Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe - Facing the Lion (Abridged Edition)

Great book even better because it is a true story no one can deny the horrors that Satan visits on this world, We should all have the faith that this woman expressed throughout her life not just during the war simone lived her entire life this way. The average person would crack but because of true faith her, her husband & almost 7000 other witnesses survived the nazis.

This is an inspiring book and encourages all to endure adversity with courage. What Simone remembers about her mother and how her mother counseled her is a good example for all mothers. I couldn't put it down!

This is an outstanding book. It shows how important it is for parents to train the children early in the way they shoud grow up. This girl was not baptised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses but she conducted herself in an a manner that showed she had dedicated her life to God, (Jehovah)>

This little Jehovah Witness girl stood up to the Nazis with conviction and courage.
I loved this book. I have ordered about 5 over time, and have given some away, or
loaned my copy to friends, having it returned and then passed on to others, who also
love it. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about justice.

Although this is the Abridged Edition of the book you don't feel you are missing anything, in fact I didn't even realize that I had bought this version till my husband pointed it out. It is a wonderful true story about belief and how that can keep you going through the really hard stuff.

In her memoirs Simone tells how her parents against many odds set a great example in their faith,they put being witnesses first and how many Jehovah's witnesses died and suffered during this time in history. This book tells a story that isn't fraught with nasty details of what happened during the war, it simply tells her experience in a courageous and motivating way I even feel this version of this book could be appropriate for a mature 14 year old. Wonderfully written true story of courage drawn from her faith helped her though these tough times.

I found the book both inspiring and informative. In a world gone mad this woman painted a picture of a young girl trying to make sense of it all while fighting not to become just another victim. Her strength while facing impossible life decisions inspired me to review how I personally handle stress in this time of relative peace. As a young person, I had read the Diary of Anne Frank and was deeply impressed by her resourcefulness. Unlike the Jews during Nazi occupation, Simone Arnold could have chosen not to be tortured for her beleifs. Her family could have chosen to remain together and compromise. Yet they didn't. They held on to values in a time when there were few to be found. I think everyone, young and old, would benefit from comparing their convictions with the history of this amazing woman.

I have read this book between six and ten times. It is a book of encouragement to see the life story of this little girl over a few years of her young life. Her love of God and her family. Her loyalty to God's Government and wanting to please her Creator. It was an eye opener to see what people endoured and are still endouring in some countries today because of loyalty to God instead of men. I cannot read this book without crying, not only at the pain and suffering, but tears of happiness over the total loyalty to God. It is faith building and encouraging. Not including the Bible, it is one of the best reads for anyone who truly loves God.

I was so overwhelmed by the excellent writing of this autobiography, that I only took two days to read it. The historical facts, emotions, persecution, conversion of religions, - everything was so very vivid and inspirational. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness and then took the wrong path for awhile but now I have come back and I am planning on baptism this year and when I read Simone's story - I cried and asked Jehovah for forgiveness for being so closed minded as to believe that I have had it hard because it pales in comparison as to what so many people had to go through when Hitler was alive. I have read other stories, been taught in school the so-called "facts" but when someone like Simone writes as well as she did - it is truly awesome and brings it right into your own home. The best thing I love about it is that I know we have examples of Jehovah's love and forgiving natures, wisdom, and power through the scriptures and we have real people giving real life stories of persecution and sacrifice but they are all dead and have been for a long time. Simone is still alive and this was actually a recent event (considering the age of the stories in the bible) and so many people today ask me "Why has God left us, deserted us - He provided so many miracles before Jesus died and now He shows us nothing" well this real-life story is a perfect example of Jehovah's love and guidance and that He is with us everyday and provides us with blessings and miracles more often than not - so the next time someone mentions that they are alone or have no reason to believe in Jehovah, I will ask them to read this book before they set their opinion in stone. She strengthened my faith beyond words. I recommend that everyone read this book - no matter what faith you are - and pass it on.

