Acclaimed Holocaust survivor and therapist Edith Eger has captivated millions of readers with her incredible story of survival and strength in her bestselling book The Choice. In this reimagined edition of her award-winning memoir The Choice, acclaimed Holocaust survivor and psychologist Dr. Edith Eger shares her harrowing experiences and offers readers hope and strength.
Edie is a talented dancer and gymnast in her youth who earned a spot on the Olympic team before the war. Between her demanding training and finding her place in a family where she is “the daughter with the brains but no looks,” Edie is too busy to think about the state of the world. But life in Hungary in 1943 is dangerous for a Jewish girl. Just as Edie falls in love for the first time, Europe is plunged into war, and Edie’s family is forced to board a train bound for Auschwitz.
Even in her darkest moments, Edie's dreams of Eric keep her hopeful. "I will never forget your eyes," he tells her through the bars of a cattle car. Auschwitz is a horrific camp beyond belief, but despite the starvation and unimaginable horrors, Edie's dreams of Eric persist. Against all odds, Edie and her sister Magda survive, thanks to their sisterly bond and sheer perseverance. Edie returns home, overcome with grief and guilt. Survival feels more like a burden than a gift—until Edie realizes she has a choice. She can't change the past, but she can choose how she will live, and even how she will love again.
In Ballerina from the Death Camp, Edith relives her wartime experiences in a deeply personal narrative, through the eyes and emotions of her teenage self. With this retelling of her moving story, Edith takes readers of all ages to the heart of her experiences, offering a powerful message of hope and resilience that will ensure her story is never forgotten.
Dr. Edith Eva Eger was born in Hungary. She was still a teenager when she and her parents and sister were taken to the infamous Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz in 1944. Her parents died there. Now in her nineties, she is a successful clinical psychologist in La Jolla, California, a lecturer at the University of San Diego and a renowned speaker in the United States and internationally, and she also works for the U.S. Army and Navy as a consultant in endurance training and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment.
She has been a guest on numerous television programs, including the Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN's coverage of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. She was also featured in a documentary about the Holocaust by Dutch national television. Dr. Eger was named Psychology Teacher of the Year in 1972, Woman of the Year in El Paso in 1987, and the California Senate awarded her a humanitarian award in 1992. Dr. Eger gave the keynote address at the celebration of Viktor Frankl's 90th birthday at the International Conference on Logotherapy. This is her third book. (taken from spl. str. galarna.si)