Nicole Rodgers- The Boy on the Wooden Box- Memoir

The Boy on the Wooden Box

by Leon Leyson

Through the eyes of ten year old Leib Lezjon, the war is as scary as it has ever been portrayed. Nothing quite puts into perspective hate from the eyes of an innocent child, who has known nothing but love and hard work from people that are for some reason hated worse than evil itself. This book is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. Reading it in nearly two sittings, I became attached to this young boy, who grew in age but not size due to being malnourished for years. Moving from his well loved home, to the Ghetto, to one of the worst camps of the Holocaust, to finally Schindler's factory, this courageous young boy recounts his life in small moments, in monumental snippets. More than once, more than twice, and more than he can count, he escapes the actual worst of situations and what should have been countless death sentences, as he sees "the worst" continue to unfold in front of him.

Perhaps the most gripping moments are those that he recounts of Schindler, who, went to save his accountant but also saw his older brother and urged him to get off a train to a concentration camp, who, went to save a trainload of women from Auschwitz and saved his mother, who put his own name on a list despite his comparable productivity of a grown worker, and who took time out of his day to give the boy extra food rations or chat with him during his work shift. This part is most precious because to Schindler, this boy was one of 1,200 Jews that he was solely responsible for saving... and yet, when the perspective switches you see both of these humans for what they are- immensely courageous in the face of complete agony and fear. 

I would and have recommended this book to everyone I know. This story is simply one that needs to be heard.