Joseph Stevens survived the Holocaust by outsmarting the Nazis: the young Polish Jew posed as a Catholic by day and fought in the underground resistance movement by night. Now a retired Michigan business owner; Stevens recounts his wartime experiences and their lessons for today in his new book; "Good Morning: A Life Story of Courage and Survival in the Face of Nazi Aggression." Stevens' parents and siblings died in concentration camps and he himself never expected to live through World War II. He did so by courage; luck and deception so brilliant that German soldiers befriended him and a local priest recruited him to teach catechism. Even his friends; who joined him in guerilla raids on German troops; had no idea he was a Jew. At all times he carried cyanide capsules with him in case he was captured and tortured; but Stevens survived the war to move to the United States; raise a family; and build a successful printing business. Forty years after the war; he finally began telling his story in classes on the Holocaust at Grand Valley State University; in west Michigan. Subsequently; "Good Morning" has become GVSU's first university-press book. All proceeds from its sales go to the Joe Stevens Freedom Endowment.
#71662 in Books 2000-01-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.61 x .67 x 6.69l; .35 #File Name: 0964695235288 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Brutality Overload Detracts From a Good Story with Important LessonsBy JohnI read this book as part of a study at my church. I have no doubt the events depicted in this book are real and the conflicts; both between tribes and in the hearts of the villagers; are an accurate representation of what happened in the jungle. However; the graphic and gruesome details of the events described are so over the top it makes many sections of the book almost unreadable. The author choose shock factor over what could have better edited to tell the story of the Yanomamo tribe and the transformation of their culture. Yes; I know rapes; murder; sodomy; and child abuse are all terrible and were both self inflicted and inflicted on them by outsiders but I didn't need a play by play of these crime scenes. What could have been a great story about cultural transformation and change in spiritual beliefs was lost in the author's desire to focus on an unnecessary level of violent detail. I can't recommend this book.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Not for children; but a very enlightening bookBy AletheuoThis is the true story told from the first person viewpoint by a Yanomamo shaman in Venezuela. Many of the descriptions of violence in this book are very graphic; so it should not be read by children. Nevertheless; this book is valuable in the sense that it describes in vivid detail how the evil spirit world operates; and how anthropologists and good and bad missionaries have affected the Yanomamo people's world. In the end; some of the Yanomamo people; including the story teller (as told to a non-Yanomamo man); cast away their evil spirits and accept the one true God which brings them true peace. This book has a number of `threads' (messages) running through it. It is difficult to put down.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A challenging book to read for the Christian who wants to see what living in a Godless world is like (Romans 1By oldboymarcCompelling; disturbing; insightful look into the dark and evil spiritual world of Yąnomamö shamans. Brutal; violent; death; and an honest an unexaggerated account of Jungleman's (a Yąnomamö shaman) recollections over a thirty year period. Well-told and accurate. All proceeds from the book go the Yąnomamö; the author has no reason to be biased; nor does he have an ax to grind. The Yąnomamö demonic spirit world is just as savage and evil as the world of North America. Only in North America it is more subtle and more widespread. A challenging book to read for the Christian who wants to see what living in a Godless world is like (Romans 1:24-25). The Christian going on a missions trip should take the time to read this book before leaving for a visit to another culture. A great read and kudos to Gary Dawson; Mark Ritchie; Jungleman; and Shoefoot for telling their stories honestly and openly.
