Like many children of Holocaust survivors, Rachelle wants to memorialize her mother Mira’s story before it is too late. Mira survived the time before she was sent to the camps (which was of course terrifying in its own way) by hiding until her luck ran out, then she survived four camps, including Auschwitz as well as the death march at the end of the war. What is interesting is that Mira contributes her survival during this time of absolute evil to the goodness of people: an SS solider who kept her back from the gas chambers (she never learns why), another prisoner who takes her work assignment instead of her to protect her, and the people who shared their food when there wasn’t enough to go around just to name a few. Mira ends up living in Australia with her children, far away from her native Czechoslovakia.


I wasn’t really up to reading about the Holocaust again so soon right now, but this was such a beautiful tribute to Mira and a reminder that there is always good in the world even when there is such hatred and evil that I really recommend this book to everyone, The evil at this time wasn’t unique among a few - it was everywhere, it was commonplace, it was expected. I think it’s important, especially with the world right now to be reminded of this kindness in people and I thank Mira for that.


There are so many stories from survivors that we need to hear so we can remember, and so many from those that never made it that we will never know. I for one will always regret not getting my grandfather’s story written down before he died.

4.5 stars

Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2024. The author has great insight. It’s a record of Mira’s life told by her daughter, Rachelle, who interviewed her as a journalist. Mira is a Holocaust survivor. Throughout her life, Mira chose happiness. She never held a grudge, where many of us would. She was like a ray of sunshine. She was shown great kindness and mercy during the war years, from her captors and fellow Jews. This book also taught me a great deal about Jewish customs, a faith I have always respected and admired. At the end of the book, Rachelle describes grief, this is the best description I’ve ever read. This is a book I will reread. Highly recommend.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Be warned: this book WILL make you cry with horrific depictions of what those who suffered through the Holocaust went through.

Mira is one of the bravest heroines I've ever read about, and she's actually a real, flesh and blood person. Somehow, even through losing most of her immediate family to the Holocaust and living through those atrocities, she wound up being a bright light to all of those she met.

This story weaves through every age of Mira's life and is told beautifully by her daughter, Rachelle. I highly recommend listening to this story through audiobook as I did; it seemed to really impact me in a way that I don't know just reading the words on a page might have.

There's not much more to say except that the mass exodus and genocide of people of something that should NEVER happen again to ANY population.

“It was like a snapshot of my mothers life: both achingly sad and terribly beautiful, so beautiful and sad together that you could barely stand to look at it”
What an immensely powerful story. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book about the Holocaust (I have read many) and this feels to me like the first of its kind. I loved hearing who she became and how much of her spirit lives inside her family today. For all of its difficult subject matter this book is also about grief, joy, survival, blessings, and most of all beshert.

Rachelle Unreich pays tribute to her remarkable mother, Mira, in a poignant work of non-fiction, “A Brilliant Life.” When Mira was eighty-nine and terminally ill, Rachelle knew that time was running out to glean whatever wisdom and memories her mother wished to impart. In particular, Rachelle wondered why, in spite of having been sent to four concentration camps, Mira retained her faith in the Almighty. It turns out that, like Anne Frank, Mira believed that most people were basically good. After the war, she took great pleasure in raising her family, traveling, and celebrating Jewish festivals with her children and grandchildren.

In this heartfelt and beautifully written book, the author takes us back to her mother’s formative years in Czechoslovakia. Rachelle describes in harrowing detail what happened to Mira and her relatives after the Germans invaded their country. Some of Unreich’s anecdotes are gut-wrenching and tragic. Others are warm, funny, and inspirational. They are all vividly detailed, engrossing , and in some cases astonishing.

This is a true story of terror, baseless hatred, and cruelty, as well as an uplifting account of how hope, kindness, and strength of character can help someone survive and even thrive in spite of having endured unspeakable abuse. Mira Unreich was blessed with a good nature, a positive attitude, and a determination to make her years on earth meaningful and fulfilling, in spite of all that she endured at the hands of her cruel captors.

