Member Reviews

I received this from NetGalley. This tells the story on Henry (originally Heinz) Oster, a German Jew from Cologne, and his personal experiences during the Holocaust. Although the subject matter is not easy, I think it is important to read first hand accounts.

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The Stable Boy of Auschwitz tells the story of Henry Oster, one of 2,011 Jewish people from Cologne, Germany, who were taken from their homes by the German Government between 1935-1945. It's written so vividly that you can feel like you're experiencing Henry's journey. The book is disturbing in showing how cruel people can be, but, on the flip side, it highlights the resilience of the human spirit. Henry's journey is truly inspiring.

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'The Stable Boy of Auschwitz' is a compelling memoir that reveals the horrors of the Holocaust through the eyes of a courageous young boy. This story of survival, amidst unimaginable adversity, is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

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heartbreaking story but as always very sad to see how many children went through so many dangerous situations at such a young age.

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is the story of a boy who survived the worst, I sometimes cannot understand how people can be so evil but after reading this book I just have less clue about why and what is their motive..

I admire Henri's strength, he is truly remarkable.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thread Books, for the advanced copy of The Stable Boy of Auschwitz in exchange for my honest review,

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I have read many Memoirs of the Holocaust and as I started to read this book,I wondered if this book would tell me something about what I didn’t already know. The tone of the memoir is dispassionate but angry and I think that makes a difference in the other memoirs I’ve read. I also haven’t read many memoirs that deal with the life of the few survivors who are released from the camps. I don’t think the book otherwise taught me a great deal that I didn’t already know,but still is was very moving and I’m happy I read it.
One quibble-the title of the book is misleading as the work as a stable bot in the concentration camp is a brief portion of the book-i wouldn't say,although interesting,it was the central part of the memoirists experience.


Ps: System will not allow me to send my review to Goodreads. Tried several times with no luck.

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This was a very well written, detailed account of surviving the Holocaust. I think we've heard similar stories so often in historical fiction, that I had to keep reminding myself that this was a complete nonfiction personal account of Henry. I do feel that the title was slightly deceiving, as the stables were only a very small part of the book and his story.

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I love reading about holocaust survivors and WWII in general. This book was very well written and captivating.

This is the story of Henry Oster, only five years old when Hitler came into power, who lived his whole childhood under tyranny. Henry was eventually deported to Auschwitz/Berkenau as a prisoner and was “hired” as a stable boy. He was one of the few prisoners who were able to thrive (for lack of a better term) in a concentration camp.

Stories like this are so important, not only to keep history from repeating itself, but to give these survivors a voice. To tell their truths, the atrocities they witnessed, the unimaginable obstacles they overcame, and the beautiful lives they went on to lead afterwards.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Gut-wrenching is generally the only way to explain the feelings of reading books surrounding the Holocaust appropriately. There are some stories that stick with you way after you read them and I think this is going to be one of those.

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Reading Henry’s story was such an heartbreaking experience, this book was so gut wrenching but also so powerful. This is totally out of my comfort zone and not the type of thing I tend to read but I’m so glad that I did.

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This is the true story of Henry Oster's experience living through the holocaust, from the Lodz Ghetto, to the death camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Unlike many of his age, he was a survivor, and has chosen to tell his story to the world.

I've ready many holocaust memoirs and accounts, all very heartbreaking. Like Night (Elie Wiesel), I know this one will stay with me for a lifetime. Henry Oster story is so well-written and moving, with no detail spared. Though the horrors he experienced were unimaginable, they were unfortunately his reality.

I believe this book is a must-read for everyone, not only to know and be aware of the history, but also so that history isn't repeated again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thread Books for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This true story of how a young boy survived the terror of a concentration is shocking, incredible, heartbreaking and heartwarming. To think this book arose out of one mans friendship with his optometrist is amazing. Full marks to Dexter Ford for putting it all together and Henry for opening the doors to his life.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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This is a 4.5 star read. So well written and interesting. Every time I read a book about the Holocaust, I hear even more horrors, how did anyone actually survive to tell their tales. What incredible human beings to get through this impossible to comprehend time in the worlds history and be brave enough to share it with the world.

