This is a difficult book to review. In part, that is because of the subject-matter: it covers the actions of Herr Oscar Schindler both before and during the Second World War, which is never an easy period of history to explore. However, part of the difficulty also lies with the writing, which is a combination of semi-fictionalisation and survivor-memoir and therefore tends to alternate between forward-looking prophecy and intimate chronological detail. It's not a style I have encountered before, but it works well for the subject matter, although it makes the - novel? - difficult to follow at times and hard to become absorbed by. Still a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the period.

Even though I already knew the story (and the outcome), I found this book fascinating. It was so well written (sometimes historical books can be dry) and the characters were so vivid. Of course some of it was hard to read but I appreciated the fact that while the author didn't sugarcoat anything he also showed the humanity that was in the story. He didn't build up Schindler into anything more than a man and he also highlighted other individuals throughout the book who helped the cause in whatever way they could. With all the horrific things that went on during WWII this story showed what the human spirit can accomplish.

I would imagine most people who are interested in reading this book are aware of Oskar Schindler from the Spielberg film, Schindler's List. If not, definitely give the film a watch.

Schindler is a self-made entrepreneur who found himself saving Polish Jews from the Nazi death machine. He is no saint and his morals at times are questionable, yet his actions saved the lives of over 1,100 Jews. This book tells his story, as well as the story of Kraków's Ghetto and the nearby forced labour camp, Płaszów.

Given this is a biographical, non-fiction novel, it read in parts as a story and as a historical textbook. I personally didn't have any issues with the writing style of this book.

As with the film, this book is certainly not a light, easy read, but a thought-provoking and important one.

Thomas Keneally can waffle on a bit which is the only reason this isn't five stars. I struggled with Schindler's Arc for the first half but it was worth persevering. Heroes come in may shapes and sometimes their methods are unconventional but they are still heroes.

I give this a 4.5 stars, but chose 5 because I think everyone should read it.

It's a story of a flawed man who did something truly extraordinary in a time when people needed someone to believe in. The story is told in 3rd-person based on countless interviews of what happened. The author states and strives to outline Oskar Schindler's flaws as well as recount the incredibly story of his legacy.

It was a bit slow to start and difficult to relate and imagine, but I think that's what makes it SO necessary for everyone to read... this really happened and we need to recognize that in order to never let it happen again.

I got to the point where I needed to force myself to get through the book but mostly because it was a lot of names and terms and ranks that I just had a hard time keeping track of so I got a bit lost in that. But overall I loved the actual story line itself and since it's based off a true story it grabbed my attention. I enjoy reading books from this time period (The Holocaust) and it was definitely an interesting read about a powerful story/individual.

I loved movie more than the book, the book was little hard to read, nonetheless worth reading.

This one bridges the gap between reality and fiction in a way matched by few. The circumstances of extraordinary cruelty are only equaled by the unimaginable courage it took to defy it. It's fortunate that the account is written in such a straightforward and clear manner, for the depth of emotion in some of the scenes described is so vast that any obvious attempt of connecting the reader to the emotions would be trivial, if not horribly superficial and presumptive. There need be no high flown words nor creative turns of phrases to convey the grief and gratitude felt by the people within the pages. They have their stories laid out here in an effort to show others what happened in as informative a manner as possible, and if there is emotional output, then the reader is human, nothing more, nothing less. Overall it is the story of the right man at the right time, a happenstance so unlikely and so amazing that fate must be considered, at least for a moment.