54 pages • 1 hour read
The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor
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Book Brief
208
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Germany • 1930s
2020
Adult
13+ years
Super Short Summary
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku is a 2020 nonfiction memoir recounting Eddie's journey from an idyllic childhood in Leipzig, Germany, through the horrors of Auschwitz, and ultimately to his survival and liberation in 1945. Using resilience, shrewdness, and luck, Eddie loses most of his family to the Holocaust but emerges with a message of hope, believing that happiness is the best revenge. The book discusses genocide, torture, murder, forced starvation, mass extermination, and suicidal ideation.
Inspirational
Emotional
Hopeful
Heartwarming
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
109,915 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Eddie Jaku's The Happiest Man On Earth offers a poignant and inspirational memoir highlighting resilience and optimism. Praised for its heartfelt storytelling and life-affirming messages, it occasionally attracts criticism for its simplistic narrative style. Overall, it's a moving testament to the human spirit, resonating deeply with readers seeking hope.
Who Should Read The Happiest Man On Earth?
Readers who would appreciate The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku are those drawn to poignant, inspirational memoirs with historical contexts. Fans of Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and Elie Wiesel's Night would find comparable themes of resilience, hope, and human spirit in Jaku's narrative.
109,915 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Eddie’s Father (Isidore Jakubowicz)
Eddie’s Father (Isidore Jakubowicz)
A Polish immigrant in Germany who works as a mechanic and shows fierce patriotism, he ensures his son's education by creating a false identity to shield him from antisemitism.
Kurt Hirschfeld
Kurt Hirschfeld
Eddie's close friend from the Buchenwald concentration camp who provides crucial support and companionship during their time together in Auschwitz.
Flore Molho
Flore Molho
Eddie's wife who enters his life after the war, bringing love and joy that help him find happiness and rebuild after his traumatic past.
208
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Germany • 1930s
2020
Adult
13+ years
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