In Person - Bio/Memoir Book Club: "Measure of a Man" by Martin Greenfield

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 11:00 AM—12:00 PM Cheever Conference Room Ashland Public Library 66 Front St, Ashland, MA, 01721 Join the conversation as we discuss Measure of a Man: From Auschwitz Survivor to Presidents' Tailor, "the inspiring story of a man who has been called "America's greatest living tailor" and "the most interesting man in the world." Taken from his Czechoslovakian home at age fifteen and transported to the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz with his family, Martin Greenfield came face to face with "Angel of Death" Dr. Joseph Mengele and was divided forever from his parents, sisters, and baby brother. In haunting, powerful prose, Greenfield remembers his desperation and fear as a teenager alone in the death camp and how an SS soldier's shirt dramatically altered the course of his life. He learned how to sew; and when he began wearing the shirt under his prisoner uniform, he learned that clothes possess great power and could even help save his life. Measure of a Man is the story of a man who suffered unimaginable horror and emerged with a dream of success. From sweeping floors at a New York clothing factory to founding America’s premier custom suit company, Greenfield built a fashion empire. Now 86 years old and working with his sons, Greenfield has dressed the famous and powerful of D.C. and Hollywood, including Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, celebrities Paul Newman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jimmy Fallon, and the stars of Martin Scorsese's films. Written with soul-baring honesty and, at times, a wry sense of humor, Measure of a Man is a memoir unlike any other; one that will inspire hope and renew faith in the resilience of man." We'll have copies of the book at the library for you to borrow or you can order it from our online catalog. Sign up for our Ashland Public Library Newsletters! Return to Main Calendar