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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Evading evil Dec 28, 2010
By susanemily
Levi's fascinating "The Last Exile" deals with the author's experiences in Europe prior to and during WW II, and to the USA after WW II, covering aspects of The Holocaust and the war you will not likely find in other personal accounts. It is an autobiography within an historical framework which makes it more than a personal history, or a history of events of world interest. It spans Europe, touches Asia, and arrives in America with the author. It describes worlds few of us know, and is a
great read. I recommend it highly!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Author's note Jul 08, 2010
By Jasha M. Levi
*Author's note: It is now safe to report that the Asolo Podesta, who gave us our false papers, was the late Dottor Ernesto Pasini. who held the position from May 1941 to January 1944. The documents he provided were backdated to 1940 and carried the forged signature of the late Dottor Archile Serena, Podesta from October 1923 to April 1940.
The Bitter Sweet Symphony That's Life Jan 05, 2012
By Amber Lisa
"Showing You the Way Through"
The Last Exile, The Tapestry of a Life and it's follow-up companion Requiem for A Country, A History Lesson are compelling must reads for students of World History, Political Science and International Relations. In The Last Exile, The Tapestry of a Life, author Jasha Levi reveals a life story explored in three stages: a young man's coming of age in Yugoslavia, a young adult's Holocaust escape story, whereby he and friends evade Nazis and Black Shirts in Italy during World War II, and finally, a post war professional life as a journalist in Yugoslavia, (which was a very exciting, all around the world sort of affair) and finally as an everyday immigrant working stiff in New York City, until the author catches a break that leads to a very new and interesting profession.
Part I The Vanished World
In the first section of The Last Exile I loved the characters: Izzi, Mavro, Muson, Mazal, Avdo, Bogdan, Misa, Josip, Brana, the whore. Levi brings this odd cast of characters to life through bits and pieces of a typical childhood story.
Levi has this knack for description of time and place. He brings to life a picture of the Yugoslavia of his youth through sight, sound, smell and taste. I love his descriptions of food and the childhood adventures of a place that existed long ago. All the while reading, I was thinking Yugoslavia? Are you kidding me? Levi made me curious about life in Sarajevo, of all places! In life as he writes it, Sarajevo seems like someone's home. (Which of course it was; it was his home.)
Part II Clouds of War
The second part of The Last Exile, was a real page-turner; I just could not put it down! Again, with the characters! I can't imagine a reader encountering the pictures of Slava and not being intrigued, by both the pictures of her as well as Levi's portrayal of her. Levi, Slava and a few others, essentially formed a refugee family of Eastern Europeans on the run in Italy desperately trying to evade Nazis and Black Shirts to stay alive.
During this time, their day-to-day lives seemed tenuous at best, and yet, some how they persevere. They all just kept moving forward and pushing on despite the most uncertain circumstances. Near the end of the war, the family makes it back "home" to Eastern Europe, but "home" is not the same. Even so, the characters keep coming, characters like Vintovacka, who is reminiscent of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. While Vintovacka seems a little fantastical, real or imagined, hers is a mythology that needs to endure. Back home Levi marries Slava. (There is a bit of a love story in part II, but not a sentimental, gushy one. Even so, the love is quite evident, given everything those two experience while on the run together.) Back home, the danger is still not quite at an end. Levi becomes a soldier in the Yugoslav People's Army, and is responsible for assembling "bailey bridges" while dodging bullets. After all of his successful evasions of death via Nazi extermination, it seemed to me a particular tragedy for Levi to end up, back home, in just as much peril as he'd been in during his internment in Italy. Obviously, miraculously enough, he survives the rest of the war.
Part III A New Life
Finally, Levi makes it to peace times; and because his life seems to be such a charmed one - all things considered, as a reader, I was incredibly anxious to see how the rest of his life story would unfold. It actually plays out pretty successfully, as Levi enjoys an international career that most journalists could only dream about. He ends up in America as a U.N. correspondent. Due to a turn of events in his home country, he ends up seeking asylum here in America. Next, after a bit of the typical immigrant loss of status, Levi proceeds to establish himself in a second career where he does groundbreaking work for a philanthropic organization, Recording for the Blind.
And while all of that, is quite enough, that's not all. In his companion book, Requiem for a Country, A History Lesson, we get, as the subtitle implies, the history lesson behind Jasha Levi's amazing and incredible life. But it's also more than that. It is also a very bold exclamation about the truth as Levi sees it. He is very clear on what his truth is and the fact that he wants the truth to be known.
The first chapter of Requiem for a Country begins as such, "I survived the Twentieth Century. This is about the why and the how. The story IS about just one man, but it is also a history lesson through personal memories of a generation and its century."
Requiem is very different than The Last Exile, which was, oddly enough, very light-hearted by comparison. While the basic life story is the same, In Requiem we get a much rawer and intense sort of view into what Levi's life as a Holocaust escape artist really felt like. While in The Last Exile, it sort of seemed to be one incredibly lucky journey, where, no matter how many times Levi and his fellow companions were snatched up and tossed into the air, they always landed on their feet. In Requiem, we see more of the yes but, landing on their feet did not come without pain, and psychological scars and guilt and anger and wonder.
On the one hand, while Jasha Levi seemed to have a charmed life, the overall context of it made his journey a bitter sweet one. While in The Last Exile, the sweet side of life is revealed, in Requiem there is this bitterness that is haunting, and it should haunt us all.
The interesting trip through a man's life. Dec 30, 2011
By R. G. Phelps
"Bud"
The Last Exile by Jasha Levi was a total enjoyment to read. I was very interested in how the author shared his life story through its various stages from the beginning when he was running with a group of boys on the streets if Sarajevo (while reading this period it caused me to reflect on my own period of growing up in Nebraska). I was impressed with the details in the section of the book, Clouds of War, starting in 1941. The reader can put himself into that same time frame and better understand how a young man in his 20's was able to cope with the situation facing him. I especially enjoyed the mixture in this man's shared life; from teaching Jewish refugee children while in Asolo, Italy and the remarkable humanity shown by the ordinary Italians, to the meeting of his love of 45 years which brought understanding to the depth of their relationship. The period of his life when he was fighting as a member of Tito's First Armored Division on the Dalmatian coast of Yugoslavia held you in suspense and wonderment. This group of brave fighters faced death daily as they were always ahead of the advancing division. His period as a journalist was also very interesting in that it shared many of both the experiences and individuals he met along the way. I had better stop before I give away too much of the story, but I will give you a fair warning - once you start reading this man's life story you will have trouble putting it down.
 The Last Exile - The tapestry of a life Aug 12, 2011
By E. H. Dailey
"hed"
In the delivery of this elegant road map, Jasha Levi takes us on his journey toward survival during and after WWII 's Holocaust. Degrees of acceptance of circumstances and love of country are well described.
The pages give haste and trepidation. The trauma attached to loss of country, fear, and adjustments we human must make to be able to endure are palpable. The predominant narrative mixed with new beginnings paints a vibrant picture of a Yugoslavia lost to all.
While most of its 75,000+ Jewish population perished during Hitler's Final Solution, we are blessed that among the 5,000 left to survive this brilliant mind gave voice to tell us about the human conflict and its struggle.
Eveline Horelle Dailey
Author: Lessons from the Lakeside - A literary journey toward self-discovery
" The Canvas - A secret from the Holocaust
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