
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
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The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.
There have been many books about the Holocaust - and there will be many more. What makes this one so memorable is Lale Sokolov's incredible zest for life. He understood exactly what was in store for him and his fellow prisoners, and he was determined to survive - not just to survive but to leave the camp with his dignity and integrity intact, to live his life to the full. Terrible though this story is, it is also a story of hope and of courage. It is also - almost unbelievably - a love story. Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale - a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer - it was love at first sight, and he determined not only to survive himself but to ensure that Gita did, too. His story - their story - will make you weep, but you will also find it uplifting. It shows the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.
Like many survivors, Lale and Gita told few people their story after the war. They eventually made their way to Australia, where they raised a son and had a successful life. But when Gita died, Lale felt he could no longer carry the burden of their past alone. He chose to tell his story.
- Listening Length7 hours and 26 minutes
- Audible release date20 February 2018
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB0765BSLVB
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
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Product details
Listening Length | 7 hours and 26 minutes |
---|---|
Author | Heather Morris |
Narrator | Richard Armitage |
Whispersync for Voice | Ready |
Audible.com.au Release Date | 20 February 2018 |
Publisher | Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B0765BSLVB |
Best Sellers Rank | 231 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 1 in Historical Jewish Fiction 1 in Jewish Literature (Books) 1 in Jewish Literature (Audible Books & Originals) |
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Top reviews from Australia
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A story that should be read by all - and I'm proud that my country, my city welcomed this couple to create a 2nd life under the Aussie skies far away from the horrors and ghosts of their past.
Not really, I didn’t enjoy it.
I’m nearly 60 and all my life I have heard about, seen on documentaries and read about the holocaust of WW2. I’m afraid to say, I’m almost immuned from feeling anything about this period in our history. Especially as programs like Hogan Heroes are still on free to air TV. But sometimes, I read an article or see something on TV that catches my attention.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North was something that stopped me in my tracks. My God Father, (Lloyd) was a captive in Changi during W2 and he would tell me stories of what happened to him in Changi when I was a child. The stories were no doubt modified for my sake but The Narrow Road to the Deep North was disturbing. I couldn’t bare to think about Lloyd and what he experienced.
And now the Tattooist of Auschwitz has again affected my immunization. Heather Morris has done well to portray the events of the Tatowierer. The death and torture of people is so brutal it’s hard to believe it happened. The discrimination is shocking and the disregard to fellow humans reads like fictional movie. But it is true and the Tatowierer lived in Melbourne. That’s remarkable and it’s hard to believe he and his brave wife could sleep at night.
I did recommend the Tattooist of Auschwitz to a friend and she has read it.
Malcolm Brown
This book provides an amazing insight into the workings of Auschwitz and the people who survived it. Through the story of Lale we learn of the everyday lives of the inmates but in particular the extraordinary survival skills of Lale. Somehow there is even humour. Lale is an exceptional person - he would stand out anywhere. How he survives three years at Auschwitz is a miracle.
When one reads books of fiction with fairytale endings we often reject them as fantastical. This book has a fairytale ending which is even more fantastical because of the events prior to it.
Lale never doubted he and Gita would make it out. In many ways they are proof that you make your own luck. I didn't believe it possible that someone in Auschwitz could be described as lucky.
I believe that everyone working on a book about such an important historical event has a responsibility to be as accurate as possible, even when writing fiction.
Unfortunately even if I liked to read about Lale’s and Gita’s story I can’t give it more than 2 stars.
Top reviews from other countries



This is not a downbeat tale. The strength of the human spirit shines through on every page. It was hard to put down, I had to keep reading. And in the last pages there are amazing surprises.
A wonderful book about a truly remarkable character. I cannot recommend this more highly.


For me, it is among the 10 WORST BOOKS I have ever attempted to read. I gave up after 51% of its badly written nonsense. You've got a tattooist bossing the place, secreting cash, jewels, food etc and hiding it in plain sight under his mattress ... and it was "never discovered" or "stolen"??!! Yeh, right. This is a place where people are fighting for their lives and this book is written like it's a Carry On Death Camp farce, or a naive Mills & Boon romance. Consider these lines which are classic in their complete tripeyness: "Their lovemaking is passionate, desperate. It is a need, so long in the making that it cannot be denied." Urgh, euk and arghhh!!!! Really. Is this the best you can do with the potency and power of language? This is a death camp full of starved, emaciated people, riddled with body lice and doused with unspeakable strenchiness, bonking like it's a typical Sunday afternoon!! Really??? It's not even funny - it's just wretchedly written rubbish.
If you want to capture the full (fictional) horror of the death camp and what it took to survive read William Styron's beautifully written "Sophie's Choice". It is a million times better than this drivel. In fact, read anything other than this. You'll be far happier, I assure you and feel much better rewarded.
This takes the most heinous blot on the history of mankind and trivialises it into an utterly meaningless love affair that stretches all manner of imagination and credibility.
To me it deserves a big fat 0 out 10.
I absolutely hated it.