The Auschwitz Violin by Maria Angels Anglada

The Auschwitz Violin

by Maria Angels Anglada

My Book Review Rating:

Synopsis

In the winter of 1991 a musician is captivated by a marvelously pitched violin, when he asks how she obtained it the woman reveals the remarkable story behind it’s origin…

The violin is the creation of a luthier named Daniel who was imprisoned at Auschwitz. The luthier and his violin are the subject of a cruel wager that could be the difference between life and death.

Why did you decide to read this book?

I was offered an Advanced Reading Copy of this book and was intrigued by the synopsis.

It should be noted that The Auschwitz Violin is due for UK release in November 2010. If you are in the United States then you will find the book listed as The Violin of Auschwitz which is scheduled for release in August 2010.

What did you like about this book?

I don’t think that The Auschwitz Violin is the kind of book that you say you “like”. The main part of the story takes place during the Holocaust and like many other books set in this time it is an insight into the harrowing experiences of the people held captive at Auschwitz.

The insights provided by Anglada are heartbreaking yet compelling and she tells a story of people who live in the face of adversity. At a time when life was so precious and perilous prisoners continued to put their own lives at stake for the safety of others, and formed bonds that remained unbreakable.

The Auschwitz Violin is beautifully written and emotionally powerful. It stands alongside Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas as a book that should be read to remind us of the horrors of the past so that such a tragedy never happens again.

Share a quote from the book

“The horror of the account wormed its way through Daniel, like a snake rising from the mud. Fortunately I’m sitting down, he thought. It can’t be true! Could they actually be doing something so horrible? While he had been repairing the crack in the violin and clamping together the beautiful graining, Daniel thought as he covered his mouth to keep from vomiting, the monsters had been plunging prisoners into freezing cold water.”

About the Author

Maria Àngels Anglada (Vic 1930 – Figueres 1999) is one of the most important figures of the Catalan 20th century. Her first publication was a book of poetry, Díptic (1972), but her success as an author was established in 1978 when she was awarded the Josep Pla prize for her first novel Les Closes.

She subsequently became one the most prestigious and widely-read of all Catalan authors with works such as: No em dic Laura (1981), L’agent del Rei (1991) and El violí d’Auschwitz (1994), which has sold 100.000 copies to date.

She is also the author of essay collections and several volumes of poetry. She won the Octavi Pellissa prize for her book of short stories Nit de 1911 (published by Empúries, 1999).
Source: Pontas

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The Violin of Auschwitz: A Novel

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