Oskar Schindler (Importance of)

Rating:
Summary: A fine exposition of a complex man, accessible to children
Review: After seeing "Schindler's List," I was curious to know the real Oskar Schindler. I wanted enough history to place Schindler in the context of his times, but it was the man himself who intrigued me. This book did not disappoint me. Schindler was a flawed man who showed great nobility when he found other people's lives in his hands. A carouser and a womanizer who failed in his marriage, and a less-than-successful businessman, he was nevertheless one of the most courageous men of the twentieth century, risking the most fearful reprisals to save his Jewish employees from murder by Nazis. The beauty of this book is that it is not inaccessibly deep--most children grades 6 and up can read and comprehend it. Because movies sometimes seem unreal to children, this book is a fine way to show them that Schindler was not a superhero, but a superior human being in ways they can admire. As an Assistant Librarian, I am happy to report that Mr. Roberts' version of the life of Oskar Schindler is an outstanding item in the biography section of our children's room, but that it circulates widely among our adult patrons as well.

Rating:
Summary: A fine exposition of a complex man, accessible to children
Review: After seeing "Schindler's List," I was curious to know the real Oskar Schindler. I wanted enough history to place Schindler in the context of his times, but it was the man himself who intrigued me. This book did not disappoint me. Schindler was a flawed man who showed great nobility when he found other people's lives in his hands. A carouser and a womanizer who failed in his marriage, and a less-than-successful businessman, he was nevertheless one of the most courageous men of the twentieth century, risking the most fearful reprisals to save his Jewish employees from murder by Nazis. The beauty of this book is that it is not inaccessibly deep--most children grades 6 and up can read and comprehend it. Because movies sometimes seem unreal to children, this book is a fine way to show them that Schindler was not a superhero, but a superior human being in ways they can admire. As an Assistant Librarian, I am happy to report that Mr. Roberts' version of the life of Oskar Schindler is an outstanding item in the biography section of our children's room, but that it circulates widely among our adult patrons as well.