The long descriptions of violence, hatred, and inhumanity feel overwhelming. But it is also an amazing story of persistence, grace, and a will to live..

Extraordinary.

Like all family historians, Roxanne de Bastion wishes she had paid more attention, asked more and remembered better. But The Piano Player of Budapest tells us that the handing down of stories is complex. Through her grandfather’s terrible ordeals she sees her father more fully..

A most moving, memorable memoir that expertly incorporates sensory details. Readers will be able to easily envision de Bastion’s grandfather, his love of music and great talent for it, his strength and resilience during the war, and the power of his music to keep him alive..

De Bastion ably pieces together this poignant tale despite Stephen’s silences, offering a memorable account of family and resilience..

In an atmospheric touch, de Bastion utilizes the family’s piano, which miraculously survived the Holocaust, as a vector for Stephen’s emotional experience.