I tend to read lots of World War II and Holocaust literature and memoirs. Some are haunting and nightmare provoking, others tell a more thorough story. This is the way of My Kaleidoscope. The story is actually the first publication of a book written by Emma Fuchs, the authors' great-grandmother. The story begins with the story of her birth and her home town/country, carries the reader through the Great War and into World War II. Emma continues with stories from the concentration camp, a difficult liberation and finally, her emigration to the Promised Land. I found it a very quick, refreshing read as the original author penned much more than the hard years of the actual holocaust, exposing the years leading up to it and the difficulties of putting her life together after. I took with me information I have never read in a holocaust memoir before reading this book; that in itself made it worth it's weight in gold. I read a digital copy provided to me for the purpose of reviewing the book, but the copy I read did contain typos and some grammatical errors. However, after completing the book, I had to wonder if the errors were Ms. Ryan's errors in typing the original hand written book or were they errors penned by the original author, Mrs. Fuchs, in which case, I believe it to be appropriate that they remain. ( )

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Due to the subject matter, it's hard to be critical about this book. Overall, I thought Emma's story was well told and a quick read. Since it's a retelling though, it's hard to really connect to the story. Everything is told in a somewhat detached way and we're not given much detail on many of the people in the story. What exactly happened to Emma's sister, for example?

I'm glad that the story was told I just wish that it had been presented in a more detailed and in a less... idealized - so to speak - (it's clear that Emma told the story in the best possible way for her granddaughter and Shari as her granddaughter wanted her grandmother to come off the absolute best way she could, as well)way. Still, for what it is - a Holocaust survivor's story, which is something that should be shared - it's a good read. ( )

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Due to the subject matter, it's hard to be critical about this book. Overall, I thought Emma's story was well told and a quick read. Since it's a retelling though, it's hard to really connect to the story. Everything is told in a somewhat detached way and we're not given much detail on many of the people in the story. What exactly happened to Emma's sister, for example?

I'm glad that the story was told I just wish that it had been presented in a more detailed and in a less... idealized - so to speak - (it's clear that Emma told the story in the best possible way for her granddaughter and Shari as her granddaughter wanted her grandmother to come off the absolute best way she could, as well)way. Still, for what it is - a Holocaust survivor's story, which is something that should be shared - it's a good read. ( )

I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This Holocaust book isn't just about what happened to Emma Fuchs in a concentration camp. It starts long before the Nazis, so we are able to get to know Emma as a young child, teenager, young woman, and wife and mother. We get to know her as a regular person; strong, independent and a good businesswoman. Getting to know Emma pre-Nazis shows us the character that helps her survive the concentration camp. This book tells us about how the misery did not end with Emma's release from the Nazis, and how she overcame all to start a new life after the war. Heartbreaking, but considering the subject matter, an easy read and well worth the time. My thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An important final note: Proceeds from My Kaleidoscope will be donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. ( )