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  • The Upstander: How Surviving the Holocaust Sparked Max Glauben's Mission to Dismantle Hate

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The Upstander: How Surviving the Holocaust Sparked Max Glauben's Mission to Dismantle Hate

by Jori Epstein (Author), Michael Berenbaum (Foreword) Format: Hardcover
4.8 out of 5 stars (121)
Holocaust survivor Max Glauben is on a mission—to outlast hate, to preserve memory, and to compel the world to embrace tolerance.

The stench of decay pierced the air aboard the boxcar of trapped Jews. “Why me?” fifteen-year-old Max asked himself, as a convoy rumbled from the Warsaw Ghetto to Majdanek death camp in May 1943.

The Nazis had destroyed the Glauben family’s business, upended their rights, and ultimately decimated their neighborhood. The deluge of questions would only intensify after the Nazis murdered Max’s mother, father, and brother. Max channeled grit, determination, and a fortuitous knack for manufacturing airplane parts to outlast six horrific concentration camps in his quest to survive.

This memoir explores Max’s mischievous childhood and teen years as a go-to ghetto smuggler. Max journeys from displaced person to American immigrant and Korean veteran. He reveals how he ached as he dared to court love and rear children. For decades, he bottled up his trauma. Then he realized: He could transform his pain into purpose.

Infused with raw emotion and vivid detail, historical records and Max’s poignant voice, this memoir relays the true story of the harrowing violence and dehumanization Max endured. It relays Max’s powerful lifetime commitment to actively thwarting hate and galvanizing resilience. Max insists you, too, can transform your adversity into your greatest strength.

In the seventy-five years since his liberation, Max has ceased to ask himself, “Why me?” Instead, he reframes his focus, eager to partner with you and ask: “What can we do next?”
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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Post Hill Press
  4. Publication date
    March 30, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1642937843
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1642937848
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Max Glauben’s story is a tale of courage, resilience, and defiance in the face of the worst kind of human cruelty. Jori Epstein’s compelling, compassionate, and intimate portrait commands not only our attention, but also our respect for a man who never surrendered his soul nor forgot what it means to be human. —Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Former Jerusalem Bureau Chief, The Washington Post

It’s not often that you’ll find a story so well-crafted as this that it captures the evil Max Glauben experienced in the Holocaust, while never losing sight of the goodness that animated his life well afterward. This is an important book that will ensure generations yet to be born will know—on a personal level—someone who survived history and spent a lifetime opening the hearts of others. —Brendan Miniter, Editorial Page Editor, The Dallas Morning News

I was nervous about reading Max’s memoir, because I was afraid it couldn’t possibly convey the hope and resilience that ‘our’ Max inspires when he shares his testimony at the museum. As I cautiously started reading, I soon realized my fears were unfounded, and before I knew it, I had finished the book with tears in my eyes. They were tears of gratitude that Jori had so lovingly and accurately captured the essence of Max—his history, his complexity, the twinkle in his eye, and his singular devotion to making the world a better place. Max embodies the definition of being an upstander, and I am grateful that he will continue to teach generations to come, not only through his interactions with our museum visitors in our Dimensions in Testimony Theater, but also through his memoir. Max inspires all of us who have the joy of working with him at the museum to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference, and I know he will inspire all who read this book, as well. Together, we can honor Max’s legacy by being upstanders! —Mary Pat Higgins, President and CEO, Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

This story reminds us that the arc of the moral universe does not bend toward justice on its own. It is pulled in that direction by resilient humans like Max Glauben. The Upstander is required reading for the brave souls who have enlisted in the war against hate. —Daron K. Roberts, Founding Director, University of Texas Center for Sports Leadership & Innovation

A famous Jewish proverb tells us, ‘Acquire for yourself a teacher.’ I can proudly say Max Glauben has been my teacher. Max has taught me so many lessons about life, but most of all, he has taught me how to move forward without vengeance, how to remember without hatred, and how to be an upstander without anger. Read his story and you too will acquire the most profound and meaningful teacher you could imagine. —Rabbi Meir Tannenbaum, Director of Jewish Enrichment, BBYO International

From the gates of Auschwitz to classrooms across Texas, Max Glauben has spent decades channeling the most excruciating memories of his past into messages of resilience, forgiveness, and hope. Through The Upstander, Jori Epstein ensures no details from Max's story are lost to the passage of time. Those of us whose lives have already been changed by Max are that much more fortunate now that Jori and Max’s bond is culminating in this remarkable book. —Rachel Siegel, Reporter, The Washington Post and author of Stories of Moral Courage in the Face of Evil

