I Have Lived a Thousand Years

"But for me the platform was full. It was brimming wis disarray of sights, hundreds upon hundreds, a bleeding of dead and dying. I saw Greco, the fifteen-year-old Greek boy with enormous, feverish eyes, begging for water. I saw Lilli, the sixteen-year-old brunette with her leg blown off, sitting in a pool of blood. I heard Martha, blinded in both eyes, calling to her mother. And Beth, and Irene...ageless faces, skeletal limbs filled the gray, translucent mist." -I Have Lived A Thousand Years (Page 10)

I believe this is one of the truly greatest Holocaust book written in history, next to Diary of Anne Frank. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't stop reading. And even after finishing the book, I was unable to get the contents, images, and characters off of my mind. “I have lived a thousand years” by Livia Bitton-Jackson is truly the saddest and touching book that brings us back to the history of Holocaust.

An autobiography of a 13 years old Jewish girl who was imprisoned in the death camp at Auschwitz describes her horrible experience and intensity of her life, and how she survived miraculously through the fates of the Holocaust. Through her story, I've realized that people in this world need to stop and listen to the stories that must be told and not just hide it and run away from what had happened and incident like this should NEVER be repeated in the history again.

Although this book may not be qualified as a high school reading level, nevertheless this book caught my attention, giving the readers a much deeper understanding of how the Jews were treated in different concentration camps. The story haunted me to think what humans are capable of doing to another human being but in contrast, this book showed how some people can stay strong despite the harsh conditions they are in. It showed hope within humanity and courage amongst the weak.

I would strongly recommend “I have lived a thousand years”, an easy book to take things off of your mind and be reminded once again of the conditions you are in.