THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH

THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH by Eddie Jaku

New York Times Bestseller The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku is the perfect read if you need an addition to a WWII study or if you are on the hunt for a great read about gratitude coming out of extremely difficult situations.

Born into a close, Jewish family in Leipzig, Germany, Eddie experienced first hand the Nazi atrocities done to the Jewish people. Losing his beloved family members and many of his friends to concentration camps and acts of violence, Eddie found the will to survive and honor those who were lost by being thankful for every day he had on the earth. Valuing friendships and helping others in need kept him going during the darkest of days.

Despite his thankfulness, it took Eddie many years before he could speak of the horror and loss he witnessed. He was unable to share the details with even his family directly. Eddie remarks in his book that when he looked at his son it was as though he were looking in the face of his father whom he had lost. Once he decided to begin telling his story, he shared it with thousands of people to hopefully help curb the hatred that fuels the violence we see today against certain groups/nationalities.

While not an easy read, books like these are so important to read. Many times our worst days are dust particles in the wind compared to what the Jewish people faced, and sometimes we need a reminder of that.

HEADS UP- While not gory, this story does share the attempted destruction of the Jews. There are several examples of friends and loved ones dying. It is very heartbreaking at times.