The Black Hole of Auschwitz

The Black Hole of Auschwitz brings together Levi'swritings on the Holocaust and his experiences of the concentrationcamp, as well as those on his own accidental status as a writer andhis chosen profession of chemist. In this book Levi railsintelligently and eloquently against what he saw as the ebb ofcompassion and interest in the Holocaust, and the yearly assault onthe veracity and moral weight of the testimonies of its survivors.For Levi, to keep writing and, through writing, to understand whythe Holocaust could happen, was nothing less than a safeguardagainst the loss of a collective memory of the atrocitiesperpetrated against the Jewish people. This moving book not only reveals the care and conviction withwhich he wrote about the Holocaust, but also shows the range ofLevi's interests and the skill, thoughtfulness andsensitivity he brought to all his subjects. The consistency andmoral force of Levi's reflections and the clarity andintimacy of his style will make this book appeal to a widereadership, including those who have read and been moved by hismasterpiece If This is a Man.