This is a slim memoir, enhanced by a forward and epilogue written by scholars which explain the historical context. The author, Piera Sonnino, wrote it for the benefit of her daughters and never intended it for publication. One of her children had it translated and published years after her death.

It is a fairly typical Holocaust memoir, distinguished mainly by three things: the Italian family that is the subject (not many stories about Italian Holocaust victims out there), the author's dignified, refined genteel tone, and the fact that, unlike in many such books, a lot of information is provided as to what happened to Piera after liberation. I would recommend as a solid addition to Holocaust collections. ( )

Interesting and brief family history of one Italian Jewish family's experience in WWII. The commentaries included were also illuminating. I'm not well read in WWII history, but discovered that the Jewish experience in Italy was quite different, generally speaking, than in other European countries. Which makes the tragedy of this family even more poignant. ( )