"This book stands as a tes­ta­ment to the courage and char­ac­ter of Max Glauben, hon­or­ing the mem­o­ry of his fam­i­ly and his hope for a bet­ter world for future generations." —Jewish Book Council

About the Author

As a journalist for USA Today, Jori Epstein reports features, investigations, and news—primarily on the Dallas Cowboys and NFL. She worked previously for The Dallas Morning News and Sports Illustrated. Jori holds journalism and Plan II Honors degrees from the University of Texas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Post Hill Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 30, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1642937843
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1642937848
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #2,157,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars (121)

About the author

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Jori Epstein

Jori Epstein

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Jori Epstein is a sports reporter for USA TODAY. She crafts feature, investigative, news and analysis coverage focusing on the Dallas Cowboys and National Football League. Prior to joining USA TODAY in 2018, she worked for The Dallas Morning News, Sports Illustrated and the Philadelphia Daily News. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas in 2016 with degrees in journalism and Plan II Honors. Her thesis—“Uncovering the Street Newspaper Movement: Faces and Strategies of a Hidden Journalism”—received recognition as one of 15 model theses among more than 150 honors graduates.

Jori met Holocaust survivor Max Glauben in 2012, when they traveled together on the March of the Living, a worldwide Holocaust education and remembrance program. Jori remembers sitting on the wooden-planked floors of a barrack in Majdanek death camp. This was the very camp to which the Nazis had deported Max, and in which they killed his mother and brother. While there, Max shared a key story of labor camp ingenuity that likely saved his life. He told students that he had never shared that memory in 69 years. It was then that 17-year-old Jori’s responsibility as a witness clicked.

Weeks after college graduation, Jori reconnected with Max. Max said he wanted his story written.

“I’ll write your story, Max,” she said. And she did.

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
121 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this book extraordinary, with one noting how it weaves hope through its poignant narrative. Moreover, they appreciate its profound history and informative content, with one customer highlighting its usefulness when discussing the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
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14 customers mention content, 14 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book extraordinary, with one review noting how it weaves hope through its poignant narrative, while another describes it as a deeply personal account of grace under atrocious circumstances.
Such a fantastic book. Well written, easy to follow and I could not put it down. Read it this afternoon. His stories and insight amazing....Read more
...because the gentleman is still alive & lives in my area made for a good read. We must never forget!Read more
No matter your age, this is a must read -- it's moving, thought-provoking and it might just change how you wake up every morning and approach the...Read more
...Jori Epstein beautifully conveys to the readers of this extraordinary book many of the same lessons my son’s had the privilege of learning...Read more
8 customers mention story, 8 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate the book's stories and profound history, with one customer describing it as an amazing story of strength.
What an incredible story, what an incredible man....Read more
What an amazing story of strength, loss and Grace under the most atrocious circumstances....Read more
Interesting insight to the immediate Post-War years.Read more
Jori Epstein does a masterful job weaving together a complex, meaningful narrative of Max Glauben, a Polish-American Holocaust survivor....Read more
6 customers mention informative, 6 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book informative, with one customer noting its depth of detail and usefulness in discussing the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
The depth of detail, corroboration, and sincerity conveyed in the amazing collaboration of two people 65 years apart in age is marvelously presented....Read more
...He provides important information to which we all need to bear witness.Read more
...Jori tells of Max's emotional scars in this thoughtful expose and inextricably links the reader to Max on a personal level....Read more
...It would especially be useful when discussing the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising since Max lived through it. I highly recommend it.Read more
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Top reviews from the United States

  • P. Blevins
    5 out of 5 stars
    What an amazing man!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2021
    Format: Hardcover
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    The Upstander: How Surviving the Holocaust Sparked Max Glauben’s Mission to Dismantle Hate was written by Jori Epstein with a Forward by Michael Berenbaum. This biography/memoir is one of the better ones I have read lately and it is written is such a way that it is almost impossible to put down. I have been lucky enough to have heard Max Glauben speak and as I read the book, I could hear and see him telling this story. Jori did an amazing job of keeping Max’s voice as the storyteller. He doesn’t shy away from telling the worst parts of his life in the camps; but he doesn’t dwell on those. It is not the shock factor he is after; but the ideas behind what is happening that matter. Max doesn’t tell his story to exact pity from the reader; but to get the reader to realize he/she must look to the future no matter what happens to you. Dwelling on the unthinkable can contribute nothing to your life; but seeing and doing what is right contributes much to your life. Max wants people to remember the victims of the Holocaust as individuals whose potential was lost forever. No one can imagine what those individuals would have contributed to our lives had they lived. We must acknowledge the hatred we each carry inside us and learn to discard it and help others to do the same. We must strive to make a new World in which hatred of every kind does not exist and something like the Holocaust can never happen again. We have a long way to go and Max leads the way to a better world for all.

