The Book Club met on a hot sunny day to discuss The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Despite more than one of us having previously avoided reading this book, due to knowing it must contain distressing details of the cruelty and evil of mankind, it was generally agreed that the book is a must-read.
The majority of the group found the novel to be inspirational, as it chronicles the kindness and courage of people in the face of unimaginable horror and trauma. The determination to survive by Lale illustrates the resilience, life force and survival instincts that enabled some to endure the living nightmare that was Auschwitz-Birkenau, whilst at the same time helping and supporting others in the same situation.
It asks questions of us all - would we be kind and resilient in the most horrific of circumstances?
Some discussion centred around the blurring of fact and fiction in the book. A couple of us felt that the love story between Lale and Gita would have been even more difficult to pursue than the book suggests.
However, one Book Club member recommended that we read ‘Stories of Hope’, which is a non-fiction book that contains many of the conversations Heather Morris had with Lale Sokolov, and others, which contributed to her writing The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Overall, although the subject matter was horrific, the writing was simple and easy to read, and the story was that of hope.
“Good and evil coexist in the worst of times. It is then when hope shines through.”
The next book to be read will be "Frenchman’s Creek" by Daphne du Maurier.
This will be discussed on Friday 11th July 2025.