This book, so lovingly written about one mans journey is a gift to anyone who read it. It is a must read or listen for anyone with a pulse. It is the story of Max Glauben and how he not only survived the absolute horrors of the Holocaust, the Nazi regime and all that followed Hitler, the loss of his family and all he knew and yet survived with hope and love in his heart. Max was and is a true warrior of the heart and soul. In these current times with so much hatred, bigotry, racism and anti-semitism this is the antidote to it all. His courage to move forward, strive to save so many, let love in, raise a family and live the best life he could having been through and sen the worst of humanity is a testament to the man he is and person we should all strive to be. If you want thread about courage, kindness and what it means to stare down the impossible and thrive this is the story for you. And I dare anyone to not fall just a little bit in love with Max!

Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this title.

When Max Glauben was a teenager, his family was forced into the Warsaw Ghetto. From there, they were sent to a concentration where Max was the only member of his immediate family to survive. In fact, Max survived six concentration camps. For decades, Max kept these horrific memories to himself. As he grew older, he realized that sharing his story could help others become upstanders instead of bystanders. Upstanders have the power to fight against history repeating itself.

I feel terrible for not loving this book! It just read too much like a school project to me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.
I wish the book had been read in first person. It really makes a difference in a biography. The book was an eye opener and I appreciate reading it. It is so hard to think about how someone lived through that and came out strong.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.
Synopsis
Holocaust survivor Max Glauben is on a mission—to outlast hate, to preserve memory, and to compel the world to embrace tolerance.

The stench of decay pierced the air aboard the boxcar of trapped Jews. “Why me?” fifteen-year-old Max asked himself, as a convoy rumbled from the Warsaw Ghetto to Majdanek death camp in May 1943.

The Nazis had destroyed the Glauben family’s business, upended their rights, and ultimately decimated their neighborhood. The deluge of questions would only intensify after the Nazis murdered Max’s mother, father, and brother. Max channeled grit, determination, and a fortuitous knack for manufacturing airplane parts to outlast six horrific concentration camps in his quest to survive.

This memoir explores Max’s mischievous childhood and teen years as a go-to ghetto smuggler. Max journeys from displaced person to American immigrant and Korean veteran. He reveals how he ached as he dared to court love and rear children. For decades, he bottled up his trauma. Then he realized: He could transform his pain into purpose.

Infused with raw emotion and vivid detail, historical records and Max’s poignant voice, this memoir relays the true story of the harrowing violence and dehumanization Max endured. It relays Max’s powerful lifetime commitment to actively thwarting hate and galvanizing resilience. Max insists you, too, can transform your adversity into your greatest strength.

In the seventy-five years since his liberation, Max has ceased to ask himself, “Why me?” Instead, he reframes his focus, eager to partner with you and ask: “What can we do next?”

Another remarkably powerful story of hope love and inspiration from a holocaust survivor. Max’s aim is simple yet so complicated it is that we all let go of the hate within. I truly hope that someday we live in the ideal that Max wants. It is possible, he teaches us so. A truly beautiful soul.