I'm not often speechless after finishing a book.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a fable by John Boyne, published by David Fickling Books (an imprint of Random House Children's Books) is not a book for children. It's a book, however, that every adult should read so that books like this don't need to be written.
I highly recommend it.
Bruno, a young boy, lives in Nazi Germany during World War II. His family is relocated due to his father's promotion to "Out-With"--a countryside (occupied Poland). Bruno misses his friends and the huge house he used to live in until he meets the boy in the striped pajamas who lives behind a fence line that he can see from his bedroom window.
And they lived happily ever after is not part of the ending. Who is to blame for such a sad story? Bruno's mother had a gut feeling before their move to "Out-With"-- her decision to return to Berlin with her children came too late. Could she have been stronger? More courageous? Was the father too full of himself not to see the evil seeds of destruction that were being planted (on both big and small scales)? Can we simply blame "The Fury"? --or is this the easy way out for not taking personal responsibility for acting like a human being?
It's get complicated like much of life. There's innocence and ignorance--from everyone in the story. Everyone....
When do we learn it?
There are ten commandments in the Bible. Most don't know what they are. Actually, if you remember two, you've pretty much covered everything:
Love God. Love your fellow man.
If only we would....
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