Sometimes, we find a memoir that reads like a novel. It captures your imagination, leaving behind a trail of powerful emotions, poignant characters and unforgettable scenes. And sometimes a story is so dramatic and powerful that it simply must be told.

Counting on America is an evocative tale of love, family, prejudice, brutality and redemption. Starvation, sickness and death are a constant companion. Yet Kurt and Hennie, who have lost everything and fear losing everyone they love, manage to chronicle their passage through the persecution and cruelty of Nazi Germany. Their crime was their faith. That Kurt's memory is powerful enough to give us this chronicle is miraculous.

The authors, Kurt and his son Gary, provide a refreshing clarity of mind and purpose. Rather than embellish the experience with flowery prose, as is often the case with a novice author or memoir writer, the authors retell the life of Kurt Reiner with straightforward reality. Grounded by a profoundly accurate memory, the book is well-edited and entirely readable. The addition of many pictures gives the reader a deeper sense of perception and vicarious participation.

Charles S. Weinblatt is the author of traditionally published fiction and nonfiction. His biography appears in Academic Wikipedia and the Marquis Who's Who in America. Mr. Weinblatt is a prolific reviewer for New York Journal of Books.