Night (1958)

Night is a haunting memoir.

I had only the barest of memories about this work from when it was assigned reading in high school, that summer between 8th and 9th grade when the world seemed full of possibilities. I remember reading this book and ... it left enough of an impression on me that I remembered it, but I think I was too young to fully appreciated the horror of it.

While I cannot begin to understand the pain of the Jewish people during the Holocaust, I am so grateful for the courage it must have taken Elie Wiesel to write Night. The bravery it takes anyone to speak about their trauma. Genocide is trauma on a particular level and I just... wow. It's such a difficult read because of the pain that bleeds through the words. A necessary pain we must know. We must remember. We must never forget.

This memoir is written like a story being told in an interview. It doesn't have the gravity and world building of many things. Unfortunately, the horrors of WWII are part of our cultural consciousness, and even then, we do not fully grasp the pain of the Holocaust. As far as flow and length and language, this is a very accessible read, and I do understand why it was assigned to me at a freshman English level. I think this is a piece that needs to be read, and re-read. It's a story we need to carve into our bones because it is a story that must be remembered. While it's easy to read from a purely technical standpoint, it's difficult to stomach. As an adult, I have a greater appreciation for this.

If you've never read Night, it's really one of those book your must read before you die. Elie Wiesel's first-hand account of the dehumanizing horror he experienced during WWII is a reminder and a warning. It's very powerful, humbling read and I have so much respect for this work. As a reader, as an historian, and as a human being... I recommend it. ( )

According to the foreword this is a condensation of a much longer book. In some cases it would be nice to know a little more. Like the synagogue beadle who escaped an early deportation and returned to the village and told everyone the fate that awaited them. What was their reaction? And why didn't they believe him?

My favorite scene is in Dr. Mengele's sick clinic, obviously a place patients would want to vacate as soon as possible especially since the Red Army is closing in. The author is sixteen, sick and bedridden and in the bed next to him is an old Jew who keeps saying "Only Hitler kept his promises to the Jews." But they both survived. ( )

I read this in high school and my review on here was three stars. That was clearly influenced by the fact that I hated high school, because upon rereading I definitely had to review it again. The prose is beautiful in its perfect simplicity and though the subject matter is, of course, disturbing, it is essential. ( )

One of the most heartbreaking holocaust stories I have ever read.

This book was good,completely deserves 5-star rating.
There were times when I stopped reading and just thought "Why?" There is no good explanation.


The people that are mentioned in this book endured so much.And the author of this book is one of them. ( )