This book was a must for me, with a degree in history and a particular interest in the Second World War I could not pass it up. I, unlike so many who have read this book had not seen any of the coverage on the news but saw it in the library I work in. All the media hype was lost on me and to be honest I was glad. This book was so unlike any other I had read about Auschwitz, I was glad I had no other expectations from it. Denis Avey's book is simple but well written and extremely thought provoking.
The accounts he gives about his life and experiences during the war are brilliant. They made me laugh, cry and think. To read what he went through and the risks he took to right what he knew were wrongs, was amazing. His experiences after the war were also incredibly moving, how he came to terms with what he saw and how he moved on from it are so heart-wrenching and honest.
However, as a detailed account of the Holocaust it is not the best book but it is definitely worth reading and Avey's account and his experiences are a different perspective from what is already out there and no less important.