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Phenomenal story of the horrors of the time that kept me hooked from the first chapter and well after I had finished, and left me feeling gut punched and heart broken. A lovely, harrowing book with deep historical significance.

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Absolutely amazing read! Such a captivating read! Amazing cover art that was super eye catching would definitely recommend to all!

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This was a harrowing, historically interesting read which was absolutely necessary for the world to see. A completely different section of the horrifying events of the time period, this book shone light on aspects that myself and others who read this book had no idea about. Really well written and informative. A triumph.

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The Stableboy of Auschwitz
Author: Henry Oster
Genre: Memoir
Rating: No rating

On kindle unlimited!

This one was heart wrenching. I truly did not fully understand what happened in the concentration camps in Europe during WWII. I remember scratching the surface of the topic in history class, but unfortunately that was my worst subject in school. This one follows the life of Henry Oster, a German Jew, from the time Hitler took power when he was 5, all the way until his death in 2019. I highly recommend if you are interested in learning more about this time in history. There are also pictures included in the story to help you visualize the full picture.

Side note: there are some political heavy chapters at the beginning of the book. If that’s not your cup of tea, please skip those and read the rest of the story.

Read if:
* You enjoy learning about history
* You want a deeper understand of how life was like for people like Henry

Thank you to the publisher and the author for an ARC of this story.

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Henry's story tore my heart to pieces to see/feel the vivid details of everything he went through. How strong he was through it all and his story about after Liberation really told the story of healing.

I can't even imagine what it was like just trying to survive to see the next day, from not having food, on a death March, violence from a firing squad, losing all of your family, to just at the whim of evil people deciding who will die. What isn't talked about as much in other books is what happened after survival. Even when the danger was over, so many people were left with no homes, family, or money.

I teared up towards the end because of how important it is to continue to tell stories like Henry's so that future generations won't forget and it truly will be "never again."

The Liberation portion of this book really connected with me talking about the Jewish American soldiers calling out in Yiddish. My husband's grandfather verbally told his story at schools and events as a Dachau Liberator for several years up until his death. Like Henry, he thought it was important to tell what he experienced as a Jewish American soldier.

I hope that this book and countless others like it stand the test of time and help remind everyone to treat everyone with kindness and respect no matter their culture or background.

Thank you to Thread Books and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

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The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford Narrated by William Hope, is a personal memoirs and a heartbreaking true story of Courage and Survival by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford.
Henry Oster was just five years old when Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. He was the last survivor of the 2,011 Jews who were rounded up by the Gestapo and deported from Cologne. Assigned to back-breaking labor in the Auschwitz horse-breeding stables.
Henry, clung to the belief that if he made himself hard to replace, he might stay alive, Henry, found the strength to survive and was one of only 23 to emerge alive from the concentration camps after the WW11.

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is the heart-breaking, mesmerising, and unforgettable true story that will destroy your faith in humanity . . . and then build it back up again.....

I highly recommend this book Story's like this should never to be forgotten and always told, as it's all our history.

The narrator William Hope was excellent for this book.

This book was originally published under the title of The Kindness of the Hangman by Dexter Ford

Big Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Bookouture for allowing me to listen to the audiobook/book of The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford.

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Received this as a free ebook ARC from NetGalley.

I love biographies and books about the Holocaust. This was a quick easy read. Once I started I couldn't put it down. Although this is a very hard topic to remember and write and read about, the author does it well. The story line is well written and easily to follow. I loved the characters and invested in their survival. The pictures were a nice gesture and well placed. I liked that they described what was happening in each photo. I love the photo and how it ties in to the story.

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This is a powerful story narrated by Jewish holocaust survivor Henry Ostler, who was imprisoned as a young teenager at various camps during the second world war.

As a child Henry grew up as the only child of relatively wealthy parents in Cologne. His world was turned upside down as the family were stripped of their possessions and careers and rehoused first of all in a repurposed ghetto, sharing a single room with multiple families before being transferred to the concentration camps.

Whilst at one of the camps Henry was sent to work in the stables because the horses were accustomed to commands in German (the majority of his fellow prisioners were from other European nations so spoke Polish, Hungarian or Russian instead).

Henry's account is accompanied by a wealth of historical detail and his journey is illustrated with poignant photographs, many of which include him as a boy. A fascinating, but heartbreaking book.

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