that as well. I think that made me care less about the people than I would have liked to.
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LibraryThing member etxgardener
If ever there was a family to request to accompany you to Las Vegas, this is it. A novel based on the author's Jewish family, all of whom miraculously survived World War II while living in Poland.
It's almost too incredible to be true, but it is. By bravery, by cunning, by the kindness of friends
When I started to read this book I thought, "Oh no. Not another holocaust novel." But this story of survival under extreme conditions is worth the read.
It's almost too incredible to be true, but it is. By bravery, by cunning, by the kindness of friends
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and strangers, aand yes, by denying they were Jewish, the Kuruc family managed to come out of the war alive and relatively unscathed.When I started to read this book I thought, "Oh no. Not another holocaust novel." But this story of survival under extreme conditions is worth the read.
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LibraryThing member booklovers2
The story of the Kurc family. The experiences of The Polish Jewish Family's devastating encounters events during the War. Defying such odds and the true story of the Author's Family Survival. Brazil, United States & France are the new homes to the Kurc survivors.
LibraryThing member Nancyjcbs
This is an excellent historical novel based on the author's actual family. The Afterword explains that Georgia Hunter was a teen who knew little of her family's history. She did not have any idea that her grandfather and his family were survivors of the Nazi regime until after he died. My heart
The Kurc family is a large well-to-do Jewish family in Poland. As war breaks out the adult children and spouses search for safety in different places inside and outside Poland. During an eight year period of separation there will be a Kurc on four continents. Communication is impossible since they have all had to flee and change identities.
Had this been pure fiction it would have seemed beyond belief. This is Ms. Hunter's family and their history. It's truly amazing.
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broke for her because she did not have the opportunity to learn all she did from him. My grandparents had their own extraordinary experience but I was also too young to understand that when they were alive.The Kurc family is a large well-to-do Jewish family in Poland. As war breaks out the adult children and spouses search for safety in different places inside and outside Poland. During an eight year period of separation there will be a Kurc on four continents. Communication is impossible since they have all had to flee and change identities.
Had this been pure fiction it would have seemed beyond belief. This is Ms. Hunter's family and their history. It's truly amazing.
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LibraryThing member MHanover10
This is such a wonderfully written story about a Jewish family struggling to survive during the war and the Holocaust. The book is a little hard to follow at first because there are so many family members and each chapter gives an update on what is happening to a different family member but once
I received an advanced copy of this book through Penguin Random House's First to Read Program.
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you get used to who everyone is, it's a lot easier to follow their plight. Any time I read about what the Jews went through during Hitler's reign and how especially the Polish community was decimated, it just blows my mind. I can't wrap my brain around the thought of how this could happen. Then I see what is happening now in America and I start to see how Hitler slowly took control. My heart always breaks when I read about what happened during the Holocaust and I look forward to paying my respects at the Holocaust Museum in DC soon. I know mass killings are happening in other parts of the country and I hope people never forget what happened in Europe. At least this family had a happy ending. I was also surprised to read the author's notes at the end that this was based on her family and a lot of the people portrayed were her family members including her grandfather. This was so well worth my time and don't be surprised if you shed a few tears.I received an advanced copy of this book through Penguin Random House's First to Read Program.
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LibraryThing member danhibbert
What an amazing story, and the way it has been written from an actual history of the author's family comes through loud and clear - i don't think you could invent some of the events the author recounts, life is stranger than fiction! So inspired by the resilience and grace displayed by this family
Highly recommend!
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after undergoing such horror, and freshly shocked that these things did happen in 'modern' history.Highly recommend!
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ISBN
0399563083 / 9780399563089