by Primo Levi
First published 1986
Primo Levi, an Italian chemist and Holocaust survivor, grapples with the lingering trauma of his time in Auschwitz. As he reflects on the dehumanization and cruelty he witnessed, Levi seeks to understand how an entire nation could be complicit in such atrocities. Through vivid recollections and unflinching analysis, he illuminates the moral complexities that arose in the face of unimaginable evil, challenging readers to confront the darkest depths of the human experience.
Genres: holocaust, history, 20th-century, non-fiction, biography-memoir, academic
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Period: 20th century
Hardcover · Royal National Institute of the Blind
Content warnings: violence