A CENTURY OF WISDOM: LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ALICE HERZ-SOMMER, THE WORLD’S OLDEST LIVING HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR by Caroline Stoessinger
Alice Herz-Sommer was an accomplished concert pianist when the Nazis invaded her home of Prague. Through her years in the Theresienstadt camp, it was music that kept Alice and her young son alive. Alice played numerous concerts for the Nazi officers, and her name never appeared on any of the deportation lists for Auschwitz. Now at age 108, Alice still plays daily and is described by her family and friends as eternally cheerful and optimistic.
Caroline Stoessinger tells the story of Alice’s life with a focus on the positive worldview that has filled her difficult life with so much joy. The chronology in this vignette-style biography is often confusing, but the story is moving and uplifting. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies and memoirs with an optimistic tone.
Thanks for the recommendation, Helen!
