The Boy Who Didn't Want to Die

The Boy Who Didn't Want to Die is a powerful and poignant memoir by Professor Peter Lantos, a clinical neuroscientist and survivor of the Holocaust. The book tells the story of Peter's journey through war-torn Europe in 1944 and 1945, as he and his parents travel from a small Hungarian town to Austria and then Germany. Along the way, Peter experiences the horrors of the Holocaust, including terror, starvation, infection, and death. Despite the unimaginable hardships, Peter and his mother endure, and their love for each other is a source of strength and hope. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to overcome even the most difficult circumstances.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 05 January 2023
Publisher: Scholastic

Deeply moving:


Booktrust


A gripping story of love, courage, and triumph over evil - The Bookseller


Can, and should, be read by an audience of any age. - Jewish News


SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKSELLER CHILDREN'S NON-FICTIONBOOK OF THE YEAR 2024


A story of survival, of love between mother and son, and of enduring hope in the face of unspeakable hardship. An important read.


The Boy Who Didn't Want to Die describes an extraordinary journey made by Peter, a boy of five, through war-torn Europe in 1944 and 1945.


Peter and his parents set out from a small Hungarian town, traveling through Austria and then Germany together. Along the way, unforgettable images of adventure flash one after another: sleeping in a tent and then under the sky, discovering a disused brick factory, catching butterflies in the meadows - and as Peter realizes that this adventure is really a nightmare - watching bombs falling from the blue sky outside Vienna, learning maths from his mother in Belsen.


All this is drawn against a background of terror, starvation, infection, and, inevitably, death, before Peter and his mother can return home.


Author Professor Peter Lantos is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and in his previous life was an internationally renowned clinical neuroscientist. His memoir, Parallel Lines (Arcadia Books, 2006) was translated into Hungarian, German, and Italian. Closed Horizon (Arcadia, 2012) was his first novel.


Peter was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for services to Holocaust education and awareness. He is one of the last of the generation of survivors, and this - his first book for children - will serve as a testimony to his experience.


Peter lives in London.


More reviews of The Boy Who Didn't Want to Die:


The book [is] absolutely compelling, partly because it is a true story of extraordinary resilience and courage.


Peter's journey through war-torn Europe is a testament to the human spirit's enduring strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.


The vivid descriptions of his experiences, from sleeping in tents and under the stars to learning maths in Belsen, bring the reader deeply into his world.


Professor Lantos' writing is masterful, capturing the emotions and struggles of Peter and his mother with tenderness and honesty.


This book is a must-read for anyone interested in history, war, and the power of the human mind to overcome adversity.


It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a brighter future.

Weight: 206g
Dimension: 197 x 128 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780702323089