An autobiographical narrative; BEHIND THE SCENES traces Elizabeth Keckley's life from her enslavement in Virginia and North Carolina to her time as seamstress to Mary Todd Lincoln in the White House during Abraham Lincoln's administration. It was quite controversial at the time of its release--an uncompromising work that transgressed Victorian boundaries between public and private life; and lines of race; gender; and society.
#2527970 in Books 2008-04-02Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .66 x 6.00l; .95 #File Name: 3833474408292 pages
Review
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The lack of an index must be noted by potential buyers.By CustomerI will be returning this book because it was horribly damaged in transit; but I probably would have returned it anyway. There is no index! What kind of book of this caliber has no index? Is this supposed to be an academic book (It cannot be without an index!)? Or is this supposed to be some kind of emotional outlet?3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Great Book On A Grim Topic - But Not To Be Missed. A Must Read!By PeterThis is a great addition to the field! I have read many; if not most of the better books on the Holocaust; the concentration camps; the slave labor of the SS; and generally about WW2. This book stands out from the others. It focuses on the camps of the Gusen/St. Georgen/Mauthausen area; and does it exceptionally well. It contains maps; details; witness/survivor statements; archival documents and research; original up-t-date research; astute analysis and re-analysis of some past myths/misunderstandings – all very well documented. It is in clear; easy-to-read; and excellent English. You'll come to understand how the SS ran its slave and economic empires; as well as their camps. This area also had large underground tunnels dug by slave labor for war production; and that too is detailed; as is the WVHA of the SS; DEST; the camp administrations; behavior of the guards; conditions of the prisoners and their sufferings and constant deaths – from overwork; being underfed; abuse of the SS guards; disease; disregard; annihilation. Not missed is how the local population reacted during and after the War. While not 'easy' reading (only because of the subject matter); I consider it essential reading for anyone interested in; or a student of: WW2; the SS; the concentration camp system; Nazi underground war production; SS Gen. Hans Kammler; the Holocaust; as well as how all too soon all too many have done their best to forget what must never be forgotten – lest it be repeated. A must read book on these camps; specifically; and the horrors of the Nazi system; generally. Sets the record straight on some erroneous historical accounts of what went on here and the importance of all of the camps – not just Mauthausen. The book ends with a plea to open the tunnels and let the people see and live the history; so much buried physically and by turning aside from confronting this dark period. It is a plea in the name of history; past and future; and in the name of all those who struggled and perished there. It is a book about the results of hate; yet filled with compassion for those who suffered and died; and for the best in the human spirit today. Peter Raphael Lemkin5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. St. Georgen Gusen Mauthausen - Concentration Camp Mauthausen ReconsideredBy Beth S. VertucciSt. Georgen Gusen MauthausenConcentration Camp Mauthausen ReconsideredRudolph A. HaunschmiedJan-Ruth MillsSiegi Witzany-Durda After reading this impressive; richly documented history of the St. Georgen- Gusen -Mauthausen Concentration Camp Complex during World War II; my world has expanded. That is the gift of reading such a thoughtful; important history. The writing and publishing of this book is part of an amazing journey that began with Rudolph A. Haunschmied; a native of St. Georgen an der Gusen in northern Austria. In 1989; upon publishing of his work; titled "1938/1945 - Zum Gedenken"; the inhabitants of his community and of the "world" began to hear parts of this untold history. St. Georgen-Gusen-Mauthausen takes that 1989 overview written in German; and brilliantly expands it to a comprehensive study in English; of the story of the St. Georgen-Gusen-Mathausen Complex. It includes a top-secret underground war production plant; and the camp's liberation by the 71st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. This study includes primary documents and photographs never published before in a brilliantly written story that has been kept secret from all; even the witnesses; the bystanders; and their subsequent generations. The authors and the Gusen Memorial Group plea for the journey of this story to continue. The epilogue describes this journey continuing through more research; and the "opening of the tunnels" to create a memorial. I doubt anyone can read this book without the conscious awareness of our present day genocide in this world. The last lines of the book are: "Let the lost stories and voices of 40;000 fill that darkness as once their hearts filled with the memory of love. Let us breathe in the last exhalations of the dead and then turn; each of us; to the light. " I applaud the authors; Jan-Ruth Mills; Siegi Witzany-Durda and Mr. Rudolf Haunschmied for this extraordinary well written work that documents an important part of history and reminds us of the power of the light.
