The Boy on the Wooden Box

The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This memoir by Leon Leyson gives a look into the life of a young Jewish boy during the Holocaust.  It is of particular interest because Leon was chosen as one of "Schindler Jews" and was protected by this powerful man.  It is clear in the book, that even though his father was able to arrange very carefully for his wife and some of his children to be on Schindler's protected list, they still were not protected from the atrocities felt by Jews during Hitler's reign.  But, it is clear just how much Schindler risked protecting and trying to feed them as his factory workers.  He even had little Leon stand on a wooden box to operate the machinery to show he was working in his factory, hence, the name of the book.  Leyson didn’t share his story until after the movie Schindler’s List came out, but as a reader, I am grateful that he did.



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