While I was away, I read three very interesting books.
First: The Post American Presidency by Pamella Gellar and Robert Spencer.
It was really well written and engaging, plus it contained a lot of information about the President that I was not aware of. Very well researched and thorough. I highly recommend this book.
Second: Hanns and Rudolf: The True Story of the German Jew Who Tracked Down the Kommandant of Auschwitz
This is a must read.
It is the story of a German Jew (and his family) who made it to England, joined the British army (along with his brother) and eventually captured Rudolf Hoss, the commander of Auschwitz. I would be shocked if the story was not made into a movie a la Defiance. The book was written by the grandson of Hanns. It is an absolutely incredible story. Quick, easy reading with incredible family photos and anecdotes. Made me very proud of the Jews who fought and understood the evil, and carried on with good lives, and never forgot-not ever. It was fantastic.
Third: Mission at Nuremberg: An American Army Chaplain and the Trial of the Nazis
I have to admit this one took a little more time to get into, but once I persisted, I found the story very interesting and it definitely revealed a lot about the Christian concepts of salvation, forgiveness, mercy and others. I think the chaplain did actually accomplish his mission of ministering to the Nazis he was assigned to, but as a Jew with connections to the Holocaust, a lot of the book made me very uncomfortable and even angry at times.
I personally am more of an advocate of Churchill's position on the captured Nazis-that they should have only wasted one bullet on each of them with a shot to the head. Unfortunately, other forces prevailed.
The thing that really bothered me the most about the book is how close this chaplain became to Goering-that's of course, bad enough. But he was so smitten by him and his family that even after the war, he continue to send 'care packages' from himself and his community to Goering's family.
Once I read that, I pretty much lost all respect for him and his mission, even though there were many moving moments in the book that made me very sympathetic to his ministering to the prisoners, and his attempts to have them take communion, and seek salvation before their executions.
Anyway, if any of my readers decides to pick up any of these books, I would be happy to hear your thoughts on them.