I found the book both inspiring and informative. In a world gone mad this woman painted a picture of a young girl trying to make sense of it all while fighting not to become just another victim. Her strength while facing impossible life decisions inspired me to review how I personally handle stress in this time of relative peace. As a young person, I had read the Diary of Anne Frank and was deeply impressed by her resourcefulness. Unlike the Jews during Nazi occupation, Simone Arnold could have chosen not to be tortured for her beleifs. Her family could have chosen to remain together and compromise. Yet they didn't. They held on to values in a time when there were few to be found. I think everyone, young and old, would benefit from comparing their convictions with the history of this amazing woman.

I have read this book between six and ten times. It is a book of encouragement to see the life story of this little girl over a few years of her young life. Her love of God and her family. Her loyalty to God's Government and wanting to please her Creator. It was an eye opener to see what people endoured and are still endouring in some countries today because of loyalty to God instead of men. I cannot read this book without crying, not only at the pain and suffering, but tears of happiness over the total loyalty to God. It is faith building and encouraging. Not including the Bible, it is one of the best reads for anyone who truly loves God.

I was so overwhelmed by the excellent writing of this autobiography, that I only took two days to read it. The historical facts, emotions, persecution, conversion of religions, - everything was so very vivid and inspirational. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness and then took the wrong path for awhile but now I have come back and I am planning on baptism this year and when I read Simone's story - I cried and asked Jehovah for forgiveness for being so closed minded as to believe that I have had it hard because it pales in comparison as to what so many people had to go through when Hitler was alive. I have read other stories, been taught in school the so-called "facts" but when someone like Simone writes as well as she did - it is truly awesome and brings it right into your own home. The best thing I love about it is that I know we have examples of Jehovah's love and forgiving natures, wisdom, and power through the scriptures and we have real people giving real life stories of persecution and sacrifice but they are all dead and have been for a long time. Simone is still alive and this was actually a recent event (considering the age of the stories in the bible) and so many people today ask me "Why has God left us, deserted us - He provided so many miracles before Jesus died and now He shows us nothing" well this real-life story is a perfect example of Jehovah's love and guidance and that He is with us everyday and provides us with blessings and miracles more often than not - so the next time someone mentions that they are alone or have no reason to believe in Jehovah, I will ask them to read this book before they set their opinion in stone. She strengthened my faith beyond words. I recommend that everyone read this book - no matter what faith you are - and pass it on.

Facing the Lion by Simone Arnold Liebster is not only a great book for Jehovah's Witnesses to read, but for everyone with pre-teens. Simone goes into great detail on how she develops her sense of right and wrong about all sorts of day to day issues - honesty, morals, etc. I especially liked the part where she explains how her parents handled her when she took some money to buy a doll for a friend without asking permission.
She writes from the child's perspective which can give parents insight on how their own child can be influenced by peer pressures and how to better inculcate higher standards in their children. Additionaly, this book is a must read for all children that face peer pressure on a daily basis as Simone gives all sorts of ways to cope and refute such pressure. The fact that it is written during the Nazi takeover of France only increases its value in the lessons to be learned.
My teenage son is currently reading this book and has already found several experiences of Simone's, helpful for him to say NO, firmly but kindly, to issues going on at school.
The other great item that this book has, is a lot of the original letters going back and forth from the camps, as well as the legal documentation that Witnesses were asked to sign denying their faith in order to be released from the camps. Many other books have referred to the paper the Witnesses could have signed to be freed but none have ever actually shown the wording. Very powerful material to show how brothers and sisters of all ages kept their integrity to their beliefs.

I just finished reading this wonderful book. I expected to hear how prayer and study was a big help to Simone and wonderful experiences how her God helped her through this trial. What I didn't expect was the ups and downs experienced by Simone. The perspective of the recovery period was fascinating. Simone's story really made this time period live for me, the before, during and after. I really appreciated the new perspective it gave me. I also enjoyed reading about Simone's background as a child, and how her conscience developed. I would definitely recommend this book!

