Where Light and Shadow Meet: A Memoir Paperback – August 1, 1997

Emilie was the real strength of conviction behind the otherwise boorish, womanizing Oskar Schindler. This memoir / biography provides an amazing view of Oskar and his many corpulent weaknesses. One wonders if all those people would have been saved if their fates had been left to Oskar alone. The book itself is well-written and perhaps subject to some literary critique since Emilie never proclaimed to be a writer. It is true that Emilie seems to have had a "persecution complex" believing that she had to do all the grunt work while Oskar was out doing his thing. If one believes her remembrances, as documented, then that would be pretty accurate. I think that her co-author and certainly the editor could have made this book better by helping to downplay some of the "poor Emilie" aspects and adding more meat to her role along side Oskar. That said, I found little to be critical of in her style and delivery. Highly recommend this insightful, historical book.

If you know the story, or saw the movie you MUST read this book ! The back story was heart wrenching!I only wish I knew Mrs. Schindler's story much sooner .... Millions of us would have helped her , if only we had known.you will see Mr Schindler in a whole new light ...and it's not very flattering !It left me wondering if he did all of it to feed his ego . I don't understand how he could have done what he did to his wife.Although I am grateful he saved many, the suffering his wife endured because of him is incomprehensible .... and despite it all , she forgave him . Speaks volumes about the wonderful woman she was.Steven Speilberg should hang his head in shame for what he did when he made the movie.

This is a terrifoc book. It really gives insight into what happened with Oskar Schindler, and his wife. Great addition if you are a fan of Schindler's List, which seems not to credit Emilie fairly fpr all she did as well as Oskar. Awesome. Very informatibe - I could not put it down!

I am working on a book on Oskar Schindler, so I certainly appreciated the perspective of his wife. If you're considering this book to augment your understanding of Oskar Schindler, then this is an excellent book. If you're reading it purely as a memoir, it has some serious flaws. It is short on detail and struggles with a cogent chronology for the reader to follow. Remember, Emilie Schindler was not a writer, and she had help to even write this book.However, this is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the enigmatic Oskar. I read it in a few hours. I think that amount of time is worth the valuable insight I gained into Oskar's character and motivational profile.

An extraordinary story, love this book, had me crying, and I recommend it to anyone!

An important element that makes this book remarkable is the impression of openness, honesty, candor -- and the like, meaning there's a definite impression of Truth being told -- provided by Emilie Schindler. Her perspective, her experience, is revealing and realistic, not only about her charismatic and flawed husband, Oskar Schindler, but also about the roads traveled by a wife of a Nazi party member, a very innocent and decent country girl who witnessed horror but did what she could to alleviate suffering.Emilie was an abandoned woman herself, who had to just keep plugging away in order to survive. Her personal story is compelling, as well. Among other things, it's testimony of a woman born in the early 20th C., who was trapped by conventions, ascribed female roles (and duties as she knew them), and by fate and choices.This included an all-too-familiar story of many women -- longing to have an adult life and get away from the limits of being The Daughter, even as there were beloved mother and grandmother as sources of love and care. Then, being captive and captivated by love for her husband, and then naivete and futile hopes of him growing up enough to be emotionally and financially responsible in his marriage. Her choices were limited, first by youth and hopes, expectations, and then by war, true horror and desperation, followed by poverty, and few places and people to turn to. This went on for decades.Anyone interested in the things covered (beautifully, horrifyingly, so well, and pretty closely -- but certainly not of all aspects) by Spielberg's film, "Schindler's List", will find Emilie's book fascinating. And -- just my opinion -- this book could be part of any exploration of issues and challenges for women, both emotional, financial, and in extreme crisis -- esp. in the belly of the places of the most sadistic beasts of War ever known fully. One other thing that struck me -- I would have asked my [sensitive, bright, history buff) daughter, when she was in her mid-teens, to read this memoir PRIOR to a view of Spielberg's film, to both prepare her and illuminate -- that film is, after all, a painful eye-opener, and one can't just integrate fully the complicated person, Oskar Schindler, by only knowing him in the form of Liam Neeson as scripted.The book is a five-star story, limited to a four-star rating only because it's told in the simplest of words ... so, just personal to me as reader, as I can't rate a book five-star unless the writing itself is exceptional.

Excellent revelation of Emilie Schindler's extraordinary role in the shadow of her husband, Oskar

An essential work for understanding Oskar's life and death and what Emilie did and suffered through from the Nazis and Oskar.Short but excellent throughout.