When Time Stopped cover art

When Time Stopped

A Memoir of My Father's War and What Remains

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When Time Stopped

By: Ariana Neumann
Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
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About this listen

KRAUS FAMILY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND MEMOIR AT THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS
WINNER OF THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE

‘Beautifully told' – John le Carré
‘More than just history’ – Michael Palin

In this remarkably moving memoir, Ariana Neumann dives into the secrets of her father’s past: years spent hiding in plain sight in wartorn Berlin, the annihilation of dozens of family members in the Holocaust, and the courageous choice to build anew.

When her father dies and leaves her a box of clues, Ariana Neumann uncovers a heritage she knew nothing about. Exploring the joys and sorrows of the Neumann family, she learns through her tireless investigations why her father, a successful entrepreneur in Venezuela, never spoke about his past. How as a young man from Prague he boldly deceived the Gestapo by doing the unimaginable.

Spanning nearly ninety years, this is an unforgettable memoir about resilience, hope and love in the midst of tragedy. A tribute to the lost, and a celebration of all that connects us, and of the courage it takes to keep going. Because the darkest shadow always lies beneath the candle.

©2020 Ariana Neumann (P)2020 Simon & Schuster UK Historical Memoir Survival Holocaust Heartfelt Inspiring War Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

‘Ariana Neumann’s story may strike a chord, and rightly so. The slow and pitiless brutality that took hold of much of Europe in the 1930s is a story that can never be told too often. What makes this account so effective is that it’s personal and, because of the dogged extensiveness of her research, Neumann reminds us of the small details that make the Nazi persecution of the Jews all the more chilling. It’s not always a grim story. Alongside anger and despair there is love and hope. But the message is stark. This is the way bullies work. When Time Stopped is more than just history. It’s a warning.’ (Michael Palin)
‘When Time Stopped is Ariana Neumann’s journey of discovery, lyrically set down in this truly exceptional book. She shines an intimate light upon a time unique in its horror, and tells a story of bravery, and rare survival. Yet the events she describes happened more than two decades before she was born. To a man to whom she was very close, but whose secrets she was only able to pursue after his death - thanks to the one hoard of evidence he never destroyed. This is a work of very great talent.’ (Jon Snow, journalist and Channel 4 television presenter.)
‘Grippingly readable, chillingly sad but above all deeply sympathetic and suffused with love and understanding throughout. A compelling and humane portrait of Ariana Neumann’s father and his courageous decision to survive.’ (Anne Sebba, bestselling biographer and historian)
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The most eloquent book I have listened to on a family torn apart by the Holocaust. Beautifully read and totally shocking. I have never before had to stop so many times to collect myself, become distracted for a while and then recommence. It is the most gruelling journey but at the same time full of hope and unfathomable determination to get through the web created by the Nazis and sustained by so many even after the war. It gives the fullest picture of the terror and the horror endured by innocent people of all ages and should be read by all.

A masterpiece that brings home the horror endured by an innocent extended family caught up in the Holocaust

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I could not stop listening to the narration of this book. The narration is excellent. The flow of the story is well defined and explicit. The writer intrigue and understanding of her fathers life and that of her extended families which she didn’t even know about until long after her fathers death. The sadness and the joy the fear and the hope. This is a fabulous insight into one families struggle throughout the horror of the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovak.

Thought provoking.

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Very moving account of a family's experience and suffering during WW2. Brilliantly written .

A brilliant detective story.

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so sad but so brave what they went through, it actually nearly bought me to tears

very emotional

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This is one of the most affecting memoirs I have ever read. Painstakingly put together over years, this family history is unforgettable. If you want to know the effects of Nazism on everyday life, this book sets it out in agonising detail. It's also about human connection and endurance. Can't recommend it highly enough (it's also a good companion to Philippe Sands' East West Street). Superby read by the narrator, too. A magnificent tribute to the author's family.

Phenomenal memoir, beautifully written and read

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