The Lost Childhood: A Memoir

by Yehuda Nir

Book Overview

This compelling memoir takes readers through the eyes of a child surviving World War II in Nazi-occupied Poland. As a nine-year-old, the author witnessed his father being herded into a truck--never to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0151588627
• ISBN13: 9780151588626
• Release Date: October 1989
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A World War II Memoir

At just nine years old, Germany had invaded Poland, in 1939, during the World War II. Poland was the home country of Yehuda Nir. By 1941, Nir's father was arrested. Soon after the Germans executed him along with many innocent people. When Nir was 11 years old, he and his mother and his teenage sister Lala, were forced to move to one country to another, disguised as Polish Catholics, to be able to survive in that dangerous period of time. One thing that I liked about this book, was that it was well described. I was able to picture most of the scenes from the book. In my senior English class, we learned how to write essays describing the scenes of out topics very well. So everyone would have an image well described in their minds of what we were talking about. This book is a good example of explaining things clearly. Although it was a sad, brutal, scary, dramatically, bloody book, it was a good reading book. Another thing that I liked about this book, was that it was well understanding. In the cover of the book there is a little boy (who it is Nir,) I thought that it was going to be a little kids book. When I started to read more and more I learned that it is actually a book for a more mature minded audience. Although the book started when Nir was a kid, throughout the book I learned that he wasn't able to have a normal childhood. At a young age he became 'the man of the house.' At this time Hitler was trying to conquest most of the world. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know how life was at this time of life.

A World War II Memoir

At just nine years old, Germany had invaded Poland, in 1939, during the World War II. Poland was the home country of Yehuda Nir. By 1941, Nir's father was arrested. Soon after the Germans executed him along with many innocent people. When Nir was 11 years old, he and his mother and his teenage sister Lala, were forced to move to one country to another, disguised as Polish Catholics, to be able to survive in that dangerous period of time. One thing that I liked about this book, was that it was well described. I was able to picture most of the scenes from the book. In my senior English class, we learned how to write essays describing the scenes of out topics very well. So everyone would have an image well described in their minds of what we were talking about. This book is a good example of explaining things clearly. Although it was a sad, brutal, scary, dramatically, bloody book, it was a good reading book. Another thing that I lied about this boo, was that it was well understanding. In the cover of the book there is a little boy (who it is Nir,) I thought that it was going to be a little kids book. When I started to read more and more I learned that it is actually a book for a more mature minded audience. Although the book started when Nir was a kid, throughout the book I learned that he wasn't able to have a normal childhood. At a young age he became 'the man of the house.' At this time Hitler was trying to conquest most of the world. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know how life was at this time of life.

Best War story ever

this is the best World War Two story told.. I never liked history books but after i read the plot, i knew i had to read it. its true about what the person above said about reading it at night and you will not put it down until u finish it. I stayed up nights until 12, 1am to finish reading it.. i recommend everyone to read this even if you arent a fan of history. it will change your opinion.

The Lost Childhood By: Yehuda Nir

This is a very interesting book. This book is about a boy and his mother and his sister. They are all Jews, who servied the World War 2. The boy's name is Yehuda Nir. This is a hair-raising story. Yehuda is the son of an affluent carpet manufacturer in Lwo'w, Poland. He has a nanny to take care of him and a German cook for him. He is only 9 years old. After the war started and they were forced into a smaller apartment. Within the two years, the tide turns and the Nazi are again incontrol. Many Jews are seized on the streets, imprisoned, and executed. Yehuda's father is murdered. The family moves. Nazis sercure situations in Warsaw. His mother works as a domestic for a wealthy German playboy, catering orgies and meeting important Nazi officials. Now their lives are turned upside down. They were living in a time where one had to be careful. They have to trust one another. Then finally there was a up rising in Warsaw. This is why I find this book interesting it is very good.

As Good As "Schindler's List"

This page-turning memoir by Yehuda Nir, a New York City psychiatrist, tells the story of his family's experiences during World War II, as it masqueraded as Christians and hid from the Nazis. Nir's fascinating, well-written narrative operates on several levels. These include: the grim adventures of a boy, his sister, and their mother who are caught in a historical nightmare and are trying to survive; a psychiatrist describing how different members of his family coped with the stress of hiding in plain view; and the experiences and impressions of a normal boy growing up in an abnormal world, shadowed by the possibility of disclosure and death. Amazingly, this bleak but inspiring story is also laced with humor. Laugh-out-loud moments are provided by the Russians, who bomb Warsaw with heavy parcels of non-parachuted food, destroying the homes of their Polish allies; and flustered German nurses near the war's end, who are distracted from detecting that Nir is Jewish by the aggressive lewdness of his fellow prisoners. Steven Spielberg, get that into a movie! It's truly a shame this book is out of print, since it provides an accessible human slant on the important subject of Jewish experience during World War II. In my opinion, the unavailability of this book illustrates a sadly common condition in today's book industry, with editors throwing money at worthless blockbusters but not supporting books like "The Lost Childhood", which could become an adult perennial and a basic text in high school and college curriculums with just a minor marketing effort.