Praise for "A Blessing, Not a Burden"
Michael Berenbaum
Director Sigi Ziering Institute
Distinguised Professor of Jewish Studies, American Jewish University
"Alex Kor has written an extraordinary autobiography, actually an autobiography and two biographies, one of his mother famed Mengele twin survivor Eva Mozes Kor, and the other of his less-well-known father Mickey Kor, he too a Holocaust survivor. The result is a rare insight into two fascinating people and the opportunities and obligations of their son to continue and enhance their legacy...Alex has done them and himself proud. Compellingly told, he has written a story well worth telling, well worth reading."
Mitch Daniels
Former Governor, State of Indiana
Former President of Purdue University
Nikki Sixx
Co-Founder & Bassist of Mötley Crüe
"My brief encounter with Eva Kor at the Indianapolis 500 led to a meaningful friendship, and her example of forgiveness profoundly impacted me. In A Blessing, Not a Burden, her son Alex describes in vivid detail how both Eva, and her husband Mickey, became true “rock stars” and inspirations for us all."
Matt Painter
Head Men's Basketball Coach,
Purdue University
"Mickey Kor was one of Purdue University's most fervent fans. From his college days, where he spent hours in Lambert Gymnasium to the hundreds of games he attended at Mackey Arena and Ross Aide Stadium, few cared more about their alma mater than Mickey. He and his wife Eva embodied the principles that we seek to instill in our players here, including toughness, resilience, and passion. Featuring fascinating stories from Mickey's Purdue past, including his introductory encounter with John Wooden, A Blessing, Not a Burden is a must read for Purdue fans, and all readers in need of inspiration."
Josh Schertz
Head Men's Basketball Coach,
Indiana State University
"This book by Dr. Kor, along with Graham Honaker, chronicling the incredible lives of his parents Eva and Mickey Kor as they managed to survive the unimaginable horrors of life in a concentration camp during the Holocaust is a must read. As discrimination of all kinds continues to rise across this country and the world, Dr. Kor’s story of perseverance, love and forgiveness is more poignant than any time since the Holocaust. With antisemitism skyrocketing, this book spotlights the atrocities of the past while lighting a path forward to a better and more tolerant future. Thank you, Alex, for providing us with the gift of your parents and your amazing story!"
Greg Dobbs
Emmy Award-Winning Former ABC News Correspondent
"A Blessing, Not a Burden is the story of so much suffering yet at the same time, so much spirit. It is a spirit I got to see firsthand when I interviewed Eva Kor at Auschwitz in 1985, on the 40th anniversary of its liberation. She spoke of her horrors but also of her forgiveness. As if it’s not enough that against all odds, she survived the Nazi death camp, she also survived something even worse: Dr. Josef Mengele, the so-called “Angel of Death.” As one of the hundreds of sets of identical twins who became experimental fodder in Mengele’s degenerate lab at Auschwitz, she survived his persistent and perverted procedures while he murdered other twins just to have corpses for his experiments. Her spirit is something to emulate. Her life is something to honor. This book does just that."
"Bravery and fortitude always make for compelling reading, and modern times provide no greater exemplars than the incredible Kors. How one wishes that their story was of only historical interest, but the world keeps reminding us that their struggle must constantly be not just remembered but renewed. A Blessing, Not A Burden captures Eva and Mickey's extraordinary resilience and reminds us all of the power of the human spirit to overcome."
Michael Berenbaum
Director Sigi Ziering Institute
Distinguised Professor of Jewish Studies, American Jewish University
"Alex Kor has written an extraordinary autobiography, actually an autobiography and two biographies, one of his mother famed Mengele twin survivor Eva Mozes Kor, and the other of his less-well-known father Mickey Kor, he too a Holocaust survivor. The result is a rare insight into two fascinating people and the opportunities and obligations of their son to continue and enhance their legacy...Alex has done them and himself proud. Compellingly told, he has written a story well worth telling, well worth reading."
Mitch Daniels
Former Governor, State of Indiana
Former President of Purdue University
Nikki Sixx
Co-Founder & Bassist of Mötley Crüe
"My brief encounter with Eva Kor at the Indianapolis 500 led to a meaningful friendship, and her example of forgiveness profoundly impacted me. In A Blessing, Not a Burden, her son Alex describes in vivid detail how both Eva, and her husband Mickey, became true “rock stars” and inspirations for us all."
Matt Painter
Head Men's Basketball Coach,
Purdue University
"Mickey Kor was one of Purdue University's most fervent fans. From his college days, where he spent hours in Lambert Gymnasium to the hundreds of games he attended at Mackey Arena and Ross Aide Stadium, few cared more about their alma mater than Mickey. He and his wife Eva embodied the principles that we seek to instill in our players here, including toughness, resilience, and passion. Featuring fascinating stories from Mickey's Purdue past, including his introductory encounter with John Wooden, A Blessing, Not a Burden is a must read for Purdue fans, and all readers in need of inspiration."
