We Were the Lucky Ones Audiobook By Georgia Hunter cover art

We Were the Lucky Ones

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We Were the Lucky Ones

By: Georgia Hunter
Narrated by: Kathleen Gati, Robert Fass
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About this listen

The New York Times best seller with more than one million copies sold worldwide.

Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive - and to reunite - We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.

It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.

As one sibling is forced into exile, another attempts to flee the continent, while others struggle to escape certain death, either by working grueling hours on empty stomachs in the factories of the ghetto or by hiding as gentiles in plain sight. Driven by an unwavering will to survive and by the fear that they may never see one another again, the Kurcs must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to persevere.

An extraordinary, propulsive novel, We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the 20th century’s darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.

©2017 Georgia Hunter (P)2017 Penguin Audio
Fiction Historical Fiction Jewish World Literature Inspiring Survival Heartfelt Tearjerking Feel-Good Thought-Provoking Jewish History Polish History

Editorial reviews

Editors Select, February 2017 - WWII and its heartbreaking history have served as the backdrop to some of my all-time favorite novels (Code Name Verity, The Nightingale, to name a couple). It is in these dark times that we search most desperately for a person's humanity - and these stories all share incredibly brave yet incredibly human characters. Georgia Hunter's debut novel, We Were the Lucky Ones, was born of her childhood discovery that she descended from a family of Holocaust survivors and her years-long attempt to unravel her family's history. Rich in setting, poignant in delivery, and amplified by moving performances from Robert Fass and Kathleen Gati, Hunter's novel is set to enter the impressive canon of WWII literature that touches you at your core. Katie, Audible Editor

Critic reviews

“Love in the face of global adversity? It couldn't be more timely.” (Glamour)

“[A] must-read.” (New York Post)

“[A] remarkable history ... Hunter sidesteps hollow sentimentality and nihilism, revealing instead the beautiful complexity and ambiguity of life in this extraordinarily moving tale.” (Publishers Weekly)

Powerful Family Saga • Emotional Storytelling • Excellent Accents • Compelling Character Development • Perfect Pacing
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The story isn't new but it's a refreshing version that celebrates survivors and the emotional and physical turmoil that coincides with this war. There are a lot of names, and more often than not I had to wait for the story to develop around the character before figuring out which family member we were hearing about. But this didn't really detract from the overall experience. The narration is sharply articulated but it isn't unpleasant and the accents were well done... even some of the southern American dialect.

the good from the bad

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This was a hard book for me to put down. I thought I was reading historical fiction and then realized that these were real events the author was speaking of. It is a miracle that so much of her family were able to make it out alive. This should be required high school reading at least to understand history and what happens when evil prevails.

Incredible story

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I was looking forward to this book but I just didn't like the narrators voice. I'll try to find this book with a different narrator.

I had to return this book - I didn't like the Narrators voice

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This is my first book about World War II that focuses so much on Poland. I learned so much about this aspect of World War II. It was very interesting from this one particular family's point of view. It is still hard for me to believe all this death and destruction took place such a short time ago.

Very good!

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An amazing story of one family's survival of the Holocaust. A story of love, courage, determination, and hope.

A must read.

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absolutely great book. I really enjoyed it and was thankful for the story. great history

awesome

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Oh what a heart wrenching (true) story. It wasn't the sad parts that made me cry (although they ripped my heart out), it was the happy parts that filled my heart with joy that bubbled over into tears of joy. Excellent book!! Excellent narration!

made me cry - literally

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If you could sum up We Were the Lucky Ones in three words, what would they be?

I was so drawn in to this family, parents, brothers, sisters, cousins. how proud the parents were of their children, how the lessons they were taught and their upbringing helped them to survive the Holocaust...3 words? read the book

What does Kathleen Gati and Robert Fass bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I never would have come close to the pronunciation of so many of the words and places without narration.

Any additional comments?

Reading this book has lead me to research WWII, return to the map and review the places the characters traveled through, and wonder how on earth this happened in such recent history.

Life changing

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Moving and touching story! Are there any pictures you could share? I would give more stars if I could! Thank you for sharing your family’s story.

Loved

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i loved this book. It was a great story and easy listen. I was very sad when it ended.

absolutely wonderful

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