February 2023 Comments from The Bavarian Newsmedia
I found Mr. Kohnstam very, very impressive in his often laconic and very accurate descriptions, which were ‘interrupted’ only a few times by poignant/very moving statements, such as 'We were not cattle...'. That is another reason why I would be very pleased to meet you both in person.
January 10, 2022
The scope and array of programming you have inspired, influenced, created led and conducted is impressive and inspirational.
Laura Jacobs, Chief of Staff, University of Arkansas
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May 1, 2020
I am pleased to provide this Letter of Support for Pieter Kohnstam, for his efforts to expand Teaching of the Holocaust-Life and Legacy of Anne Frank. He is a pioneer who exemplifies an extraordinary stand for change. A nationally recognized and dedicated author and speaker, he has decades of experience and commitment to improving education and creating arts opportunities and equity for all students. He is a devoted professional, always providing endless support to educators. He is a leader and visionary who has been devoted to transforming the lives of underserved schools and students spanning four decades.
Sincerely,
Dr. LaShawn Frost
Principal, Booker Middle School
Congratulations on such a Rivetting and Comprehensive Tale!,
The Frank family was asked to flee as well, but decided to hide, well and we know what happened to one family tragically killed in the Holocaust. But, Pieter's family lived to tell the tale that, for those that have read it, is moving and rivetting.
It is a must read as a stand alone book, or I suggest as a complimentary memoir to Anne Frank's Diary. At present, many schools use Zlata's Diary. Also a moving story, but Pieter's family's story is one that that will reach so many. A comparison and contrast for both stories, as interestingly enough, Otto Frank edited his daughter's diary to what we know as the first version.
I am a fan of Mr. Kohnstam, who struggled to tell his story when English was not even his first language. Kudos for the beautiful and comprehensive job.
..."in my opinion, this book is a masterpiece, I found it fascinating from start to finish. This is not just a book of the daily dangers and tensions in their desperate need to escape, but a sociological document describing that period in history. Here is a story of a family who were the very few who avoided the cattle car - but of whom very few survived and simply disappeared. This book describes with eloquence the miracle of a rare escape from the Nazi occupation".
B.D.S. Rosedale, New York
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"This book is definitely a page turner, totally engrossing, another example of fact being stranger than fiction. Hard to imagine the incredible difficulties encountered and endured by Pieter and his parents on the run from the Nazis, country after country and yet in the end to have survived. The writing is gripping and keeps you glued to the very end".
S.S. New York, New York
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"What an incredible story and so well written. I am a slow reader but I finished it in a single "sitting". I could not put it down, it would make a great movie".
V.S. Canada
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"I can not begin to express my gratitude to you for writing a wonderful story and not letting it go untold. I will share this book with friends and family so we all will better understand how fortunate we are to have been born in this country and must each day count our blessings and God for all of the gifts we have been given".
F.C.R. Springfield, Missouri
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"I finished A Chance to Live a few minutes ago. I am surprised at how the narrative pulled me along, like a leaf floating down a mountain stream. Though I was familiar with many of the stories; the book's vivid, suspenseful details (e.g. the German soldier who gave up his attempt to jimmy the train door in Spain) and crisp writing only amplified my appreciation and eagerness to read more".
G.C. Sarasota, Florida
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"Reading your excellent book was very rewarding. It reminded me anew that there were many who were persecuted by the Nazis, besides those who died in the "Final Solution." Your vivid description of your family's escape was hair-raising. You said that you were not writing about the Holocaust, but I think that your family's story is a vital part of the brutal history of the Third Reich".
B.D.H Springfield, Illinois
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"There may be other accounts of escapes from Hitler and the Nazis but not with the compelling elements of this one. Countless, unsung heroes, many non-Jewish, without hesitation, reached out to aid the Kohnstams in their journey to freedom. But the biggest hero of this saga may well have been six year-old Pieter Kohnstam who now sixty-some years later has given us a unique glimpse into the horrors of Hitler's pathologic ambitions. You will have a difficult time putting down this book".
D.C.F. Venice Florida
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This true story of his family's flight from Nazism in Europe is exciting and terrifying, maddening and exhilarating, suspenseful with periods of calm, and is sure to become a classic. I could hardly put it down after I began to read it. His story is emblematic of the horrors of war and the damage war does to families and people, both physically and emotionally".
S.S. Englewood, Florida
Congratulations on such a Rivetting and Comprehensive Tale!, The Frank family was asked to flee as well, but decided to hide, well and we know what happened to one family tragically killed in the Holocaust. But, Pieter's family lived to tell the tale that, for those that have read it, is moving and rivetting.
It is a must read as a stand alone book, or I suggest as a complimentary memoir to Anne Frank's Diary. At present, many schools use Zlata's Diary. Also a moving story, but Pieter's family's story is one that that will reach so many. A comparison and contrast for both stories, as interestingly enough, Otto Frank edited his daughter's diary to what we know as the first version.
I am a fan of Mr. Kohnstam, who struggled to tell his story when English was not even his first language. Kudos for the beautiful and comprehensive job.