The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor
“In my mind, this is really the best revenge, and it is the only revenge I am interested in – to be the happiest man on Earth.”
About This Book:
Published: 2020
Genre: Memoir, Holocaust Literature
Born in Leipzig in 1920, Jaku experienced the full horror of the Holocaust. He was beaten on Kristallnacht, imprisoned in Buchenwald and Auschwitz, and lost most of his family to the camps. When the war ended, he could have spent the rest of his life consumed by what had been done to him.
Instead, he emigrated to Australia, built a new family, and spent decades sharing a counterintuitive message: happiness is something we choose, not something that happens to us.
At 100 years old, Jaku doesn't sugarcoat the atrocities he witnessed or pretend trauma doesn't leave scars. But he refuses to give Hitler victory by letting hatred and bitterness define his life. His philosophy is straightforward: be kind, be grateful, and decide every morning that today you will find something to smile about.
Published in 2020, the book became an international bestseller. Readers responded to Jaku's warmth, his refusal to be a victim, and his insistence that joy is possible even after unimaginable loss.
Perfect for readers who appreciate: Memoir, Holocaust literature, resilience, philosophy of happiness, inspirational narratives, gratitude and choice
Why We Recommend This Book:
The Happiest Man on Earth challenges our assumptions about happiness and suffering.
This book is powerful for anyone struggling with bitterness, resentment, or feeling stuck. Jaku shows that choosing happiness after loss isn't denial or toxic positivity. It's deciding what kind of person you want to be and refusing to let trauma have the final word.
