Rating:  Summary: A good book, but some of it bothered me Review: I think that Mila 18 tells a story that must be told of the Warsaw uprising, but as someone who has read other holocaust books before, a lot of what happened in the ghetto, of the day to day suffering, starvation, and disease, seemed to be glossed over, or mentioned only briefly. The main focus of the book seemed to be on whether or not they should fight back and if so, how. I also felt that this book made the Rabbis look pretty bad. I'm not saying that a lot of Ultra-Orthadox Jews in the Ghetto and other places didn't advocate accepting suffering as God's will and not resisting, but Mr. Uris portrayed them as overly pious and fanatical, at least in my opinion. He failed to mention that the religious movement stressing suffering as God's will (Hasidism) was founded in Poland following the Chmeilnicki pogroms where tens of thousands of Jews were massacred. Those Ultra_Orthadox Jews saw nothing new in the Nazis, except they were Germans instead of Poles. The polish Underground is also known to have refused to help the Jews, and many peaseants turnes escaped Jews over to the Nazis for reward money. But there also were Poles, personified in this book by Styka and Gabi, who worked with their Jewish friends to fight the Germans. But as I thought about it later, in Mr. Uris's other books dealing with subjects unfamiliar to me, I found it shocking what atrocities occured, so I guess the majority of readers will feel the same. Like in his other books, Mr. Uris couldn't help including a few dirty scenes, as well as creating the big, strong, brilliant, undefeatable hero who is an amazing strategist and who leads his people till the end i.e. Ari in Exodus, Conor in Trinity, and in Mila18, Andrei Androdski. I guess he likes his brilliant, brawny heros, but it gecan be a bit repetitive. I still think that this is a great book and you should go out and read it, but I can think of better books.
Rating:  Summary: Heroic Review: Mila 18 is Uris' fictional tale of a real event - the Warsaw Uprising. In both historical fact and in Uris' book the story is a powerful one - how Polish Jews, imprisioned in the Ghetto without adequate housing, sanitation or food, finally rose up in resistance against the Nazis - armed with home-made weapons and pistols fighting battle-hardened veterans of a modern army. I was impressed with the wholly believabale manner in which Uris presents the story, and in his characters who are all to human. It is certainly a worthwhile read.
Rating:  Summary: Simply the best Review: MILA 18 has long held a place in my personal Top Ten. So many Holocaust stories have been written that at times the process seems almost trivialized. And this saga-like tale from Uris is a familiar one - Jewish persecution/extermination and their response in WWII Poland. But the author somehow plumbs the depth of our emotions as he describes in an unrelenting yet calm tones the consequences of evil. He does this while at the same time exploring the things we most associate with being "human" - love, bravery, family, religion, sacrifice.There will never be another scene written like the one in which the Deborah, now blind and near the end, is comforted by the children's song from her brother. It is just breath-taking, stunning in its simplicity, stirring the emotions as few passages can do. The narrative is told via the viewpoint of the foreign author/journalist who becomes an unwitting hero in the struggle against evil. There is no way to accurately describe how "real" the characters become - one could almost see Gabriella waiting at the local outdoor restaurant. These people are alive in the fullest sense of the word, flesh and blood, yearning to be free. This novel surpasses EXODUS or QB VII and is far superior to any of his later works. A must for any serious reader.
Rating:  Summary: Uris is brilliant! Review: Mila 18 is a "must read" for every educated person. Uris is a brilliant author who is able to portray the jews of a Warsaw ghetto so realistically you feel as though you know them. From the beginning of the book, you become deeply attached to the characters and cannot stop reading.
Rating:  Summary: One of the Best Book Ever Review: Fantastic. If you want a story of the triumph of humanity against the atrocities of the Nazis, this is it. One of the best books ever written IMHO. A must read
Rating:  Summary: Awesome Account of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Review: Being a "war baby" I am drawn to this period in history and have read many WWII accounts. Mila 18 is a story that I have re-read many times. After every reading, it still remains a story that "stays with me" long after the last page has been turned. If you only read one book about these events of 1943, this has to be it!
Rating:  Summary: The Nazi racist antisemite human degradation of the Jews Review: Written after a careful prior research, this book focuses on the Nazi occupation of Poland, the atrocities committed by them and the subsequent uprising of the Jewish population of the ghetto of Warsaw The perception of the events of this great book will depend on the reader: -If the reader is not Jewish he will see it as another epic story of David vs Goliath, the weak against the mighty -If the reader is Jewish he will get a huge portrait of the awful ordeal that his/her ancestors have suffered and the awful enemy they have proudly confronted in order to survive so as to preserve and pass its precious four thousand years old heritage for future generations Highly recommended for Jews interested in Antisemitism and Holocaust topics
Rating:  Summary: The voice of the uprising Review: Leon Uris's 1961 novel about the Warsaw Uprising is a timeless story of the Jewish struggle for survival against overpowering Nazi oppression. "Mila 18" presents a cast of fictional characters who appear in historical places and events of occupied Poland during WWII. Historical figures -- Hitler, Himmler, Eichmann -- are referenced frequently, but provide no dialogue in the novel. The book's title refers to the address of the Jewish resistance headquarters, and the place of much of the action and confrontation in the latter half of the story. Like other Uris novels, "Mila 18" takes some energy to plow through. Given the gravity of the subject, it might be among the most difficult of his books to read. But the effort is well worthwhile. You'll not only be rewarded with powerful storytelling, but you'll also be awakened to one of the great struggles that occurred during the dark years of the 20th century. And Leon Uris will probably be remembered as one of the most important voices of this struggle.
Rating:  Summary: A book to add to your collection Review: For a historic novel this book is better than most fiction novels.
Rating:  Summary: Wonderful Story Review: This book is certainly amoung the best I've ever read. Leon Uris has an unbelievable gift for storytelling.
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