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Summary: Can Exile be a Blessing in Disguise?
Review: Esther Rudomin, an upper middle class girl living in Vilna, Poland, is only 10 years old that fateful day in June of 1941, when her family and many other Jews are abruptly deported by Soviet soldiers. Horrified she sees her peaceful, happy world being shattered; she experiences shock at not being able to pack her precious photo albums and confusion at being labeled capitalistic enemies of the People. Under inhumane conditions some 150 Poles are herded into a cattle car, confined there for 6 wretched weeks heading ever eastward, across the Urals, on into the endless steppes of Siberia. Finally they stagger out into broiling sun, to learn that they will provide slave labor for a gympsum mine. No longer a privileged little girl, Esther becomes a lowly deportee for the next five years, struggling with heavy burdens: intense Siberian winters, loss of extended family, hunger, arctic storms, difficult agricultural work, a new language, outgrown clothing, snobby kids and callous adults. But this plucky girl creates a new life for herslf in this outpost of humanity; she learns to set goals, make friends, win academic respect--to do whatever is necessary in order to Survive. The dream of eventual freedom after the war--to return to her beloved Vilna--motivates and inspires her to endure incredible challenges. Family values are a priority of course, yet she gradually learns to appreciate and even love the seemingly harsh plains of Russia. But will she be able to fit in back home, after having been Siberianized? To her amazement she discovers that coming of age, even in exile, can still be wonderful!
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Summary: A Super Steppe
Review: Esther's life is perfect. She loves her parents, has everything she wants, and has a lot of friends. When she and her family are exiled to Siberia during World War II because her father is a capitalist, her world is turned upside down. Esther has to adjust to all the changes. She goes from a pretty, little, rich girl to a poor, dirty, hard-working girl. At one point in the book, a pair of shoes becomes her greatest desire. When first arriving in Siberia, she just misses her toys and books, but later on she discovers the importance of family. This is an amazing autobiographical book. Esther Hautzig wrote The Endless Steppe with great descriptions and plenty of dialogue. She said, "The conversations are not exactly accurate, for then I was speaking Russian or Yiddish or Polish, but the content is [accurate]." I loved the way the author described the cold, empty steppe of Siberia compared to her easy, comfortable life in Vilna, Poland. When I finished this book I realized everything I take for granted. The characters in this story were extremely lucky if they got a shower or a piece of meat. I could not put this book down. I can't believe anyone would be able to live through these experiences. I was amazed at the description of being stuck in a closed cattle car on the way to Siberia for six weeks. The Endless Steppe has a clear and interesting plot. I think this is a heartfelt book with a powerful meaning.
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Summary: it sure is endless
Review: Esther's wonderfully sincere and illustrative writing will hold even an adult's attention from cover to cover. I have read it over and over again for the last 22 years. As a child in 1979 at age 11, I found myself in my family's frozen garden pretending to be Esther herself, wandering through Siberia in search of frozen potatoes. When I would take a bath, after playing in the snow and getting chilled, I would revel in the marvelous heat of the water and imagine I had just been given a rare cake of soap. When thirsty, I would make myself wait for a drink of cool water from the tap until my throat was parched, so that the first drip of water on my tongue would be heavenly. I would then suck the water into my cheeks as Esther did and swallow very slowly, trying to make it last. My younger sister and I would walk into my dad's livestock truck and pretend we were on a cattle car headed for the Steppe, and we would make a makeshift hut under a log fort we had near the barnyard. Esther's life story filled my thoughts, my days and my head for years following, and reminded me to always care for others and not to take my life in rural United States for granted. Esther wrote in a way that made me feel as if I had somehow managed to form a personal friendship with her. In 1995, I was able to speak with Esther on the phone, and I have never forgotten that wonderful conversation. Talking with her (she still has a very noticable accent) was as if the book itself came to life, because I realized I was actually visiting with the woman who was the couragous child in the book. Esther's writing encouraged me to be thankful, to be grateful, to be kind, and to never give up. I majored in journalism in college, and though I have never had such an extreme happening in my lifetime, I hope to eventually put down in words something that will touch other's lives as Esther Hautzig touched mine.
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Summary: For 26 years, this story has lived with me.
