Faithful Friends: Book Review and Giveaway
Last week I read a book you’ll laugh and cry over whether you’re a cat or dog lover. Faithful Friends is a remarkable compilation of stories of holocaust survivors’ pets who gave them comfort, suffered alongside them and waited for their return. Susan Bulanda a certified animal behavior consultant compiled the stories with grace and insight. We all know about the loss of human life during the holocaust but have you ever wondered what happened to their pets? In 1941 Hitler banned all Jews from owning pets. The gradual loss of civil rights for Jewish citizens began in 1933 and gradually encompassed every aspect of their lives.(see chronology list) Long before the ban and before wide-scale round up of Jews to concentration camps, many pets got left behind but some got lucky.
I have a personal reason for liking this book. My husband’s parents’ were survivors’ of Auschwitz and his mother had a pet Doberman named Rex. In 1939 the Gestapo arrived in her small town in Poland, spotted her dog thinking he’d be useful and stole him but Rex kept escaping, until he didn’t. We’ll never know what happened to Rex but we do discover in Faithful Friends the extraordinary power of love, faith and the human/animal bond.
Faithful Friends won the prestigious Maxwell Award offered by
the Dog Writers Association of America for being first in its category. (2013) and we’re proud to offer three lucky Cat Wisdom 101 readers the chance to win copies. To enter to win this giveaway simply leave a comment at this post before 11:59 pm EST June 8, 2013. The winners will be announced June 9, 2013. Good luck! For extra chances to win, please social media share using any of the share buttons below and mention in your comment where you shared.
Normally I like photographing our book reviews with our feline reviewing but didn’t have the heart to make them pose today. It’s a heatwave and our cats are blissfully languid on the porch like these two faithful friends, Merlin and Gris Gris.
To read an excerpt from Faithful friends, learn more about Sue and her books, visit Sue Bulanda
Speaking of faithful friends, I’m delighted so many of you turned out to celebrate our anniversary and Odin’s birthday this week! Cat lovers are the best!
31 Comments
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william schick
This is a very powerful educational meaningful well put together book,for those that enjoy History you will find this book the most interesting;without giving out any detailed information all I will say is this book is a must read…
Sophie T.
I would love to win. You have wonderful giveaways.
Tricia J
I would love to win and read these heartwarming stories.
Christine
Would love to read, sounds inspiring for all of us animal lovers! thanks for the book information, I’ll add it to my list!
Ms. Phoebe
What an enticing read this book sounds like for my Mom to read along with me. We love the story about mewz in-laws dog, his love for them and disgust for the Nazi’s was evident and proof of we animal’s intelligence when it comes to perceiving a human’s true nature. In this case Rex knew the Nazi’s were evil, and it’s sad to think how animals were amongst the many victims of this awful regime. May something like this never happen again. *shudders*
Judi Daly
Sounds like a terrific book to read.
Cynthia Southern
I am so glad your husband’s parents survived this awful time but I am sorry they lost Rex,
I also shared on Pinterest.
Cynthia Southern
I shared on Facebook, Twitter and Google +.
Cynthia Southern
I have the Kindle version of this book. I have extensively studied the Holocaust and written about it. I made a pilgrimage to Auschwitz this past year. I have often wondered about the animals of the victims. I know they were taken away and reading of this in memoirs breaks my heart because I love cats and all pets. 🙁
meowmeowmans
Wow, this book sounds amazing. And how ironic that you reviewed it. After BlogPaws, Tracey and I spent the day in DC, and one of our stops was to the Holocaust Museum. I was wondering about pets, and what became of them.
Marla Green
This book would be a great read on a very sad topic. Always like to read stories about animals as well….
Sweet Purrfections
I’ve never thought about the pets during this terrible time in history. It sounds like a beautiful book that I’m sure will bring about lots of tears.
Blue Kitties
Mom says that she never even thought about pets who were left behind and lost their homes during the Holocaust. What a terrible thing in the history of our world that affected every living being. We hear about the lost pets during our recent national disasters due to the constant television coverage, but no TV in the 30s and early 40s. Mom would like to be entered for a chance to win this book. Many thanks for letting us know about it. Mom’s now going to pop over to Sue Bulanda’s site. Purrs and hugs from the kitties at The Cat on My Head, Lily Olivia, Misty May, Mauricio, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Josette
Kelly Ann T.
Shared on google+, https://plus.google.com/112004278814765562129/posts/DzU6D6Q6TDF
Kelly Ann T.
I pinned, http://pinterest.com/pin/219902394277975050/
Kelly Ann T.
I tweeted, https://twitter.com/cstironkat/status/341280614693105665
Kelly Ann T.
I would love to read this book, pets are amazing.
Abby
I did not know that Hitler took away pet ownership from the Jews … oh that is one additional way to add sheer misery to what was already a horrid situation. What a beautiful premise of a book and one I would love to read. I will keep on my list. Thank you for writing about it today.
Nancy N
I would REALLY love to win this book. It’s just the type of book I adore reading.
Kat & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde
I would adore winning this book!
Brian
All but the crying part it sounds pretty good!
Milo and Alfie
What a wonderful book. I’m sure it will be sad, yet inspiring to read. Would love to read it. xx
Caren Gittleman
Haven’t heard of this one but would LOVE to win it and read it. I am Jewish and so is my husband, we have known many people with family that had been in the concentration camps…..have never seen a book that talked about what the animals had to have endured. This sounds amazing.
prancer pie
That looks like a great read! Mommy will see if she can get it downloaded on her Nook yet and save it for “hard times”. (she reads everything and then doesn’t have anything)
We can’t believe you’ve already got the “hots”. Looks like it’s gonna be a long summer. Have a great day. XOXOXO
Skeeter and Izzy
This is going to be a good one! I like the words with Merlin’s picture,they are so very true. Luvs Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang >^..^<
CATachresis
That does sound like it would be full of amazing and emotional stories!
CATachresis
One thing I did when I lived in Israel was visit Yad Vashem. It is an experience I will never forget!
Sparkle
This sounds like an amazing book!
Andrea
I’ve been hoping to read this book ever since I heard about it. It sounds like a very important subject.