If Not Now, When?: Amazon.ca: Primo Levi: Books

Product Description

Book Description

Primo Levi was among the greatest witnesses to twentieth-century atrocity. In this gripping novel, based on a true story, he reveals the extraordinary lives of the Russian, Polish and Jewish partisans trapped behind enemy lines during the Second World War. Wracked by fear, hunger and fierce rivalries, they link up, fall apart, struggle to stay alive and to sabotage the efforts of the all-powerful German army. A compelling tale of action, resistance and epic adventure, it also reveals Levi's characteristic compassion and deep insight into the moral dilemmas of total war. It ranks alongside "The Period Table" and "If This is a Man" as one of the rare authentic masterpieces of our times. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Writer Primo Levi (1919-1987), an Italian Jew, did not come to the wide attention of the English-reading audience until the last years of his life. A survivor of the Holocaust and imprisonment in Auschwitz, Levi is considered to be one of the century's most compelling voices, and THE PERIODIC TABLE is his most famous book. Levi is also the author of the forthcoming Modern Classics: MOMENTS OF REPRIEVE. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
"In my village there weren't many clocks. Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars A great story, sad, moving and motivating, Aug 27 2000

By

AA "ashour001" (Newton, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Not Now, When? (Paperback)

....A very little known fact of World War II, was the work of the
Jewish Resistance. Millions of European Jews perished in the
holocaust, specifically being hunted, for no reason but their origin.
Many run away, a few managed to hide and there also were the Jewish
Partisans; those who fought back.

If not now .. when?, is an
absolutely beautiful story of those brave souls who fought the
oppression. This is not a graphic book of the suffering of the
holocaust; this is a great novel about a group of people who despite
of all the suffering keep moving forward. They do hold it together,
they make friends, love, sing, and cry, celebrate and mourn. This is
not a war story, it is a people story, and how they changed and
adapted, how they kept going. Yes, the overused expression of
"triumph of the human spirit" so appropriately describes the
theme of the book, but not always; Levi is realistic enough to see to
that.

I was profoundly touched by this book and thoroughly enjoyed
it as a non-Jew. I never saw this book as a journey to
Palestine....These were people rising up to fight injustice and to
stay alive, they largely moved aimlessly. To interpret this book as a
part of the zinonist movement would in my opinion be wrong.

This is
translated book, it is excellent in English, and it must have been
even better in Italian. I wish I could read it in its original
language.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Levi, July 20 2000

By

D. Bannister (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: If Not Now, When? (Paperback)

I went through a period when I was choosing (who knows why) only thin books to read. In my search I found To The Lighthouse and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I also found Periodic Table by Levi. The book was shatteringly good. Who was this man? Why hadn't I heard his name mentioned before in the pantheon of Holocaust authors and literature?

If Not Now, When? is classic Levi. In his immutable style he weaves the tale of Jewish partisans making their way across Eastern Europe into Italy in the final 18 months of WWII. Levi doesn't stretch, he doesn't aggrandize, he doesn't use hyperbole. His telling is straight and clean and true. Many authors have grandly failed to described the chaos in the final months of the war. In his direct style, Levi accomphishes it amazingly.

It seems authors and their works always find their place in the world. But Levi didn't in his lifetime and he hasn't yet in ours. He deserves to be read and acknowledged as one of the best.

(Please Note: I, in principal, believe that the rating of reviewers seriously affects the alturism of the review process. Therefore I request that you do NOT indicate if this review has helped you or not)

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5.0 out of 5 stars If am not for myself, who will be for me?, Jun 18 2000

By

Esther Nebenzahl - See all my reviews

This review is from: If Not Now, When? (Paperback)

"If am not for myself, who will be for me? If am for myself alone, what am I? If not now, when." This is a famous passage of Rabbi Hillel, and they are the appropriate words to use as title for this book. It is a fictional narrative of a group of Jewish partisans, following their track from Russia to Italy, along 1943/45. Without sensationalism, avoiding detailed descriptions of horror, and using a touch of humor, Primo Levi describes the hardships of partisans who rebelled against injustice armed themselves and carried their own personal war against the enemy, united by a commmon goal to reach Palestine. Interesting characters are developed, and a narrative always with tension and emotion. A Tale of heroism based on documented records of WWII. Primo Levi is not evasive when it comes to his honest thoughts about the enemies (whether Germans, Russians, or Polish) but his message is one of universal human solidarity. Beautifully written, with a fantastic human touch.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read
While the book isn't a true story, the characters are based on real people Primo Levi met during the holocaust. Read more

Published on April 22 2002 by stacci

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping tale of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstan
This fictional account of Jewish partisans fighting their way through war ravaged eastern Europe is incredibly moving. Read more

Published on April 22 2001 by R. J. Marsella