NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERInspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive—and to reunite—We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds. “Love in the face of global adversity? It couldn’t be more timely.” —Glamour It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are … is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.
As one sibling is forced into exile, another attempts to flee the continent, while others struggle to escape certain death, either by working grueling hours on empty stomachs in the factories of the ghetto or by hiding as gentiles in plain sight. Driven by an unwavering will to survive and by the fear that they may never see one another again, the Kurcs must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to persevere.
An extraordinary, propulsive novel, We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.
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Excellent period novel!
It is a well written book about a real family that survived the holocaust. The author is the granddaughter of one of the main characters.
This story follows the Kurc family – 3 generations in total – starting in 1939. WW II is about to being, and this family is Jewish. They live in the town of Radom, Poland, but soon they are split up. Some flee, some are forced into exile, and some are sent to concentration camps. Each person has a story to share, and their struggle to survive is propelled that some day they will see each other again.
This was the first book I have read about WWII where the characters were from Poland. I have read how bad it was in Poland, but to read the horror on these pages made it that much more forefront in my mind. The story, over all, was good. Each chapter dove into the lives of certain members of this family, and told the story of what was happening to them on a personal level. But each chapter was also connecting those characters to the rest of their family. All of them working on a common goal to get back to each other no matter what.
If I had to give any criticism about the book is that it was a bit too long. I found my mind wondering at some points – feeling that things were too drawn out. This made it a little slow moving, and some chapters were better than others. Some of the stories were heart wrenching and I couldn’t stop reading until the end of the chapter. Yet others dragged.
Overwall- good book. I would recommend it with the knowledge that there might be times where you want to skim.
i thought it was a realky good read i really wanted to keep reading i usually skip the parts about where the author writes but i really wanted to know more by the end of the book i feel like there family was mine.
Very informative & a page turner.
This book delivers all the promise and drama imaginable from one family’s true story. Georgia Hunter’s novel presents the story of her own Jewish ancestors, from their successful lives in Poland in the late 1930s through the end of World War II, and a bit beyond. And through them we witness all the danger, courage, and determination that is so often part of any survivor’s story.
Sol and Nechuma Kurc and their five grown children live lives rich in culture, tradition, and love. All are multi-dimensional characters you will come to care about.
Slowly, the war encroaches on those lives. First, affecting only distant lands. Soon, arriving on their doorstep. What is most believable is their continual optimism and belief that things can’t get worse – when we know as readers what lies ahead of them. This, for me, was a source of continual tension as I read this story.
Through the story of the Kurcs, we explore so many different facets of the war. Like the difference between Soviet-occupied Poland and German-occupied Poland (there wasn’t much difference.) Like the need to pose as non-Jews, banishment to Siberia, work in the resistance, seeing non-Jews sheltering Jews, Jews turning in other Jews, hiding, beatings, starvation, and sudden disappearances. In short, through this one family, we see it all.
One thing that is hard to envision for us, until reading this book, is the impact unreliable and sporadic communication had, leaving family members in the dark for years about those they most care about. Georgia Hunter has given us and her family a well-written, intense, and moving gift. I suspect, like me, a few tears will be shed by all readers.
Good history
Highly recommend this book. You will not be able to put it down. Keeps you on edge until the end.
Excellent. Amazing to hear the story of a Polish family who survived the Holocaust. The strength and belief in their faith and family took them to many places before their journey ended, happily.
Loved this book. It was describing true events that happened to one family during World War II. A Jewish, Polish family is caught in the net of Nazi cruelties toward Jews. This is truly a beautiful book. One of my top favorites!
This family miraculously made it through World War II. The children went in different directions trying to survive. Their story is very inspirational.
We Were the Lucky Ones is an inspirational book about the resiliency of life. Humans are able to fight to survive and then pick up the pieces. I felt personally moved by this story. Except for the different family, this story could have been a non-Jewish tragedy of my family of origin’s journey during World War II. My Polish family was not threatened by the gas chamber, but did experience murder at the hands of the Soviets, they did experience starvation and torture also at the hands of the Soviets. This I document in my mom-fiction book, Letters from the Box in the Attic.
So many books about WWII and the Jewish experience out there… this one is an original historic fiction based on the author’s Polish family stories.
A debut novel, written fictionally and based on fact, revolving around the authors Polish Jewish family who survived the Holocaust. The chapters are dedicated to each family member separately, and their experiences from 1939, and the following decade. The writer skillfully describes how the family found an inner strength and determination unknown before the Nazi occupation. It is not a book that focuses on the camps, but how they survived mostly outside them. There were characters that I initially did not like, but ended up the ones I liked the best. This was a steady read and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in WWll Holocaust survival and history.
A easy to read, great story of a huge Jewish family and how they were affected by Hitler in Poland and other parts of the world they lived in. A real 10!
I read this book and couldn’t put it down. It was heart pounding and you felt their anguish as they went thru the nazi terror . I would trcvomend this to anyone who wants up one how it felt to be hunted by Hitler, a truly evil man!
Well, it’s hard to beat a true story. Georgia Hunter took the very real story of the Kurc family and their narrative of a daring, haunting, and dramatic survival of WWII Poland and gave it its heart. There’s a lot of text, not tons of dialogue, but a reader feels every disaster and near miss with sizzling reality.
A Polish familiy’s trials and tribulations during WWII as the family is scattered around the world. Heart-wrenching and inspirational as they seek to find the whereabouts of one another, whether dead or alive.
I am forever changed. This book will haunt me. I think everyone should have to read this today. These characters/ people experience such hate it is so hard to believe. READ IT
Everything . Well written heart breaking and true human spirit