Member Reviews
Did not finish. Not the type of book I enjoy. I gave it a good try, but just couldn't waste my time any longer.
What a book this was a very good book if you're looking to know more about the Canadian jews what they went through was terrible. after suffering so much during the war they were looking for a place to live and survive, someplace that they could call home but when they arrived in Montreal many of the other Jews didn't want to have any contact with the new arrivals, they were discriminated and most of the time they didn't want to help them at all.
for me reading this book was a very opening eye. how hard is it to come from war all the atrocities they went through and live through only to find more rejections among their own people and also the city and the government? it was sad to see how so inhumane and so non-empathic the rest of the jews in Canada were. I cant believe they were so callous and never offered any kindness at all.
if you went through something like WWll at least you expect other people to embrace you and help you not to keep rejecting you and treating you like a pest.. shame on all of those cold jews and people who were never kind and only contribute to the sadness of this people.. you'll go through that and you expected help, why you can't offer the same to your comrades? anyway, this only tells me how ignorant and callous they were.
The narrations by Margot Dionne were amazing I really enjoy her voice and how she brought the story to life
This was a great book, I'm glad I'm learning that not only the Nazis were evil, there were many people that also inflicted so much pain, like the red army, the Japanese, the alias, and now some of the jews too.. so in fewer words, the war was bringing so much hate and shown many of the terrible aspects of people. that's when the true colors start to show, no matter how many excuses you have to say you were not kind, you were not generous, you didn't give back what you expected when you find a home in Canada, besides returning the kindness you behave like your perpetrators in fewer words you didn't understand the spiritual lesson
A beautiful story of tragedy and bravery based off true events. I loved the narration and storyline and find it very sad yet happy I read this story of many who lost so much. Seconds never forget. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of historical reads and non fiction accounts.
The Montreal Shtetl Is the first WWII book I've read that is dedicated to what survivors face after the war. Researched and respectfully written, as well as narrated. The authors interviewed several people letting them tell their experiences. Some of those interviewed died before they finished their stories. Pronunciations of street names and places are narrated as they would have been said in 1948 which is English. These are endearing moves.
This should be required reading. Basic rights and compassion are the same today as they have been throughout history. The sheer ignorance of people questioning, belittling, and assumptions are defined by the authors through well-documented reliable resources and personal accounts of some who survived.
The audio book has a male voice giving footnotes throughout. I believe it happens during the educational portion of the book. I didn't notice the interruption when the personal accounts were being told, thankfully. For that reason, I'm giving this four stars. Should The Montreal Shtetl be marketed as educational I suppose its appropriate. Otherwise, I would like to see the voice removed. It diminishes the points., but not enough to forego reading.
This book provides a front row seat into hearing how some had to live after surviving the holocaust. The different views of each person’s story helps one see how their lives where changed and after having to try to live a normal life again. It was interesting to hear about how some where against each other due to being in different places. The only thing I found difficult to get used to and didn’t like was the interruption of the man’s voice to tell about footnotes. It really broke up the intensity of the information being given at the time. I felt that I didn’t need to know about it and if I was told at the beginning that if I wanted to know about the footnotes to look them up in the physical book. It would have made the auto book flow better. I still recommend it but just want to people to be aware of the interruptions that will be through out the audiobook.
post-WW2, Canada, immigrants, survivor's guilt, survivors, Jewish, holocaust, adaptation, social-issues, socioeconomics, cultural-assimilation, cultural-exploration, culture-of-fear, culture-shock, refugees, family, family-dynamics, friendship, pride, prejudice, interviews, intolerance*****
They thought it would be better than the devastation and homelessness they left behind. But there was no close family to help with the adjustments and the aid agencies just didn't understand that this wave of European Jews were very different from those who came earlier. Then there was the negative/hostile attitude from Canadian Jews in reference to the newcomers, the way that the school system was not based on religion so that even if a youngster was fluent in French, the Catholics wouldn't have them and they were then assigned to the Protestant/English speaking schools. Most were fortunate to have the binding thread of Yiddish among themselves because there were so many languages and feelings about their own religion among them. Learning about the shifting borders of their former home countries (especially Poland) was absolutely astounding. I could go on forever (but I promise not to) about what I learned from this intricately researched and presented history of people who struggled to find a place to thrive and to belong.
Voice actress Margot Dionne is superb at defining each person's narrative.
I requested and received a free temporary audio copy from Between the Lines via NetGalley. Thank you!