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HomeShop at BookSurgePhotographyTechniquesRecollections of the Second World War |
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A French opinion Mar 21, 2009
Mrs. Kauffman Green's recollection of WWII is very informative as she paints every days' life. You feel the atmosphere of Paris during these terrible year. She gives interesting information such as the fct that the American flag stayed on Lafayette's tomb during the whole war. Amazing historical detail!
Personal stories of her family are very touching. I would love to meet the author to hear more.
It is an easy read. People who lived through this period will be interested, especialy if they did not live in Paris. Young people will learn a lot and that is important.
It is a great gift for any age.
Anne P.
Valuable and Interesting Mar 12, 2009
Rosine Kauffmann Green's compiled personal recollections of the Second World War are compelling and fascinating. The book is compact, and is replete with facts and stories of real life experiences the likes of which, fortunately, most us have never seen. An easy and quick read it is truly impossible to put it down until it is finished. The anecdotal pieces, as well as the photographs, fill out one's imagination and make the reader feel as if he/she has added to his/her understanding of, and sensitivity to, the plight of the innocent during this terrible time in history. Do not miss the opportunity for this glimpse at a competent and real human inside view of the history which effects us all.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
an extraordinary book Mar 06, 2009
Rosine Kauffmann Green was born in Paris before the Second World War and spent the entire war in occupied France, mostly in Paris. Because she is half Jewish, she had first hand experience of Jewish persecutions. Her recollections describe a series of situations to which she was exposed under German occupation. Because of the unusual circumstances created by the war, many of these situations are also unusual: often tragic, but sometimes funny and even surreal. There are few first-hand descriptions of life in times of war, mostly diaries. Although diaries could be of great interest, they have a natural tendency to report many insignificant facts. These recollections do not suffer from such a shortcoming and the intensity of the book is such that once you have started reading it, it is almost impossible to stop before the end. The conciseness and the limpidity of the style also contribute to the absorbing character of the book. Numerous photographs of people and documents further enhance the vividness of the text. Rosine Kauffmann Green's recollections are both a gripping experience for the reader and a unique document on the second world war.
History as lived Feb 28, 2009
In the eyes of a true witness. It rings very true and sincere as an ordinary French citizen has lived the hardships of war. I have a mother who has lived in France in that era, and I feel Rosine Kauffmann is retelling my mother's tale. She conveys emotions well while giving us a good sense of her place in history. Great book! I highly recommend it.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A Life of Gratitude Feb 22, 2009
Rosine Green's memoirs of the German occupation of Paris begins with several quotations that remind us of the often necessity of war in maintaining democracy and peace, notably Winston Churchill's message to Chamberlain in 1938: "You were given a choice between war and dishonor. You have chosen dishonor and you will have war."
The author, half Jewish, half Catholic, gives us a glimpse of her teenage years and the lives of her family and close friends during the Occupation when they were deprived of adequate necessities such as food and heat and where they lived in constant and overpowering fear of the Gestapo. With its many photographs, the book brings us close to the lives of the Kaufmanns and their close friends who lived with the terrible possibility of arrest and assassination. Indeed, the book's cover depicts a plaque honoring the more than 13,000 Parisian Jews who were sent to death at Auschwitz.
Finally, one can feel the jubulation of the crowds along the Champs Elysees as Paris celebrates its liberation and American GI's flood the streets with their tanks. The gratitude that Mrs. Green feels for the kindness and courage of people she encountered during the War as well as for her new found home in America far outweighs the memory of past suffering. Nevertheless, one senses a desire to educate a new generation who may not know the past about the dangers inherent in its ignorance of history. Memoirs that are beautifully written such as this one are valuable in their ability to convery wisdom through authentic life stories.
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