What a terrible story!!!  To me reading this book was like sitting through several hours of the commercials of the kids who are malnourished in Africa, or the dogs and cats that have no homes.  This book really did give me bad dreams.  I haven't read a lot of novels about concentration camps.  Of course as a history major, I do know the awful things that happened.  I didn't enjoy reading this book.  I do agree with all the critics that it is a good book.  To me this was like how Kirsten explained that she can faint when things get too graphic.  This was that kind of book to me.  The worst part about this book was that you can't tell yourself that it isn't real. 

I was amazed my the love Elie had for his father.  Even when people told him to stop taking his father food when he couldn't move, Elie still took him food and coffee.  I would like to think I would do the same, but even in the book there are parts where sons give up on their fathers. 

I don't know if my instinct to live would be strong enough to live through something like that.  I would have given up early on in the beginning.  The fear of being burned or beat to death would consume me.  There was one part where they had to run so much in a blizzard and they had to keep each other awake so they didn't freeze to death.

I just can't fathom how people could treat each other like that.  I don't allow my husband or son to kill bugs.  I can't stand people who make their animals sleep outside.  I want to have a pet cow and let it in the house and I would give it baths.  This book is just scary!  I really hope nothing like this ever happens again.