2024 the best luck of my life review

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(as of Nov 19, 2024 16:59:21 UTC - Details)

The powerful, true story of a Holocaust survivor told by her daughter—a tale that reminds us of the resilience of the soul and the ability of the heart to heal.

As Mira is nearing the end of her life, her daughter Rachelle wants to find out how her mother had lived through four concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and a Death March. There was a mystery to her survival, it seemed—which perhaps had something to do with the strange things that always happened around her. And, incredibly, when giving testimony later in life, she says that it was during this time—despite witnessing the depths of man’s cruelty—that she learned about “the goodness of people.”

Born in Czechoslovakia, Mira was only 12 years old when World War II broke out. At 88, living in Australia, she is diagnosed with cancer, and her journalist daughter decides to interview her to distract her from her illness. What Rachelle discovers about her mother helps her fit together the jigsaw pieces of her own life. A Brilliant Life portrays not only how remote a prospect it was to live through the Holocaust, but what it is like to be the child of a survivor. 

A story of love, loss, wonder and the deepest kind of faith, A Brilliant Life questions the role that fate, chance and destiny play in one's life. It is a tribute to family, a story of incredible resilience and a chronicle of the deep connection between mother and child that not even death can destroy. 

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Paperbacks (November 28, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063328755
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063328754
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.68 x 8 inches
Reviewer: David M. Baron
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A captivating and immersive true-life story that held my attention from start to finish...
Review: I absolutely loved every aspect of this book. It's a captivating and immersive true-life story that held my attention from start to finish. I found myself completely captivated, finishing it in just two days.The talented author beautifully weaves an unforgettable narrative for readers of all generations, focusing on her loving mother, Mira Unreich, of blessed memory. 'A Brilliant Life' unveils the powerful journey of an incredible woman who not only survived the horrors of the Holocaust but also imparted invaluable lessons on living life to the fullest - a message that resonates powerfully even today. This book is a must-read, offering a profound and inspiring story that leaves a lasting impact.

Reviewer: lisa
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: easy read, beautiful story of hope, survival and love in the face of brutality
Review: I absolutely LOVED this memoir. I couldn't put it down and finished in a few days. I loved it so much I bought the Australian version (with pictures) and started reading it again! The memoir is easy to read, provides lots of historical context and tells the story of Mira's life journey from her early days surviving to her later days thriving. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to see a first person account of hope, survival and love in the face of human brutality.

Reviewer: Librarian
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Interesting read
Review: A different read of a Holocaust memoir by a second generation author. She skillfully combines her mother’s history with her own life, connecting experiences and impact. Well done

Reviewer: Kindle CustomerJean
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Compelling Story
Review: This book gave me a specific understanding how one woman survived the Holocaust. By her own account that should not have to the case. One point at the end I would have liked clarified. The author mentions finding information that her mother had been picked for selection by Mengele, but doesn't clarify how Mira avoided that. Or if Ms Unreich did cover it I must have missed it. For the rest of her book, I was caught up in her mother's life.

Reviewer: NCMarygirl
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Life is what you make it
Review: Loved this book. It about an elderly female Holocaust survivor who refused to live in the past and not be bitter. She took life by the horns and lived a wonder life with family, friends, etc. Great motivation for anyone who suffered severe trauma earlier in life.

Reviewer: openmypages
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Brilliant Life
Review: {3.5 stars}Mira is dying and her daughter wants to know more about her history. They currently live in Australia but she knows her mother and her family were victims of the Holocaust. The story flips back and forth in the beginning as we get to know Mira now and as a youth in Czechoslovakia as the war reached her small village. We hear about her family first in hiding and then separated, where Mira ends up in being moved through various concentration camps suffering more and more leading up to the Death March and her final liberation. It then goes on to tell her post war struggles and how she ended up in Australia.What I really appreciated about this story was that amidst all of the struggles, pains and horrors of the Holocaust, Mira told her stories focused on the kindnesses she experienced and the little moments that made a difference to her survival. It was a take on a Holocaust story that I hadn't heard before. I so admired her resilience and her desire to move on with her life and not let suffering and loss define her. My only issue with the book was the chunk at the end that focused more on the daughter's life, I get what she was trying to do by emphasizing the legacy of her mother and embracing her faith but that bit was a little too long and lacking the drama and intensity of the first 2/3s of the book.Thanks to Harper for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

Reviewer: MJO in NC
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Birthday gift
Review: My niece asked for this book for her birthday. She was excited when she opened it.

Reviewer: Pamela J. Lewis
Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Just “So-So”
Review: I kept waiting for something to happen in this book, but nothing, almost as if Mira actually shared any real story of her time spent in the camps. Maybe she protected her family from those horrors ? I lost interest and it is pretty hard to finish this book.. I would not recommend.. So sorry to the author..

Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This is a beautiful tale written so well that it felt like reading a piece of music. The way the author weaves the story from her mothers to her own and back again happens with such gentle ease you find yourself flowing with the tale. As a mother myself I found this inspiring and a good reminder to always look for the good in difficult situations and the goodness in others. A wonderful and uplifting book, which is not always how you would describe a story about surviving the holocaust - but it is. Cannot recommend enough!

Reviewer: An uplifting a beautiful story of a young woman’s survival
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: It’s an uplifting and beautiful story not only of survival but a woman who made the decision to thrive and find joy and kindness in life. Beautifully written and highly Recomended.

Reviewer: Debbie Jurblum
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This was a superbly written biography of a very courageous woman. An absolute must read! Giving me such inspiration, I must now finish my own family’s story!

Reviewer: VK
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Not a huge fan of holocaust books as I have read several and didn’t feel the need for more, however this book moved more than any other book I have read. I marvelled at the incredible positivity of someone who had every right to feel bitter and cheated, yet Mira proved that positivity is far more powerful.

Reviewer: Karen Marshall
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I loved this book! It resonated with me due to my background. It also brought back special memories of my grandparents and other family members who experienced similar things but despite these hardships were the most inspiring and lovable people