Dr. William Stanford

The story of Lizzi and Fredl is a real account of their journey to freedom from the Nazis. They start out in the their home country of Austria, and make their way to America. They bounce from town to town, and are put through the horrors of a war they should never have had to endure. Lizzi had to sit back and watch as her husband was arrested multiple times, and thrown into labor camps where he nearly died. All she could do was wish, and hope that he would be strong enough to survive so she could spend one last day with him.

I had a hard time reading this book without crying. I have always been intrigued by stories of the Holocaust, not because they are something that we should be intrigued about, but because they are stories that we should remember. All of those innocent lives lost, because of a man that was prejudice. It pulls at my heart to know that these people went through what they did.

I was honored to have been able to read and review a copy of Lizzi & Fredl, thanks to Bostick Communications for being the middle man in this wonderful exchange. The author, William B. Stanford, was very kind, and even stopped by to let me know he was anxiously awaiting my review. It was a wonderful, wonderful read, and I would like to thank him as well. I would highly recommend this memoir to those of you who like to read about the history of the Holocaust, but beware, you will need some tissues to get through the ride.… (more)

Lizzi & Fredl was one of the most intense books I have read in a long time. It is the story of Lizzie & Fredl Steiner. Born and raised in Austria, they fled to France along with Fredl’s two brothers and their wives to escape helping Hitler in his war. For years Fredl and Lizzie were separated. She and her sister Elise would escape or be forced to leave one city in France for another. Often they had no jobs or had to perform work they were not used to. Their husbands on the other hand were put in work or interment camps or detention centers. They fought long and hard to make their way to America to start a new life. This is their story. The atrocities the French people and those living in their country were terrible. I learned so much from reading this book that I had never known before. Near the end of the book they talked about the emotions they felt when they saw the Statue of Liberty and I cried. I felt the emotions they felt. For me that part was very realistic. Ten months after 9/11 my husband, daughter, and I found ourselves in New York. We took a trip around the island. I remember seeing the Statue of Liberty. I had to sit in my seat as I was so overcome with emotions. I felt what she stood for in my heart. I was able to relate my feelings to what the Steiner’s felt. This is a must read. Especially for anyone who loves this time period in history or loves reading memoirs. I gave this book a rating of 5 out of 5.… (more)