Josh Schertz
Head Men's Basketball Coach,
Indiana State University
"This book by Dr. Kor, along with Graham Honaker, chronicling the incredible lives of his parents Eva and Mickey Kor as they managed to survive the unimaginable horrors of life in a concentration camp during the Holocaust is a must read. As discrimination of all kinds continues to rise across this country and the world, Dr. Kor’s story of perseverance, love and forgiveness is more poignant than any time since the Holocaust. With antisemitism skyrocketing, this book spotlights the atrocities of the past while lighting a path forward to a better and more tolerant future. Thank you, Alex, for providing us with the gift of your parents and your amazing story!"
Greg Dobbs
Emmy Award-Winning Former ABC News Correspondent
"A Blessing, Not a Burden is the story of so much suffering yet at the same time, so much spirit. It is a spirit I got to see firsthand when I interviewed Eva Kor at Auschwitz in 1985, on the 40th anniversary of its liberation. She spoke of her horrors but also of her forgiveness. As if it’s not enough that against all odds, she survived the Nazi death camp, she also survived something even worse: Dr. Josef Mengele, the so-called “Angel of Death.” As one of the hundreds of sets of identical twins who became experimental fodder in Mengele’s degenerate lab at Auschwitz, she survived his persistent and perverted procedures while he murdered other twins just to have corpses for his experiments. Her spirit is something to emulate. Her life is something to honor. This book does just that."
"Bravery and fortitude always make for compelling reading, and modern times provide no greater exemplars than the incredible Kors. How one wishes that their story was of only historical interest, but the world keeps reminding us that their struggle must constantly be not just remembered but renewed. A Blessing, Not A Burden captures Eva and Mickey's extraordinary resilience and reminds us all of the power of the human spirit to overcome."
Bob McKillop
Retired Davidson College Men's Basketball Coach
"In July 2018, the Davidson College Men’s Basketball team journeyed to the Auschwitz death camp and had their eyes opened to a life changing experience. Guided by Eva Mozes Kor, a Holocaust survivor and a Mengele twin, and accompanied by her son, Alex, the Davidson players and coaches were presented with a powerful and incredibly personal view of the horrors of the Holocaust. Stunned, shocked, and moved to tears, they left Auschwitz determined to share this experience with their families, friends, and classmates. Eva became a hero to all of us.
Now, Alex Kor together with Graham Honaker has written a book that shares the heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of Eva and her husband Mickey Kor, a Holocaust survivor of Buchenwald. It’s a story about overcoming overwhelming adversity and consistently finding the courage to fight and the determination to survive.
Eva and Mickey created their own hope when no one gave them any reason to live another day. Remarkably, as insurmountable obstacles greeted them each day, they turned every dead end into a pathway to another destination. Their extraordinary perseverance is a model for all of us.
How fitting that Eva’s favorite song became “The Impossible Dream.” Eva’s life and Mickey’s life are compelling statements about fighting the unbeatable foe and bearing with unbearable sorrow. They won the battle of life, refusing to surrender, and turning every negative into a positive.
Twenty-four hours each day they were greeted with the challenge to give up and surrender or fight and survive. The Nazis stole the lives of Eva and Mickey. Eva and Mickey took their lives back. This book is a must read for every one of us as we face the daily challenges of contemporary culture and strive to cross the finish line."
Stephen Smith
Former Executive Director,
USC Shoah Foundation
"Over the duration of her 85 years on this planet, Eva Kor's voice impacted millions. Through the USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Technology initiative, we were able to preserve her voice for decades to come. I had the privilage of asking Eva more than 1,000 questions for the project and came to truly appreciate her philosophy on forgiveness. In A Blessing, Not a Burden, Alex Kor adds further context to his mother's stance while vividly recounting his parents' uplifting life journeys. Our goal for the DIT project was to permanently document the narratives of Holocaust survivors via enhanced technology. Alex has done this in the form of a written account, and reminds us of how imperative it is to safeguard these stories for future generations."
Eric Holcomb
Governor of Indiana
"Though not Indiana natives by birth, Eva and Mickey Kor were the consummate Hoosiers. From their against-all-odds survival to their peace-spreading message based on forgiveness and their home in Terre Haute, Indiana, their relentless and optimistic example inspired not just Hoosiers, but the world over. Their creation of the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center has educated thousands of young people and attracted visitors from across the globe. In 2020, we established “Eva Education Day” to further spread her message of resiliency, perseverance, and forgiveness. In A Blessing, Not a Burden, readers will learn more about Eva's teachings and find inspiration in Mickey's own example of courage and fortitude. I highly recommend reading the story of Eva and Mickey Kor and learning how the human spirit can powerfully persevere, restore, and become a beacon of light for others to follow.
Dr. Toby Domsky Goldstein
Former Classmate
Hi. I finished the book. It took me awhile as the 1st few chapters were so sad and hard to read. The terrible atrocities your parents miraculously lived through made me cry. I had to put it down for a while. I read the rest of the book on an airplane to LA this week. It made me laugh, cry, and smile especially the parts where you mention podiatry school and some of our classmates. Also, your mom using social media and giving out her phone #…..It made me sad that you went through cancer treatments on your own during those days. I didn’t realize that was happening until you showed back up to class with your wig on. I wish I, we, were more supportive and not in our own worlds at the time. I wish I could have been a better friend. …As a mom of a son who had cancer at 5 years old, I know what going through that was like. What an incredible story and journey you have gone through with your family and on your own. I will share the book with my friends and family.