THE BOOK CORNER

The Violin of Auschwitz

by Maria Angels Anglada

When I received this book, I was surprised by how thin is was. I wondered how such a thin volume could possibly do justice to a story about the horrors of Auschwitz. As it turns out, this is a truly powerful tale of hope and struggle for survival in the worst hell ever inflicted by man upon man. The violin of the title is the product of a bet, made by the Nazi officers, whether a prisoner could build a quality violin in the camp. In the uncertain chaos of the camp, Daniel, who was a violin maker in his previous life, finds hope and escape in the building of the violin, though he is uncertain of his future beyond it completion.

The story is a reminder that even when confronted by the most extreme examples of evil, people are capable of finding a spark of hope, of continuing to believe that there might be a way to survive. It is that belief that keeps them from giving up, of continuing to live in spite of every effort to crush their spirit and will. It is also a reminder that we need to celebrate such stories to preserve the memory of those who weren't able to survive.

Review by Andrew W. Johns