9 books based on incredible true stories
Miscellaneous / / August 13, 2023
A popular science story about a family with schizophrenia, memoirs of people who visited a concentration camp, revelations of a geisha and more.
1. "Alien name. The Secret of the Royal Orphanage for Children by Justin Cowan
Somewhere in England there has long been an orphanage for abandoned children. He was popular with philanthropists and was in the care of the royal family. When the American Justine found out that her mother was brought up within the walls of the institution, she went there across the ocean for a visit. And at the same time she found out the unpleasant truth about the morals that reigned in this place.
Children raised here in severity, not embarrassed to use physical force. Pupils from early childhood were prepared to become well-trained and accustomed to submission servants for the aristocracy. Justin Cowan tells the story of the famous orphanage that the world should know about.
Buy a book2. "Wonderful country. Always lie that you were born here.” Wang Qian Julie
A New York Times bestseller with over 3,800 reviews on Amazon. The story of a small immigrant Mei Guo, whose name translates as "beautiful country".
The girl moved from China to the United States with her illegal parents. Smart and talented, she went to an elite school with rich kids. To avoid ridicule, Mei Guo had to hide the truth about her life from her classmates. Whether the girl managed to get out of poverty and enter a prestigious university is described in the memoirs of Wang Qian Julie, which will appeal to fans of Tara Westover's bestseller "Pupil"and the series"Everything everywhere and at once».
Buy a book3. “Last stop Auschwitz. A true story about the strength of the spirit and what helps to survive when there is no hope at all, Eddie de Wind
In 1943, the Nazis took Eddie de Wind's mother to a concentration camp. To save her, the man made a deal with the Germans: he would start working as a doctor in the camp, and in return they would release his mother. The invaders agreed to make a concession, but they failed to save the woman - she had already been deported to Auschwitz.
Soon Eddie himself got there, along with his young wife. During his imprisonment, he kept a diary. Today, these are the only memoirs written in the concentration camp itself immediately after the liberation by the Red Army. This is a heavy but necessary read, a hymn to the human spirit and another reminder of where prejudice.
Buy a book4. Lullaby of Auschwitz. We cease to exist when there is no one left to love us.” Mario Escobar
Helen ended up in a concentration camp along with her five children. To save them, she began collaborating with the Nazis. The woman worked as a nurse with the doctor Josef Mengele and witnessed inhuman experiments on people. But did it help save the children and Helen herself from a cruel death in Auschwitz?
An international bestseller about the tragic events in the camp has two endings. The first is artistic, the second is real. Readers can choose which one is closer to them and decide how the story of Helen and her family ends.
Buy a book5. "The Life of a Geisha. Memoirs of the most famous geisha in the world, Mineko Iwasaki
Girls begin to study as geisha from childhood. They master complex ceremonial dances, study history and literature, comprehend the mysteries of the tea ceremony. This is a prestigious job. Experienced geisha can receive money comparable to the salary of top managers of international companies. But why are they paid such fabulous sums? Japan's most respected and famous geisha, Mineko Iwasaki, shares the truth about an exotic profession.
Mineko herself led an incredible life: she dined with the queen, met with Hollywood stars, gave dance lessons to famous ballerinas. But it didn't come easy for her.
Buy a book6. "Disappeared girls. The Unsolved Mystery of a Serial Killer by Robert Kolker
An investigative book on the case of a maniac from Long Island. Journalist Robert Kolker drew attention to the murder of four girls who worked as escorts. The police did not show much diligence to solve this crime.
Then Kolker took matters into his own hands and described in detail the mysterious disappearances of the victims, talked with their families, friends, clients and colleagues, turning the unknown maniac in a modern-day Jack the Ripper. Thanks to the efforts of the writer, there was a breakthrough in the case: the police arrested the suspect after the release of the book.
Buy a book7. "Daughter of Auschwitz. My road to life. I survived the Holocaust and still learned to love life.” Tova Friedman, Malcolm Brabant
Surviving the horrors of Auschwitz as a child is a difficult experience. Four-year-old Tova and her mother are sent to a concentration camp, where the girl quickly learns the rules of the game: to be as quiet as possible, to blend in with the crowd, to forget about hunger. Only her mother's love supported her in these terrible days.
Despite the trials that had to be overcome, Tova manages not to lose hope, reunite with his family and find the strength to live on. How she did it is described in her memoirs.
Buy a book8. “Something is wrong with the Galvins. An ideal family destroyed by madness, Robert Kolker
The Galvins were a brilliant American family: a handsome officer husband, his charming, ambitious wife, and as many as 12 gifted and promising children - 10 boys and two girls.
Falconry, playing the guitar, painting, sports... All these talents were not destined to be realized: in several children, one after another, it begins to worsen schizophrenia. It turns out that all these years the family was not at all exemplary: violence, addiction to drugs, and abuse were hidden behind an ideal facade.
Buy a book9. The Cougar Years, Laura Coleman
The heroine of the book, Laura, comes to the Bolivian reserve to gain new experience and her real self. Here she meets her salvation and friend for life - a wild cougar named Vaira. Animal experienced human abuse and is now afraid of the jungle, trusts no one and desperately needs help - just like Laura herself.
Buy a bookRead also📚
- 5 books that will help you get behind yourself and live in pleasure
- 12 books that fans of mysteries and mysticism will love
- 10 Fiction Books to Help You Explore Marriage and Family Relationships Deeper