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We Were the Lucky Ones
- Narrated by: Kathleen Gati, Robert Fass
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
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Publisher's Summary
The New York Times best seller with more than one million copies sold worldwide.
Inspired 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.
It 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 20th century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.
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What the critics say
“Love in the face of global adversity? It couldn't be more timely.” (Glamour)
“[A] must-read.” (New York Post)
“[A] remarkable history ... Hunter sidesteps hollow sentimentality and nihilism, revealing instead the beautiful complexity and ambiguity of life in this extraordinarily moving tale.” (Publishers Weekly)
What listeners say about We Were the Lucky Ones
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Nicole Riehl
- 2020-09-03
Beautifully written.
Loved the authors ability to immerse us into her life story. Beautifully narrated as well.
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- Kelley
- 2023-04-24
Riveting
This was a wonderful read, I had a difficult time turning it off. The fact that the author didn't know the story for years was interesting.
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- JohnNChristina
- 2018-09-17
I lost track of time and space...
I lost track of time and space listening to this book. I never read about Poland during WW2 and it was so heartbreaking. But I love a book that ends well, and this one was so so perfect. #Audible1 This is definitely a book I will listen to over and over again.
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4 people found this helpful
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- BriM
- 2019-01-24
Incredible
When I first downloaded this book I thought it was a historical fiction novel; it wasn’t until the end of the book that I realized it is a true story. This story is nothing short of a miracle!
Very well written and Kathleen Gati is a wonderful narrator. This is a book you will not stop listening to until it is finished. Even then, you will sit there is awe and amazement at how this family survived the Holocaust against all odds. Simply, wow!
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- Charlotte Blumenshein
- 2020-05-28
Be prepared to be shocked and disgusted
The story is shocking despite what you might already know about what happened to the Jewish community in WW2. The personal stories brought the facts to a much more guttural level. There is a scene where a little girl hides under a table when a man is shot dead and the warm blood flows toward her that I found heart breaking. It did make it easier to read knowing it was a survival story. The performance which required switching between languages was very well done.
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- DashDerksen
- 2021-06-25
Amazing Story
The narrator was awesome and you felt like you were right there at the storyline.
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- Patrick
- 2024-07-23
Thank you for writing your family's story
This is a powerful book. The author tells a very important story.
The narration is excellent.
We cannot forget.
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- Ashley P.
- 2020-07-29
Really Hits Home
A tragic and beautifully written story. It was portrayed very well by the performer. Excellent!
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- jennifer j.
- 2020-11-22
Jennifer Jamieson
This was an excellent true story of the Kruc family who remarkable survived the horror of the killing of the Jews in Poland by the Nazi during the Second World War.They we’re truly the rare lucky one’s for 90% we,re murdered in horrendous conditions.It’s incredible how they survived and the legacy they left in family
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- Elizabeth O
- 2021-09-01
Incredible Family History
A must read…I could not stop listening to the
Incredible and often heart wrenching journeys of family members through the atrocities of WWII
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