This book paints a portrait of life under Nazi rule that most people would otherwise never see. We are all aware of the treatment of the jews in world war II but this is the first book I've read concerning the treatment of Jehovah Witness's during this time. I knew very little about their faith when I started reading this book and even less about how they were treated by the Nazis.
This book was not only informative but the story is very compelling and very hard to put down. The writer has a wonderful writing style and many times I felt I was actually reading the thoughts of this young girl as she struggled on a daily basis with her life as a prisoner while at the same time tried as best she could to live a life that her faith required.

Simone's story is honest and heartening, a tale of spiritual and moral victory over the tragedy of the Holocaust and Hitler's third reich. This wonderful little girl would not, could not, and did not compromise, and suffered greatly for it. Her two years of "reform school" from age 13-15 were an inordinately large part of her short life, and that right at puberty, an exquisitely sensitive and formative time. Her great love for her father and mother and the respect for what they taught her carries her through, all of this in the context of her devotion to God and her religious beliefs. Like myself, most of Jehovah's Witnesses have for many years been aware of Simone Arnold and other Witnesses incarcerated during the Holocaust... Simone's story is all the more important forits length, depth and breadth of scope, including her psychologicalinsights. Facing the Lion is unique in that it tells us about a child, but morethan a child, a child on her own. At least my relatives and the majority of Witnesses incarcerated during Nazi times had each other in their barracks. Highly recommended reading for young people and their parents.

Simone Arnold Liebster creates a vivid picture of her early life pre-World War II. She's a fierce-hearted, loyal and caring little girl who buys treats at the bakery to share with her hungry school friends. As she grows, so does the Nazi threat, but she is unbowed by the attempts to force her to compromise her integrity. This is an absorbing story that I did not want to put down. There are some fascinating appendices included which feature information about some of the concentration camps.

I have read this amazing book of the ultimate example of how to resist the trials of persecution in the Nazi war and I can't wait to get my newest copy of it having misplaced the last copy in a move...if you want an example in courage this is the perfect book...

This is a wonderful book for girls, and young teens. It is one of the important works of literature discussing the issues of religious persecution and personal integrity. It is a fitting book for the classroom and that every older pre-teen and teenager should read. Facing the Lion shows how a young girls will can be stronger and more enduring than the hateful ideology of Nazism, and how Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted during this time period. It is a work that should be alongside Number the Stars, along with The Diary of Anne Frank. These three books give a marvelous testimony to the sufferings of young girls, as well as the integrity of the human spirit during this time period in history. Overcoming ADHD Without Medication: A Parent and Educator's Guidebook

I do not spend much time researching nor reading about WWII but one thing I have noticed is the lack of information on the groups persecuted during this time frame. Even rarer is the plight of the children.
Having known many Jehovah's Witnesses I see why this book is so strengthening and enlightening.
This was a autobiography of a little girl in Nazi Alsace. She talks about how her dedication to Jehovah strengthened her, encouraged her, and gave her hope when the people turned against her because of her love for Jehovah.
Miracles like in Bible times do not happen now but there were miracles performed in Alsace that kept Simone and her brothers and sisters strong in the face of the Lion even to death.
Nothing is more courageous then standing firm agianst persecution on account of your love for your God.

Simone has become a household name in my family, since her book arrived here a couple of months ago. She and her friends have inspired us to greater faith and the resolve to live by Christian principles, without compromise. From 1982 to 1985, I was incarcerated in a military detention camp because of my Christian neutrality. The examples of single-minded people like the Arnolds (Simone's family) and their family in Mullhausen, served to strengthen me then, as they continue to do now. From Facing the Lion, I have re-learnt that the fabric of civilization has worn very thin in the last century. We cannot expect always to be comfortable or secure. All we pray for is Christian dignity and courage - the God-given privilege to rise above our fear. Thank you to those who urged Simone to call up those memories - many of them painful - for our strengthening.

Of all the books talking about this period of history, this one is different in a sense that you feel what she felt from the eyes of a child with no judgement. Very encouraging, and inspiring. I also bought her husbands book "Crucible of terror", and wow what a couple.

What a wonderful and encouraging life story of a girl who, no matter what, put her trust in Jehovah to help her through such a harrowing experience. It is a beautiful example we can all learn from as we face persecution in many forms.