A New York Times Bestseller
In this uplifting Holocaust survivor memoir in the vein of The Last Lecture and Man’s Search for Meaning, a survivor pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom, and living his best possible life.
Born in Leipzig, Germany, into a Jewish family, Eddie Jaku was a teenager when his world was turned upside-down. On November 9, 1938, during the terrifying violence of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, Eddie was beaten by SS thugs, arrested, and sent to a concentration camp with thousands of other Jews across Germany. Every day of the next seven years of his life, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors in Buchenwald, Auschwitz, and finally on a forced death march during the Third Reich’s final days. The Nazis took everything from Eddie―his family, his friends, and his country. But they did not break his spirit.
Against unbelievable odds, Eddie found the will to survive. Overwhelming grateful, he made a promise: he would smile every day in thanks for the precious gift he was given and to honor the six million Jews murdered by Hitler. Today, at 100 years of age, despite all he suffered, Eddie calls himself the “happiest man on earth.” In his remarkable memoir, this born storyteller shares his wisdom and reflects on how he has led his best possible life, talking warmly and openly about the power of gratitude, tolerance, and kindness. Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. With The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie shows us how.
Filled with his insights on friendship, family, health, ethics, love, and hatred, and the simple beliefs that have shaped him, this inspirational story offers timeless lessons for readers of all ages, especially for young people today.
This unforgettable memoir of hope reveals:
- A True Story of Resilience: Follow Eddie Jaku’s journey from a German teenager through the horrors of Buchenwald and Auschwitz to a 100-year-old man who calls himself the happiest on Earth.
- Finding Happiness: Discover the promise Eddie made to smile every day, and learn his profound wisdom on the power of gratitude, tolerance, and kindness against unbelievable odds.
- WWII History: Witness the terror of Kristallnacht and the inhumanity of the Nazi death camps through the eyes of a survivor dedicated to honoring the six million Jews who were lost.
- Lessons on Gratitude: Learn from a man who lost everything how the simple choice to be grateful can transform unimaginable suffering into a life of joy and purpose.
Eddie Jaku OAM was born Abraham Jakubowicz in Germany in 1920. In World War Two, Eddie was imprisoned in Buchenwald and Auschwitz concentration camps. In 1945, he was sent on a 'death march' but escaped. Finally he was rescued by Allied soldiers. In 1950 he moved with family to Australia where he lived for over sixty years. Eddie was married to his wife Flore for 75 years and they had two sons, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He died peacefully in October 2021, at the age of 101.
