A Mother's Promise
My true story of surviving Auschwitz and the horrors of the Holocaust, the Sunday Times bestseller
Published on 7. February 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-3996-2540-1 (ISBN)
Description
'Mama, it's me.' I held her hand in mine, hoping it would give her the strength to hold on.
Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
'Do not cry when I die.'
'Quite simply the most important book you will read this year' Hazel Gaynor
'An extraordinary read' Lorraine Kelly
'Deeply moving' Daily Mail
From invasion to liberation, September 1939 to April 1945, as Renee was marched from ghetto to camp, there was one constant. One hand that clutched hers - her mother's. Every day for nearly six years, mother and daughter were bound together in hell. From Auschwitz-Birkenau to Bergen-Belsen, they were a powerful source of solace and hope for one another.
The strength of Sala's love gave them both something fragile yet beautiful to cling to in an ugly, depraved world. It was her mother who hid Renee, lied to the SS, went right when she was directed left - whose small actions had life-saving consequences. Now, for Renee, the need to share has finally overcome the desire to forget.
A Mother's Promise is a love letter to a mother eighty years in the making.
*****
'Will stay with me for a long time... A beautiful account, so movingly told' Anna Stuart
'Powerful, poignant, and deeply important. A must-read' Elizabeth Bellak
'This is a story the world needs to know' Madeline Martin
'This book travels to the very heart of existence' Joshua Levine
Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
'Do not cry when I die.'
'Quite simply the most important book you will read this year' Hazel Gaynor
'An extraordinary read' Lorraine Kelly
'Deeply moving' Daily Mail
From invasion to liberation, September 1939 to April 1945, as Renee was marched from ghetto to camp, there was one constant. One hand that clutched hers - her mother's. Every day for nearly six years, mother and daughter were bound together in hell. From Auschwitz-Birkenau to Bergen-Belsen, they were a powerful source of solace and hope for one another.
The strength of Sala's love gave them both something fragile yet beautiful to cling to in an ugly, depraved world. It was her mother who hid Renee, lied to the SS, went right when she was directed left - whose small actions had life-saving consequences. Now, for Renee, the need to share has finally overcome the desire to forget.
A Mother's Promise is a love letter to a mother eighty years in the making.
*****
'Will stay with me for a long time... A beautiful account, so movingly told' Anna Stuart
'Powerful, poignant, and deeply important. A must-read' Elizabeth Bellak
'This is a story the world needs to know' Madeline Martin
'This book travels to the very heart of existence' Joshua Levine
Reviews / Votes
Renee Salt and Kate Thompson come together in powerful unity in a way that is both deeply moving and unforgettable. This is a story the world needs to know. * Madeline Martin, author of The Booklover's Library * Extraordinary and deeply impressive. Books are often described as 'important'. Others so-described should step aside. This book travels to the very heart of existence. * Joshua Levine, bestselling author * A powerful testament to a mother's love during unbelievable hardship... Renee's story of resilience and survival is powerful, poignant, and deeply important. A must-read. * Elizabeth Bellak, author of Renia's Diary * Part of a legacy graciously left for the next generation to come * Dr. Teresa Wontor-Cichy, historian at Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum * An unforgettable story about the power of love, a story that reminds us how important hope is, a story that proves to us that human beings are remarkable and endlessly inspiring. * Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphan * This is a most extraordinary memoir, distinctive for its detailed recollection and its fearlessness in recording the truth of what happened. * Rachel Hore, bestselling author of The Love Child * A privilege to read... a deeply moving memoir, beautifully written and researched. A fascinating, heart-breaking story. * Lucy Adlington, bestselling author of The Dressmakers of Auschwitz * Quite simply the most important book you will read this year. It will stay with me for a very long time. * Hazel Gaynor, bestselling author of The Last Lifeboat * A valu-able con-tri-bu-tion to the genre of Holo-caust mem-oirs * Jewish Book Council *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
Integrated images
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3996-2540-1 (9781399625401)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Renee Salt is a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor. Born Rywka Ruchla Berkowicz in Poland in 1929, she was just 10 year old when World War II brought horror to her doorstep. After surviving Auschwitz-Birkenau, Renee was liberated from Bergen-Belsen in 1945. After moving to Paris, Renee met her husband Charles, a member of the British Army, and part of the the liberating forces at Bergen-Belsen. They married in 1949 and lived in North London, having two children and five grandchildren.
Kate Thompson is a journalist and bestselling writer. As well as being passionate about capturing lost voices and untold social histories, Kate's also a library campaigner. Her 100 libraries project celebrates the richness and complexity of librarians work and the vital role of libraries in our communities. Alongside her journalism and writing, Kate is also a podcaster and recently launched her own podcast, From the Library With Love. You can find Kate on Facebook @KateThompsonAuthor.
Kate Thompson is a journalist and bestselling writer. As well as being passionate about capturing lost voices and untold social histories, Kate's also a library campaigner. Her 100 libraries project celebrates the richness and complexity of librarians work and the vital role of libraries in our communities. Alongside her journalism and writing, Kate is also a podcaster and recently launched her own podcast, From the Library With Love. You can find Kate on Facebook @KateThompsonAuthor.