If This Is a Man
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1943, Primo Levi, a 25-year-old Italian chemist, was arrested by Fascist militia and deported to Auschwitz. This is his account of his ten months in the camp: the systematic cruelty, the struggle to stay human and the small chances that let him survive. It's written with remarkable restraint, clarity and compassion.
Why it's worth reading
It's on Le Monde's list of the 100 books of the century, and it's one of the most important books about the Holocaust. Its calm, exact voice makes the horror unbearable and unforgettable.
You'll love it if you liked
Night, The Diary of a Young Girl or Maus
Good to know
It's published in the US as Survival in Auschwitz. It's short; many readers go on to The Truce, its sequel.
Quick answers
Is If This Is a Man worth reading?
Yes. It's on Le Monde's list of the 100 books of the century, and it's one of the most important books about the Holocaust. It ranks #749 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is If This Is a Man about?
In 1943, Primo Levi, a 25-year-old Italian chemist, was arrested by Fascist militia and deported to Auschwitz. This is his account of his ten months in the camp: the systematic cruelty, the struggle to stay human and the small chances that let him survive. It's written with remarkable restraint, clarity and compassion.
How long does it take to read If This Is a Man?
About 5 hours (198 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after If This Is a Man?
If you liked it, try Night by Elie Wiesel, The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or Maus by Art Spiegelman.
By the numbers
- Readers96 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On the Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century list.
Where it ranks
- #129 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #237 of the 763 classics we rank
- #749 of the 2,819 books we rank
On the lists
- Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century
Reads as
True story, Dark
If you like this, read next
The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Dispatches
The Path to Power
The Souls of Black Folk
The Diary of a Young Girl