A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova

by Arnošt Lustig

Book Overview

Inspired by true events, this gripping and emotional novel describes the tragic fate of a group of wealthy Jewish American businessmen imprisoned in a Polish concentration camp overseen by a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060127260
• ISBN13: 9780060127268
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 165 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A MUST READ STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST...

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war, held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable. Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise. This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.

A CHILLING TALE OF THE HOLOCAUST...

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable. Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise. This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.

Haunting, Profound Work of Art

This book is a pure and simple, masterfully crafted work of art. It is the rare book that can bring tears to my eyes, and this one did, easily and unexpectedly. It is short, simple, concise, beautiful and so profoundly moving. It will surely stay with any reader long after it is put down.

A MUST READ STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST...

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war, held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable.Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise.This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.