"Out of the Depth" by Rabbi Lau

married21

Thu, May 17 2012, 11:42 am

Anyone else read it?

I found the book very interesting. A little too self-praising (I’m trying to think of an appropriate term), though. He kept on mentioning praises that people wrote or said about him.

His life story is really miraculous, it was an enjoyable read.

PinkFridge

Thu, May 17 2012, 12:08 pm

Haven't read it yet but I'm looking forward to being able to borrow it soon, the first person who read it, who's pretty discriminating, liked it a lot.

TranquilityAndPeace

Thu, May 17 2012, 12:22 pm

It's on the couch; DH is reading it. I keep picking it up, reading a few pages, and putting it down. I used to be able to ready anything at all, but lately the slightest tragedy from that time period makes me weepy.

married21

Thu, May 17 2012, 12:34 pm

As a young girl I read every holocaust book I came across, as I matured, got married and had kids I could no longer read books about the holocaust. I did not realize that it would mention his war years so in depth.
I read through it fast, and yes, it makes me weepy too.

As an aside, author Sarah Shapiro once wrote in the Ami in her “Here and There series”, about that old couple (upstairs neighbors of her friend) who recounted to her a story that he was once fixing a light fixture, or something of that sort, in a concentration camp, and he saw a pick-up truck full of crying children empty its load into a boiling fire.

I can’t even write that, it makes me so nauseas. I couldn’t sleep for nights, as this nightmarish story kept replaying itself in my mind.

preempservices

Thu, May 17 2012, 1:55 pm

My friend recommended it because the (English) is so beautifully written and his story is noteworthy. I preferred the early years to the later ones.

syrima

Thu, May 17 2012, 2:07 pm

I read it right away. I thought it ws well done in that he didn't dwell on the Holocaust part of it the way some other books do. he just told his story, included any memorable events, and then moved on. I found it so inspiring how his brother took care of him and helped him survive.
it also brought home to me how there are fewer and fewer survivors- he was 8 at the end of the war. Once the only survivors are under 5 then doesn't that really mean that there are no more survivors? Who would believe a 5 year old? Scary to think about....

shalhevet

Thu, May 17 2012, 2:12 pm

I read it a few years ago in the original Hebrew - it is one of the books that really made a profound impression on me. That being said, I don't think I ever finished it - I agree the last third or quarter was much less interesting. But the first half was amazing.

To the OP - I also felt like you, also that he went on and on about his yichus even as a child here in EY when he met people. And then I thought - when he came here he had nothing at all, no parents, no education, no home, he didn't even have the clothes on his back (those who brought those children gave them Hitler Youth uniforms to wear because those were the only clothes available). He had nothing - the only thing he had was to mention his father, who people still remembered and use his yichus.

I also thought it is a deep, deep lesson in how a person can pull himself up from anything and not wallow in self-pity or lose his faith, and make something great of himself. He is really a remarkable person.

thatgirl

Thu, May 17 2012, 2:20 pm

married21 wrote:

Now I'm going to have nightmares. The nazi's were such horrible beings that there is no punishment worthy enough for them. Nothing.

I really want to read the book, is it very graphic?