Modlitba pro Kateřinu Horovitzovou

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war, held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable. Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise. This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable. Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise. This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.

This book is a pure and simple, masterfully crafted work of art. It is the rare book that can bring tears to my eyes, and this one did, easily and unexpectedly. It is short, simple, concise, beautiful and so profoundly moving. It will surely stay with any reader long after it is put down.

This is an incredibly chilling and well crafted holocaust story. Twenty, very wealthy, Jewish American men have been rounded up. They are ostensibly being held in anticipation of their exchange for German prisoners of war, held by the American government. The supposed terms for them, however, include the proviso that they must pay for their expenses while they are guests of the Gestapo. They must pay for all expenses necessary for their repatriation. The Americans agree. They choose to believe that this will be done, despite evidence to the contrary. Their need for self-deception is very high, as the alternative is unthinkable.Katerina has joined them, after one of the Americans took pity on her and paid the Germans to include her in their package deal. She, too, is hopeful and patient, watching, waiting...until that one moment when all becomes unmistakably clear, and hope is wrenched from the depths of her innocence. It is then that Katerina is quiet no longer. She chooses a requiem of her own devise.This is a stunning novel in which the experience of the author, who himself spent time in various death camps during World War II, manifests itself in the book in the form of a mood so chilling and diabolical, as to make the reader take pause and wonder at man's inhumanity to man.