a story about someone who was overlooked.
348451
I just finished this book last night. Wow, it was amazing!!! Dortchen is a great character and she really existed which I did not know about. I didn't think about how the Grimm's got their stories and she gave them most of the ones that they are known for. My heart broke when I read what her father did to her. She was so sweet and caring, and even waited all that time for Wilhelm. I kept hoping for that ending. I feel that they both deserved some happiness after what they went through.
4773258
A good look into one of our many under the radar heroes who do their job out of love for our country. God bless them.
2506893
this is a touching story but i would like to havr known more about the little girl
2032167
I enjoyed reading Hidden.  It was a story about a man who dies suddenly in an accident.  It makes you think what if I died suddenly.  Would  there be secrets that would come out that family members wouldn't' know about.  The story goes back and forth through Jeff's (deceased) life and is told by three people, Jeff,  Claire (his wife) and Tish his co_worker.
4344838
An amazing tale that has almost been missed by history. It's hard to believe it's actually true, but apparently it is.
2185978
You could have given them a better outside life. Friends, acquaintances, etc.  Could have given a little more background.  Other than that it was a pretty good story.
4291792
This was a moving story of two friendships leading up to the war in the Pacific, and in an area we hear too little about.
103989
This was an excellent novel about an extraordinary person during a dark time in the world.  It was fabulous to learn about a piece of history that is finally getting the attention it deserves.
1901198
Based on a true story, The Orphan Keeper tells the remarkable tale of a young boy who is stolen from his family in a small village in Indian, sold to a Christian orphanage, and adopted by a family in America. Chellamuthu, later renamed Taj, tried to communicate to anyone who would listen that he wasn't an orphan. He had a family. But no one wanted to hear it except his adopted parents, but they also were met with zero assistance from anyone back in India, so they were forced to give up hope. Tajs life wasn't all bad though. He was always fed and well loved by his adoptive parents. The first half of the book recounts Tajs young life, and then it skips ahead to his graduation from high school and beyond. When hes studying abroad in London and living with an Indian family, his quest to find his birth family is re-ignited. Whats interesting is that while the reader has heard the beginning of the story, Taj doesnt remember everything that happened to him. So later in life, its a bit trickier to track down his village and his family because he has repressed those memories.

I really enjoyed the second half of the book. The whole book was very interesting, but the details of the adventure to uncover his roots was much more compelling to read about than the horrors of Tajs childhood. The book is written well, and though long, its an easy read. Unlike a memoir, I appreciated the cohesive story of this fictionalized account. There are reading group questions at the end of the book, and this would make an excellent book club selection. There is so much to talk about with this book!

There are some structural flaws with the writing style that I found distracting. The first half of the book is written as a passive account of whats happening to this little boy; whereas, the second half is a more focused tale of a young man whos struggling to figure out where hes from. I found that much more interesting! The writing style makes sense because the real-life Taj wanted to tell his tale, but it would have made for a better book if it had started with the middle and maybe had flash backs of the truth. I don't think it should have been told linearly. The story was a little boring this way because the reader already knows the reality of what happened.

Ultimately, while I am glad I read this book, its not one that I would rush out and tell everyone they have to read. The strong themes of family and religion would perhaps make it a book better suited to a slightly older audience. Those looking to read something a bit more diverse would enjoy this title as well.

[...]
4057855
A story of a second chance with a big obstacle right in the middle that can make a short journey long.
4058721
The book is an easy read and recounts the life of the author, who excelled despite the odds.
3983792
This book woke me up to what is rarely reported in US media about the plight of a person from Afghanistan. A woman's story is extremely rare.
It is difficult to comprehend her story. I can not emagine how she accomplished the things she did. I applaud her and wish her Godspeed on her political ambitions.
46971
I didn't realize I hadn't reviewed this since I read this book about a year ago.  It was a very good story.  It is sad but it unfortunately is the story of a person's life.  Author did a nice job.
3502077
Irena Sendler is one of the great heros of world war 2. I was just floored when I first heard of her story. This book tells not only her story, but the story of a group of high school kids that rediscovered her while working on a history project and brought her story to the attention of the world. Few did as much as Irena Sendler, but there were many other holocaust rescuers. Their collective stand in saying no to evil is something that we must never forget. An example we must always remember, the best of humanity during the worst that humanity has produced.
3862926
great book with a touching story about the author
3016925
Interesting story as a man's character is slowly revealed.  We discover, as we often do, usually at a funeral, just what a good person has been quietly living and working among us.  And we find out what good one difficult man can do in this life.  A little difficult to read as it keeps jumping back and forth between now and then. At the end of the book we find ourselves cheering this crabby old fellow.  He's not so different from many of the friends and neighbors that we meet with everyday.  And maybe some will compare themselves to Ove and be glad.
2786670
This is an important story often not told of how a family survived the Nazi's.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Josie-A-Story-of-Faith-and-Survival/dp/1517061008/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Josie: A Story of Faith and Survival</a>