很久沒有讀到開卷就不能合上的書了。不久前聽見有人提到這本書，娃坐在我旁邊，他低聲告訴我他過生日的時候有朋友送了他這本書。前幾天晚上睡覺前去他的房間把書拿來翻開，一口氣讀了六十多頁。第二天晚上晚飯過後繼續讀，一口氣讀完。讀完後心情久久不能平靜，一定要寫幾句書評。
這本書的作者Eddie Jaku生於1920年的德國，猶太裔。此書講了他及他的家人在二戰期間被迫害，抓起來送到奧斯維辛集中營，受盡磨難和僥幸活下來的經曆。他父母五十二歲死在了集中營裏。這本書的主體部分講得是他那時候的經曆，非常殘酷殘忍。
這麽多年，我其實一直比較回避看二戰時期那些慘絕人寰的文學作品或者電影。這本書，以一個親曆者的筆觸，時隔幾十年，在他九十多歲的時候，寫出來。讀的時候，很多時候心都是揪著的。人類，怎麽可以這麽殘忍這麽邪惡？
但是作者在記述他的經曆裏，每一天，他在描述那至暗中一絲絲的善意和希望，支撐著那一天天活下來的願望。可貴的是他並沒有一直活在那個痛苦的繭房裏，那是很多經曆了奧斯維辛集中營的人一生都沒能走出來的心理夢魘。他閉口不談那段經曆幾十年，在人生的最後階段，他做了很多事情還原讓人記得那段曆史。這本書是沉重的，但是作者樸實無華的敘述的人生智慧與感悟，娓娓道來，讓人感動又看到希望。
摘錄幾段：
“Your efforts today will affect people you will never know. It is your choice whether that effect is positive or negative. You can choose every day, every minute, to act in a way that may uplift a stranger, or else drag them down. The choice is easy. And it is yours to make.”
― Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth
這一段真的讓人感同身受，咱們這個壇子裏很多人身體力行默默無聞地做著這一條。
“A field is empty, but if you put in the effort to grow something then you will have a garden. And that’s life. Give something, something will come back. Give nothing, nothing will come back. To grow a flower is a miracle: it means you can grow more. Remember that a flower is not just a flower, it is the start of a whole garden.”
“Kindness is the greatest wealth of all. Small acts of kindness last longer than a lifetime. This lesson, that kindness and generosity and faith in your fellow man are more important than money, is the first and greatest lesson my father ever taught me. And in this way he will always be with us, and always live forever.”
― Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth
There are always miracles in the world, even when all seems hopeless. And when there are no miracles, you can make them happen. With a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.”
― Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth
“There are always miracles in the world, even when it seems dark.”
― Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor
九十九歲的Eddie, 他這樣的狀態，在這樣的年紀，讓人佩服。他活了101歲，致敬。