Review: I was 12 years old when I read this book in Kingston Jamaica as part of my 8th grade English Literature Programme. It was my first introduction to the inhumanities human beings inflict upon each other. I have read Esther Hautzig's story at least 25 times over the years and each time I read it, my heart and soul is filled with compassion, fear, tears, joy, courage, and a whole gamet of emotions. Her ability to describe the events of her and her family's exile to Siberia in such explicit detail is one of the most incredible attributes I could bestow upon her. I believe that the greatest crime one can commit is a crime of the spirit, and Esther Rudomin, in spite of her ordeal, managed to find a way to hold on to her zest for life. Her spirit just completely explodes in every page, every word of her book. She lives within my heart, and her courage to live has been a guiding force in my life since I was 12 years old. I am now 38.
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Summary: WWII from a different perspective¿
Review: It's during 1942 when little Esther Rudomin's life changes forever. A resident of Poland, who lived a comfortable life with her parents and extended family, Esther, along with her father, mother and grandparents are arrested by the Russians, suspected of being "capitalists" and ripped from their home. They are piled into cattle cars, their destination unknown. When the train finally stops, they realize they are in the harsh region of Siberia. For the next long five years, Esther recounts the struggles her family go through for food, clothing and shelter. We also see how Esther tries to fit in as a young teenager in the Siberian society. I found the book opened my eyes to an event I knew nothing about, while at the same time revealing to me the Siberian way of life during WWII.
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Summary: The Bond of Family
Review: �The Endless Steppe� is the true story of ten-year old Esther, who survived in completely strange surroundings. The story takes place during World War II, when the Russian government stated that capitalists were the political enemy and arrested them all. At the time, Esther was living peacefully in Vilna, Poland, with her parents and grandmother who were capitalists. However, her happy life ended when two soldiers forcefully entered her house and arrested her and her family. They were all sent to Siberia where the steppe continues endlessly and worked many years in the mines. When I read this book, I was surprised by how such a young child could survive in such a strange harsh environment. Everything was taken away, and they had barely enough money, clothes, and food to live on. The new house, new school, language, environment, every thing is new to her. But Esther always tries to enjoy her life. Everyone in Esther's family also has a difficult time in their new surroundings. The parents got new jobs and they had to work really hard. However, their common hardship knits the family together. They support each other in order to remain alive. From this book, I learned about the lives of people in Russia during the World War II. I believe there were many children like Esther in Russia, but not many of them could live like her. Her resolution, passion, and strong family bond make her strong in her new environment. It is a great book and I strongly recommend it.
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Summary: A Relatively Unknown Part of the Holocaust Experience
Review: One day i was in the library when i remebered i needed a book for my english class. So i could read during silent reading time.... and i just glanced at it and picked it for its cover.. and i guess i judged by its cover and it came out to be a pretty good book....and i recommend this book to people who like suspense and curiosity for what is going to happen next....
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Summary: A good book
Review: The book is about a wealthy Polish family who is sent to Siberia because of their liberal thoughts. They were taken from their home in Poland and sent to a labor camp in the steppe region of Siberia. The youngest in the family is Esther, a young girl who is the narrator and author of this true story. The setting is Poland but quickly moves to the snowy, brutal steppe. The book tells of the terrible conditions of the family's imprisonment. This book is both suspenseful and reflective. The family goes through many hard times such as poverty and starvation and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next. Esther had a hard life but she survived to write about it. This book teaches the reader about what happened to all the persecuted families in eastern Europe.
