The Tatooist of Auschwitz is a fictional account of a story told to the author by a survivor of the death camps.   Lale Sokolov (born as Ludwig Eisenberg) was a Slovakian Jew who endured the horrors of the death camp and lived partly through chance, partly through his own cleverness, and some unlikely good fortune in becoming the prisoner responsible for tattooing all new prisoners.   The story is based on real people and real events, including all the suffering, depravity, and evil done to innocent people.    Within this setting is a love story, one that lasted until the surviving prisoners were freed in 1945 and into the following years (to 2006).

Some have criticized the story as having some inaccuracies.    Others have found the writing to be only average.   And still others yet have commented that the killings in the death camp were vague and not really part of the plot.   But, this is a fictional account, one that focuses on the effort to preserve some humanity, some hope, and some resilience in the face of overwhelming evil.

“How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407.”

Another author may have taken the story and worked the elements of historical accuracy, the “big picture” details of the death camp, and greater character development, but this best selling novel is still an excellent read as is, and as such is a recommended book.

An audiobook excerpt: