Despite the recent trends towards e-books, the fact remains that books and reading in general are vital for the world. Books offer a way to tell stories, present information, keep historical records, and much more. When it comes to Holocaust books, the stories and horrors within may be hard to deal with, but they are still incredibly important for us to read, reference, and even write. Holocaust books may focus on various subjects related to the Holocaust, but all of them likely contain powerful, heart-wrenching stories of death, terror, and – hopefully – triumph in the end.
The most celebrated Holocaust books are actually written by those who survived the horrors of the camps. Many Holocaust survivors wrote of their experiences after the war ended, or even during it. Books like The Diary of Anne Frank or Night by Elie Wisesl are examples of these books and are well worth looking at to get an accurate understanding of just what life was like during this terrible period of time.
In other cases, basic reference books are important options to consider. Filled with facts, figures, and usually with photographs showing the extent of the horror that the Nazis inflicted on the Jews, Holocaust reference books are as painful to read as any on the subject. However, they're important since they provide a less emotional and more factual look at the events of the holocaust. For many, this is the best way to understand the atrocities that occurred during this time.
There are also fictional stories and books that use the Holocaust as a backdrop. Books like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas have gotten much acclaim, though in some cases certain facts may be distorted slightly for the sake of fiction. Other real-life stories are written in a kind of novel format, such as Schindler's List. In both cases, plot and narrative are underscored by the horrors that are occurring throughout the book.
The Holocaust was without question humanity's lowest point. That a group of people could visit such terrors on others is hard to understand and difficult to comprehend. But it did occur, and today Holocaust books help ensure that those who deny it occurred don't have a rational voice or argument. Whether fictional accounts, real-life stories, or factual reference style books, Holocaust related books are a must for any library and will ensure that history doesn't repeat its mistakes and that such a terrible event won't happen again.
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