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Elli Paperback – January 1, 1984

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

From her small, sunny hometown between the beautiful Carpathian Mountains and the blue Danube River, Elli Friedmann was taken-at a time when most girls are growing up, having boyfriends and embarking upon the adventure of life-and thrown into the murderous hell of Hitler's Final Solution.

When Elli emerged from Auschwitz and Dachau just over a year later, she was fourteen. She looked like a sixty-year-old.

This account of horrifyingly brutal inhumanity-and dogged survival - is Elli's true story.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

'How can one critic tell you that a-midst the glut of books being produced these days, amidst the wave of books by Holocaust survivors, there is one book, this one, which overshadows all but a few' - WEST COAST REVIEW OF BOOKS

'Breathtaking lucidity ... ELLI is destined to join the classics of Holocaust literature' - CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grafton Books Harpercollins; Reprint edition (January 1, 1984)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 270 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0586062580
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0586062586
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.37 x 0.68 x 7.01 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

About the author

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Livia Bitton Jackson
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Livia Bitton-Jackson, born Elli L. Friedmann in Czechoslovakia, was thirteen when she, her mother, and her brother were taken to Auschwitz. They were liberated in 1945 and came to the United States on a refugee boat in 1951. She received a PhD in Hebrew culture and Jewish history from New York University. Dr. Bitton-Jackson has been a professor of history at City University of New York for thirty-seven years. Her previous books include Elli: Coming of Age in the Holocaust, which received the Christopher Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award, and the Jewish Heritage Award. Dr. Bitton-Jackson lives in Israel with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
137 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book compelling and interesting. They appreciate the detailed writing style with vivid descriptions of Auschwitz and factory work. The story is described as emotional and a must-read for Holocaust enthusiasts.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

9 customers mention "Value for money"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe it as a compelling memoir with lots of detail. The story is interesting and sad, making it a must-read for Holocaust experience.

"Amazing book! So well written with lots of detail...." Read more

"...Well worth the time to read this book." Read more

"...Very good top read." Read more

"fantastic, gripping. Sad. The best book about a personal experience I've ever read. The human experience well told. Stayed with me a long time." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-written memoir with detailed descriptions of Auschwitz and factory work.

"...Detailed descriptions of Auschwitz and working in a factory. A very sad story!" Read more

"...survivor has a bit of a different point of view and includes details that complete the picture. Well worth the time to read this book." Read more

"...The best book about a personal experience I've ever read. The human experience well told. Stayed with me a long time." Read more

"...I recommend either of the books as Livia Bitton Jackson writes clearly and well. It is redundant to own/read both books." Read more

4 customers mention "Emotional content"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotional. They say the story is interesting and sad.

"...Detailed descriptions of Auschwitz and working in a factory. A very sad story!" Read more

"...This book is very emotional." Read more

"fantastic, gripping. Sad. The best book about a personal experience I've ever read. The human experience well told. Stayed with me a long time." Read more

"Very interesting and sad story. What a courageous girl." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
    Amazing book! So well written with lots of detail. Its so hard to imagine a girl suffering so much and still had the courage to go on and build a life after the war. Detailed descriptions of Auschwitz and working in a factory. A very sad story!
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2021
    I liked that she included a lot of detail and a lot of her emotional reactions. She does remember a lot of things that help to understand what it might have been like to have the experiences she had. Each survivor has a bit of a different point of view and includes details that complete the picture. Well worth the time to read this book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2021
    I read this years ago and it stayed with me. I wanted to read it again. It's very sad, but inspiring.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2019
    Reading Holocaust survivor memoirs significantly expands one's understanding beyond standard history books by adding the uniquely personal accounts of individuals. Elli survived partly because her keen instincts and resourcefulness. Yet we also feel her deep emotions relating to her loved ones from whom she has been separated. This book is very emotional.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2012
    I was very happy with the book I received. It was very cheap and in pretty top condition. The only issue I had was the description stated it was a paper back but was actually a hard back (which is a little hard to pack into my handbag as its not so easily to squeeze in. But other than that very happy with delivery speed being three weeks sooner than expected and almost finished the book! Very good top read.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2020
    fantastic, gripping. Sad. The best book about a personal experience I've ever read. The human experience well told. Stayed with me a long time.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2008
    This book, Elli, is nearly identical to her other book, I Have Lived A Thousand Years. I think Elli was written first. It has a few more details in it that the author Livia Bitton-Jackson left out of I Have Lived A Thousand Years. Either book is appropriate for junior-high/high school readers. I recommend either of the books as Livia Bitton Jackson writes clearly and well. It is redundant to own/read both books.
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2014
    Very gripping look at the reality and horror the Jewish prisoners lived every day. Precice details not mentioned in any other memoir I've read to date. Sun burned skin, infected lips resembling a clowns makeup. Delicing with a towel. I doubt any one today could survive such tragedy.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Roneen R.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2016
    it was a captivating story to say the least. A must read.
  • Carroty Nell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Elli - Coming of Age in the Holocaust
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2013
    It is difficult to write literary critiques of Holocaust survival stories because of the emotive subject matter. But this one genuinely is special and stands out.

    Elli was thirteen when she, her parents and brother are sent to Aushwitz from her village on the River Danube. She is soon separated from her father and brother. Will she ever see either again? Elli, and her mother, are spared selection for the gas chamber because of Elli's good looks. Instead, Elli and her mother must survive the unimaginable horror of the camp.

    Yes, Elli's memoir is harrowing and difficult to read in places. But this is not just a book about man's inhumanity to man. This is a story about love and courage in adversity. Elli's story is that of a mother and daughter's relationship under extreme duress.

    It is well-written too with some sparkling prose. Elli was a budding writer before the war and even keeps up the spirits of her fellow transportees with her poetry.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A book everyone should read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2023
    This book was a lesson in learning to accept others for what they are. To love your neighbour and to be accepting of cultural differences. The content will stay with me for a long long time .
  • darren
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2024
    A heartfelt read.
  • Charles Oppenheim
    5.0 out of 5 stars Moving holocaust autobiography
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 8, 2024
    Well written and translated story of a Hungarian Jewish girl who survived the holocaust. Strongly recommended