    This book is written in such a way that it is acceptable to be used in middle school as well as above. It would especially be useful when discussing the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising since Max lived through it. I highly recommend it.

    2 people found this helpful
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  • Carole
    5 out of 5 stars
    "Never again." Indeed.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2021
    Format: Hardcover
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    "The Upstander" by Jori Epstein is a well-written and powerful read about Max Glauben's survival of the Holocaust and mission to encourage us all to be upstanders rather than bystanders in this world. Although I've never met Max, I feel like I know him and would like to have him as my friend. Ms. Epstein weaves hope through this poignant and sometimes horrifying account, and that's what Max would want. He has truly turned his pain into purpose by educating countless young people, especially, about the Holocaust and at the same time living out the truth that anger, bitterness and hatred is not the way. The last few sentences of the preface sum up what Max ultimately wants us to know: "This story is the story of one man. And yet, it is the story of so many. Max hopes it will never again be the story of any."

    One person found this helpful
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  • Jolene
    5 out of 5 stars
    An extraordinary true story of Max Glauban’s life as an Upstander.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2021
    Format: Hardcover
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    Two of my sons travelled to Poland with Max Glauben during their senior years of high school to learn, through Max’s own experience, how extreme hate and bias can turn into the genocide of 6 million Jews and so many others. They also learned from Max, the importance of being Upstanders in their communities and the resilience even in the most challenging times. In The Upstander, Jori Epstein beautifully conveys to the readers of this extraordinary book many of the same lessons my son’s had the privilege of learning directly from Max. As both a mother and a granddaughter of Holocaust victims and survivors, I hope everyone reads The Upstander. Learning how the most harrowing experience can propel one man to spread goodness and love can surely inspire others to do their part in embracing differences in our world.

    4 people found this helpful
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  • E
    5 out of 5 stars
    An Inspirational Masterpiece Revealing the 90+ Year Life of a Holocaust Survivor
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2021
    Format: Hardcover
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    Jori Epstein does a masterful job weaving together a complex, meaningful narrative of Max Glauben, a Polish-American Holocaust survivor. She brilliantly starts the book detailing Max's "Upheaval" and "Captivity" in Eastern Europe before pivoting to his "Reclamation" of self and "Transformation" into an empowering upstander. 

    This is the first memoir I've seen include accounts of both WWII and a Holocaust survivor's complex inner dialogue after the war. Jori tells of Max's emotional scars in this thoughtful expose and inextricably links the reader to Max on a personal level.

    Thank you, Jori, for guiding us through Max's life, inspiring us to live with purpose, and arming us to join the fight to dismantle hate.

    One person found this helpful
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  • Andrew B.
    5 out of 5 stars
    Uplifting, moving and a must-read!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2021
    Format: Hardcover
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    No matter your age, this is a must read -- it's moving, thought-provoking and it might just change how you wake up every morning and approach the world. Max's story isn't just powerful, it's beautifully told. The writing is just phenomenal, and it should be at the top of everyone's list. Now stop reading this and go read the book!

    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer : mountain fish
    5 out of 5 stars
    Engaging, informative and heart-felt
    Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2022
    Format: Kindle
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    What an amazing story of strength, loss and Grace under the most atrocious circumstances. My family are survivors too, but I struggle with neutralizing the hate, anger and revulsion I feel toward the Nazi murderers. I am learning valuable lessons from Max. Living a good and loving life is possible.

    One person found this helpful
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  • zackiss
    5 out of 5 stars
    Awe inspiring story…
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2022
    Format: Hardcover
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    What an incredible story, what an incredible man. To be able to not only make it through life after all the hardships, but to thrive…to make the world a better place… Upstander indeed. Beautiful tribute.

    One person found this helpful
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  • Maria
    5 out of 5 stars
    Max’s book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
    Format: Hardcover
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    Good book

    One person found this helpful
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