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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Sing, Memory in Books

May 21, 2023

Sing, Memory

Makana Eyre | 2023 | History & Politics

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I have read a few books about the Holocaust but Sing, Memory is something quite different.

Focussing on the life of Aleksander Kulisiewicz, a non-Jewish Pole, this tells the story of his life before, during and after World War 2. He was imprisoned in the notorious concentration camp Sachsenhausen and paints a disturbing and vivid picture of the horrors he and other prisoners had to endure from being forced to take part in 'sport', to back-breaking work and endless hours of roll call.

In Sachsenhausen, music and singing were forbidden unless used as a form of punishment however, this didn't stop a secret choir being formed and led by conductor Rosebery d’Arguto, a Polish Jew. Aleksander became friends with Rosebery and as a result of Aleksander's amazing ability to memorise songs, Rosebery asked him to memorise his songs and ensure they are shared with the world after the war.

This became Aleksander's mission - to meticulously memorise songs from all the camp inmates and ensure that he survived so they would not be forgotten. After 6 long years of captivity, Aleksander was free however, his promise to those that did not survive was to become his life's work but also an obsession which, along with the horrendous experiences he endured, affected him and those around him deeply.

Sing, Memory is a detailed story written from meticulous research undertaken by the author with the help of a lot of other people and is a remarkable story of one man's mission to ensure a part of history is told and not forgotten.

Thank you to W.W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Sing, Memory.

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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Buried Giant in Books

Jan 3, 2018

The Buried Giant

Kazuo Ishiguro | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry

7.6

(10 Ratings)

Book Rating

An unusual melancholic adventure

Beautifully written with a typical Kazuo Ishiguro unreliable narrator, this novel however, is not about self-delusion this time. It's a collective memory loss, a post-Arthurian quest that questions the value of remembering. It is written as a fable so the style may appear stilted and formal, and it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I found the plot beguiling.

Ishiguro ventures in the Tolkien-world of medieval fantasy in which an elderly couple, who seem to be suffering a fog of memory loss, attempt to reconnect with their son by journeying across the lands. On their way, they face dangers from opposing forces, that try to hinder their progress.

This is a powerful treatment of memories, the passage of time and the enduring love of a couple living many years together. Nothing is over-stated, even the moments of high drama. A strange collection of characters but all of them wholly believable. Overall, this book rewards patience and reflection, a devastating portrayal of love in old age and it's a fantastic metaphor for the way nations forget/remember traumatic events.

Kudos

David McK (3770 KP) rated Alien Hunters (Alien Hunters, #1) in Books

Jan 30, 2019

Hmmm ... I'm not quite sure how to classify this.

Science-fiction? Certainly.
Comedy? In parts, yes.

Perhaps some classification in line with [b: The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy|372299|The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy A Trilogy in Five Parts|Douglas Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322913171s/372299.jpg|42028477], or even with [b: Red Dwarf: infinty Welcomes Careful Drivers|70956|Red Dwarf Omnibus (Red Dwarf Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers & Better Than Life) |Grant Naylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348229137s/70956.jpg|68744].

I actually picked this up as part of a freebie the author was doing when I felt like a change of pace after reading several heavy(ish), 'serious' books in a row, more out of a sense of curiosity than anything else.

This was definitley a lot lighter fare than any of the books I had read in recent memory - I think I zipped through it in something like 2 or 3 days - raising the occassional wry chuckle, but failing to leave any permanent mark on my memory.

In food terms, like eating a biscuit rather than a full meal - tides you over, but never fully satisfies!