What I’m Reading: Adolfo Kaminsky A Forfer’s Life

I just finished listening the audio book Adolfo Kaminsky: A Forger’s Life by Sarah Kaminsky.  I found this one at my on line library.  I had to listen to it quickly as I had several other books that had come off of my holds list and were now available.  That’s okay though….I had a weekend and lots of time to listen.

I often get asked if I listen to the books in “quick time”.  For those of you who don’t know if I am listening to a book I have the option of listening to it a variety of speeds.  At 1.0 that would be everyday talking.  Personally, I find that really slow.  Typically I listen closed to 1.4.  I find that the desired speed for me.  I can process and to me, that seems more of a “normal” talking speed….but then again, I think I talk fast.  Once I got about half way through this book I did speed up to 1.6.

This is a true life story of Adolfo Kaminshky.  He was a brillant Jewish boy who came of age during WWII.  He came was drawn to a life of chemistry and forgery.  His work saved and help many oppressed people.  He is what history books are made for….as for the book.  Did I like it?

For the most part I did like the book.  About mid book I was started feeling like the book was over my head.  I am not up world history of the 60s and 70s and that’s where the book took me.  I was born in 1965 and in school, history classes only took us to WWII.  I fail at world history of my time.  This book delved into oppression that happened world wide and after a bit felt I didn’t know enough to “keep up”.  I ended up deciding that it was too much work to keep up and instead, sped up the book and decided to quit trying so hard and just listen to the story of the man’s life and his contribution to the world.  The book was more enjoyable after I decided that it was okay to listen as a read rather than for education.  I hope that makes sense.

Here’s what Amazon had to say:“Best-selling author Sarah Kaminsky takes readers through her father Adolfo Kaminsky’s perilous and clandestine career as a real-life forger for the French Resistance, the FLN, and numerous other freedom movements of the twentieth century. Recruited as a young Jewish teenager for his knowledge of dyes, Kaminsky became the primary forger for the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Then, as a professional photographer, Kaminsky spent the next twenty-five years clandestinely producing thousands of counterfeit documents for immigrants, exiles, underground political operatives, and pacifists across the globe. Kaminsky kept his past cloaked in secrecy well into his eighties, until his daughter convinced him to share the details of the life-threatening work he did on behalf of people fighting for justice and peace throughout the world.”

Amazon readers give the book 4.3 stars.  I’m going with 4.1.  As I said, at some points the book goes over my history levels and turns more into listening to a history book rather then listening for enjoyment.