56 pages 1 hour read

Olga Lengyel

Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1947

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Five Chimneys by Olga Lengyel is a nonfiction account of her harrowing experience as a prisoner in the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp during World War II. Lengyel, along with her family, is subjected to unimaginable horrors including separation, cruel treatment, and witnessing the mass murder of fellow inmates. Lengyel survives the camp, participates in underground resistance efforts, and ultimately escapes to tell her story and honor those who perished. The book discusses antisemitism, the Holocaust, murder, and physical and sexual violence.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Olga Lengyel's Five Chimneys is a harrowing, firsthand account of her experiences in Auschwitz. Critics commend its unflinching detail and emotional depth, offering an essential historical perspective. Some find the graphic descriptions overwhelming, but its raw honesty is seen as its greatest strength. Overall, it's a powerful, though sometimes difficult, read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Five Chimneys?

A reader who would enjoy Five Chimneys by Olga Lengyel is interested in firsthand Holocaust narratives, harrowing survival stories, and historical accounts of human resilience. Fans of Elie Wiesel's Night or Primo Levi's If This Is a Man would find this memoir particularly compelling due to its intimate and poignant portrayal of life in Auschwitz.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Period

Holocaust

WWII / World War II

Topics

History: World

Military / War

Themes

Society: War

Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Genre

Biography