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Summary: Must Read
Review: The book, The Endless Steppe is a realistic story that keeps you turning the pages. It is worthwhile to read. The story was published in 1986. The author of this book is Esther Hautzig. Mr. Stevenson inspired her to write about her experience in Siberia. Hautzig wrote a few other books, which have no relationship with the Holocaust. The purpose of this piece of literature was to teach others the hardships people had to deal with during a war and how Jews felt during the Holocaust. It shows the problems the" prisoners" faced and how harshly they were treated. The Endless Steppe is a dramatic novel. The Endless Steppe is a novel that should be cherished. The story line is very dramatic and full of sorrow. In the begging of the tale Esther, Tata, Raya and Grandma are forced out of their beloved homes in Poland by the Nazis. They travel in cattle cars for six weeks. The Rubomin family finally reach their destination, Siberia, where they are labors of the gypsum mine. Later Esther and her family move to the village, in the little city they find better jobs and attend school. In the end Esther, Tata, Raya and Grandma all return back to Poland. The plot of this story doesn't have as much action as Tom Sawyer, but it is still intriguing. There are many problems the characters encounter during the course of the novel. The events that take place are very emotional and touching. Many of the events are melancholy. The drama gives the book more "life". Hautzig is descriptive. She describes every scene in the novel. The reader can imagine the places even though there are no pictures and all the people come to life. Unlike Tom Sawyer this book was simpler to read. There was rarely dialect. The vocabulary was mot very challenging in this story. The plot is easier to follow, because there were not as many mini- adventures like the other class novel. The reader got many events in the story mix up. There was too much happening at once, but The Endless Steppe is not nearly as confusing. The characters were well developed. It was simple to comprehend their feelings. The audience immediately knew if they were down hearted, frustrated, or merry. Each person in The Endless Steppe was totally different. Everyone had a unique personality. Esther was very optimistic when her mom never had any hope. The fact that the characters in the story were real people who lived though the same torture help them seem more like they were from 1940's and they lived through this terrible time period. The character's physical description is not one of Hautzig strong areas, however. She gave a very brief portrait of the people. The reader could not picture what Tata or Nikita looked like. The Endless Steppe is packed with themes and messages. One of the authors messages was to treasure all that you own. During a battle everything is rare. There is only a little bit of everything. Even paper and sugar seem like gold during war. Those who are well off should feel lucky and never waste anything. The Holocaust was a very difficult time for the Jewish society. They had to farm or work in factories for a small sum in order to support their families. They loved many loved ones and faced many problems. The Jews always felt insecure and frightened the Nazis would take them to Concentration camps. Esther shows the reader all the downs the Jews went though. The author takes the audiences through the same torture. She makes them feel sorrow and pity for the Jews. She wants us to understand that a slaughter, could have happen to any other race also, not only happened to the Jews but. Hauzing hopes that everyone will help those in need, by donating money and praying for those in war. There was not a lot of symbolism in this novel. One symbol that was used however was that left foot first would start a bad day. On the morning the Nazi soldiers came and took Esther and her family always from Poland, Esther stepped out the door left foot first. That day turned out to be a day in inferno for everyone. The second example of symbolism is that a fine start is a wonderful end. The main character was transferred to another school. There she met fabulous teacher from rich Moscow. After that scene all went well. Esther fell and love and soon Tata, Raya, and grandma were back in Poland. Many parts in the book were well written but two of them really stood out. The scene where Esther was trapped in a buran (natural disaster) is one of the few sections of the book which are loaded with excitement and engagement. It is very tense, too. The horrifying words made the scene more frightening. The reader would wonder if girl could survive such a powerful storm. When that part of the story ends and Esther is saved the whole audience feels a sense of relief and gladness. This part of the tale was full of emotions. The ending of The Endless Steppe was a meaningful section, too. It was prefect it tied the whole story together. The ending was a joyful and uplifting part in the novel. The Endless Steppe was an intriguing novel that was thought provoking, and informative. This book would appeal to any group of young adults (12-17), who enjoy reading about tragedies or are interested in the Holocaust. The book is one of the best novels. The plot is capturing. The characters are developed and realistic. There is no way that this novel can be improved. All in all The Endless Steppe is a fine piece of literature.
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Summary: The Endless Steppe
Review: The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig is a wonderful book. It is a biography of Esther's life, and how she had to survive the Holocaust. Her family is taken from their beautiful home in Vilna, Poland because they are "capitalists, enemies of the people." Esther is given 10 minutes to pack when she doesn't even know where she's going. They end up being sent to the steppe in Siberia which is, to Esther, the middle of nowhere. She is put to work doing hard labor for five years. Her family has to do equally as hard activities against their will. Weeding potato fields and dynamiting mines become second nature to the Rudomin family after a while. When Esther is sent to a poorly established school an hour walk from her home. She has many of the same worries that teenagers today have to face. She wants to fit in more than anything in the world. Accomplishing her goal is much more than easy. Esther is just like any average teenager today only she can't take anything for granted or she will not survive. Esther Hautzig is an amazing author and her story was definitely worth telling. Her style of writing is so moving that I couldn't put the book down. The Endless Steppe is such a moving book and it is definitely one of my favorites.
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