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 Holocaust War

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)

What listeners say about When Time Stopped

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Another gem of discovery and the secrets of family

Yes I have read many books from Holocaust, and this one held me captive as it skilfully unravelled. The reader was superb in her telling of this truly intriguing story. Thank you Ariana for telling this story.

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Really enjoyable

I really enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end, I don't often write reviews but felt this book was a story worth telling and I appreciated the amount of research required to put it all together coherently. It was easy to follow and never boring...Great book!

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Brilliant

Simply brilliant . A warning for our times of the banality of evil. A slippery slope from demagoguery

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