The Song and the Truth

by Helga Ruebsamen

Book Overview

A glowing novel of a child's paradise lost, set against the encroaching darkness of World War II. Lulu is five. She lives on Java with her father, a dedicated colonial doctor; her mother, a beautiful,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375402616
• ISBN13: 9780375402616
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

A lovely book that helps the reader appreciate life

_Reviewed by Randy Farnsworth, author of "A Stand Yet Taken".As soon as I started reading this book, I found myself absolutely intrigued by the story. Seeing the magical world of early-twentieth century Indonesia from the eyes of a five year old was truly enjoyable. Ruebsamen has a way of writing that puts the reader directly into the mind of the narrator, and I honestly felt little Louise's excitements and disappointments. It was a real let-down to leave Indonesia with Louise and her family and make the journey to Europe.The middle part of the book, including the ocean voyage and the stay in Paris, was much slower, and I found it less interesting. Perhaps Ruebsamen intended that, because Louise disliked that as well. But in the latter third of the book, the pace increased somewhat and I found myself much more interested in the outcome.As Louise mixes real events with imaginary ones, it becomes a little confusing, and I had to re-read several sections to figure out, for example, if someone had really died or did they survive after all. Again, it may be that the author intended this, because the child narrator has reinvented her vision of reality to alter certain horrific events.I don't know what the author's intent was in writing this book, and I'm not one to try and put a meaning to everything an author produces. However, after reading this, I found myself sitting and watching my young children, trying to understand their view of the world and relate that to my own perceptions. With that, I'd say that Ruebsamen definitely succeeded in causing this reader to stop and think about life.

Unexpected, Excellent, and Enjoyable!

Because this book is about Jews during WWII I thought it would be depressing - it wasn't. Because this book is told from a child's point of view I thought it would be childish or stream of consciousness - it wasn't. This book is alternately a little funny and a little sad, alternately vague and brilliantly lucid, but always it was engaging and delightful!

I couldn't put it down

I submitted a review of this book last week. What happened to it?

I couldn't put it down

the book review that I read in the paper said that the first part of this book, which is set in Java is majical but that when the setting moves to Europe it becomes ordinary. I disagree. I ordered it because of the exotic early setting but I liked it even better as it went on. Description is important to me in a book and I thought that the writer actually lavished more of it on the European section, probably because this is an autobiographical novel and she remembers more clearly what she saw when she was older. I'll never forget the part about the wetlands of Holland because she made me see it so clearly. I highly recommend it.