Rating: 
Summary: Truth is beauty
Review: I have read many books about the Second World War, and the Holocaust. This is one of the best.For those who ever read Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank, and wondered what life might be like for a Gentile girl at the same time, this book answers that question.Irene Gut's strong faith, and loving family led her to make the right, if very difficult, choices.The contributions by Jennifer Armstrong are seamless, the true voice of Irene never falters.I have only a few slight quibbles. I wish that there had been more followup on Irene's post-war life, and on the post-war lives of those she saved.Irene Gut Opdyke's faith is as clearly presented as the late Corrie Ten Boom's (The Hiding Place), however, I found In My Hands to be a much more gratifying book.I deeply hope that this book becomes part of the standard curriculum in schools worldwide.However, adults who have any interest in the Second World War and the Holocaust will find this to be a well-written, encouraging book.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtakingly intense from cover to cover!
Review: I have read World War Two novels before. I have read intense novels before. I don't know if any of them compare with this one. This is one of those novels that is so real it gives you goosebumps both while and after you read it. Given in a first person narrative, Irene Gut Opdyke's story is so amazing you would swear it is the work of a popular fiction author, but having the knowledge that it is absolutely 100% true gives it a sharp edge that no fiction novel can attempt. Showing the type of courage and self-sacrifices anybody could only hope to have in such circumstances, Irene unwittingly made herself into a true hero for all people, young and old. Love for your fellow man will triumph over all.
Rating: 
Summary: An unforgetable story
Review: I have to say that I came upon this book by accident. I am an avid reader of WWII. I was completely impressed by the life of Irene. I could not put this book down and when I was done it made me yearn for more. The reason for the 4 star review, is that I felt that the book rushed to an ending and could have elaborated more on her partisan days. I could have read another 300 pages. This story had to be told and should be used as a teaching tool in all highschools. I would love to have a sequel to this compelling book. To the author, please bring us more of this lady's fascinating life. These stories must never be forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I just finished listening to this book on tape. It was extremely well done from Irene's recollection of events. The Holocaust was an atrocity to society, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't study the topic. Hitler and his regime need to be understood to prevent similar occurences in the future. I can't image what she was going through during those times and I wonder how many of us could even begin to imagine her anguish.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I just finished listening to this book on tape. It was extremely well done from Irene's recollection of events. The Holocaust was an atrocity to society, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't study the topic. Hitler and his regime need to be understood to prevent similar occurences in the future. I can't image what she was going through during those times and I wonder how many of us could even begin to imagine her anguish.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Holocaust Book
Review: I love to read all sorts of memoirs written by people who survived the holocaust. Those people were all Jewish and were victims of the holocaust. In this book, Irene has survived the holocaust too, but in a different way. She survived the risk of helping Jewish people. This book gave me a new perspective on the holocaust. In every other holocaust memoir, we often wonder where are the Christian people? Why aren't they helping? Well, this book showed that many people DID try to help. They were taking a huge risk by helping thee Jewish, but did it anyway. This book showed that even such horrors were seen during WW2, there were still many people who cared.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I loved this book. I got it for Christmas and read it within a few days. I liked it because it give you a view you rarely see of the Holocaust--one of a non-Jew, and one who was on their side. It was a very interesting book and it held my attention at all times--I couldn't put it down for days.
Rating:
Summary: In My Hands
Review: I read the book In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong for a school project in reading class. At first I did not think I would like this book because the holocaust is such a horrible thing. As I read on though I could not set the book down. It kept me turning the pages. Irene Gutowna is a seventeen-year-old, gentile, Polish girl who gets dragged into the war and separated from her family. Irene could not even image what would go on over the next five years of her life. Everything would change.
One day she goes outside past curfew and is raped and beaten by Nazi officers. She devotes herself to doing anything she can to get back at the Nazis for this horrible act against her, and for taking over her beloved Poland. While in recovery she learns and teaches herself the German language. She ends up working for a German Nazi cafeteria that is located right next to a concentration camp.
She starts off small by putting food under a fence, in hope that someone in the horrible camp will get the food. This was just one small step in Irene's great journey. Eventually it leads up to hiding ten Jewish people in a German major's villa and feeding them food. When the major finds out Irene is hiding and feeding the Jews in his basement of his house, he is infuriated. Forces her to become his mistress. If she had denied, he would have had to turn her and the others in. This would mean the sentence of death for all. These are just a couple of things Irene does to corrupt the Nazi party. This book was very inspiring to me. To know that someone would be so willing to risk so much, even his or her own life and for fighting for what they believe in.
Rating:
Summary: In My Hands Review
Review: I thought that In My Hands was a wonderful story about a young woman who set out just to be a nurse but ended up saving more people than just soldiers. It was a well written and moving story. The story is about young Irene who goes off to study to be a nurse but then gets captured and works for a man in a kitchen. She sees many people mistreated and decides to help some escape. This story is thouroghly engrossing and I reccomend it to anyone who likes World War II stories.
Rating:
Summary: The most wonderful, sad book...
Review: I'm in eighth grade, and our teacher is reading this book to our class. It's the greatest book! You should hear our class plead with our teacher to read one more chapter--- Please! And it's not even because they want to miss class, either. You should hear the discussions we have about it later. Even though we are advanced students, Irene is a remarkable person. Her book is very sad. I started crying in the middle of one chapter when I thought Irene's friends would be discovered by the major, which was a bit embarrasing (in the least! ) It's a really great book to read, especially because it's from a different point of veiw. Those concentration camp stories do get a bit stale after a while. Even though it got a little mixed up in my mind with Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Macbeth, it was a fabulous book that almost everyone would enjoy. READ IT! Thanks!
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