Unreeich wrote a beautiful tribute to her mother Mira, who endured four concentration camps during WWII.
The family history was fascinating and I was amazed at the many ways her mother was spared some of the worst ravaged of the camps due to the random acts of kindness from people.
Mira maintained a cheerful countenance and positive outlook even after all she endured and held onto her faith, which many victims abandoned.
I’m glad the author got her mother’s story in time before her words and precious memories were erased.

Rachelle Unreich takes us through the story of her mother, Mira’s, life, and it will stay with you long after you read it.

Many aspects of this story are familiar to those of us who read about the atrocities of WWII often. The at first slow effort to take away the humanity of the Jewish people and so many other groups, which the turned to a concentrated effort to eliminate these people from the face of the earth. Reading about this from Mira’s point of view makes it even more haunting and heartbreaking.

Where this story differs is the positive things Mira found in what was happening to her. The extra food, the help escaping, the help at various camps. No matter what was happening, Mira always found a way to survive and focus on what she called coincidences that colored her life.

The theme of family and loved ones is big in this book and flows through it to the last page.

I don’t know if I would be able to look at things the way Mira did. Reading this book has not only deepened my awareness of this awful time in history, but it has encouraged me to try to look at various things in my own life in a different way.

Thank you, Rachelle, for writing this book. I cannot get it out of my head and I was not ready to say goodbye to you and your family.

I highly recommend this book for the story, the perspective, and the reminders that were so timely in my own life.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

I honestly could not love this story more. This is a must read for everyone, especially with what is going on in the world right now - we can not let these types of atrocities happen again.

A very well written and riveting account of survival during the Holocaust. It's obvious that the author was well invested in the subject since she's telling her mother's tale. The author is a journalist and she's done extensive research (see the back matter) to give context and even more meaning to her mother's story. But most remarkable is her mother--a survivor of the Holocaust who went on to live her life so very well. It's inspirational and also very down to earth. Amongst Holocaust stories, this one really stands out both for the writing and Mira's character.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I couldn't put it down until I'd read to the end.

This is a really beautiful story of the life of a survivor of the Holocaust. I liked seeing how those times affected her children and her life after. But how she still manages to have a really good life.
This was a different perspective than I had read before and it was very well written and put together.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I received a copy of "A Brilliant Life" by Rachelle Unreich. Rachelle writes this book about her mother, Mira, who was a Holocaust survivor. Mira ended up in Auschwitz at fifteen years old. She already lost her older sister. and knew her father and mother were also killed. When Mira was toward the end of her life her daughter Rachelle asked her to talk about her life and time during the Holocaust. While Mira was in the concentration camp she was starved worked all day, transferred to different camps where they had to walk during the Winter months. She told her daughter of how horrible the conditions were being treated so awful. She had been close to death before the Holocaust ended. Rachelle also writes of the years after for her mother who survived married had children. Moved to Australia, divorced then married her father her years in Australia. The end of Mira's life. I was impressed with Mira, she was smart, Knew many languages and learned even more. wow what a Brilliant woman. The Holocaust is always hard to read knowing the horrors the victims faced. This book was well done. a loving tribute to the author's mother Mira.

A biography based on her mother, "A Brilliant Life" details Mira Unriech's survival through four Nazi death camps during WWII, and her life before and after those events. Born to an observant Jewish family in a small town of Czechoslovakia, Mira was the 1927 addition to a family of three boys and a girl born in the 1910's and 20's. Mira's father and mother are intelligent, warm, caring parents and her father brings joy into the family through song and a strong belief. The writing breaths life into Mira's family of origin, making you feel the story and personalities. You care what happens to them.
The book covers Mira's entire life, what the author (last daughter by Mira's second husband) could piece together from relatives still living, records research and her own family history. Although there are many edge-of-your-seat and tragic moments in her story, it does not have the harrowing feel of some holocaust survivor stories and this maybe because of Mira's unique character.
A definite to-be-read history of the time and character study.

What an incredible story to share! To have survived the Holocaust, the camps, the dehumanization of people they way the Nazis did and not come out of it living such a rich, full life is a gift, not only to her family, but to us, the readers of this incredible book. She loved life to its fullest, with so many changes in direction, in life experiences, and to such an extent! All I can say is Mazel Tov, Mira, for living the life you did and thank you for sharing it with us!