THE GOOD ASSASSIN : HOW A MOSSAD AGENT AND A BAND OF SURVIVORS HUNTED DOWN THE BUTCHER OF LATVIA
by Stephan Talty
The Nazi hunters were beginning to get very nervous. May 8, 1965 would be the twentieth anniversary of World War II ending. Both German politicians and regular citizens wanted the pursuit of Nazi criminals to stop. A statute of limitations was about to expire. So, in other words all of these killers would be granted amnesty, come out of their hiding places and walk free. What to do? A mission was needed to annihilate one of the worst-of-the-worst monsters who'd escaped to South America, was never punished for his crimes against humanity, and then publicize it to the world to let them know how vile he and all the rest of them were. Amnesty needed to be blocked as much as possible.
The Nazi who was chosen was named Herbert Cukurs. His last name means sugar. How ironic since Cukurs was anything BUT sweet. He murdered thirty thousand Latvian Jews. Who would be the one(s) to accomplish this execution? Mossad, the Israeli national intelligence agency, jumped in. Jacob Medad (known as Mio) was chosen to lead the undercover operation. (He had helped kidnap Adolf Eichmann three years earlier.) Mio would become Anton Kuenzle, disguised as an Austrian businessman. He would go to Brazil, find Cukurs, befriend him enough to earn his trust, and then arrange the killing with the other agents.
Somehow I keep finding more stories on little-known Nazi war criminals. Kudos to all the authors who find out about them. Stephen Talty presents a heart-pounding tale of an extremely dangerous man known as the Butcher of Latvia. The writing, as usual, is superb. (I have read several of his previous books.) This is truly a riveting account by a master writer.
Highly recommended.
Monday, August 3, 2020
Friday, March 6, 2020
CITIZEN 865 : THE HUNT FOR HITLER'S HIDDEN SOLDIERS IN AMERICA
by Debbie Cenziper
After World War II, thousands of Nazi collaborators left Europe for other countries: Brazil, Argentina, the Middle East, Chile, and the United States. They slipped in hoping to make new lives. By the 1960s there was talk about these perpetrators on our shores. Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and others who sought justice spent years tracking them down. It was not enough. What was needed was a much bigger operation. In 1979, the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) was formed. Eventually they would have more than one hundred successful cases. The most lethal one was discovered in a long-hidden document that no Western investigator had ever seen until 1990 in a basement archive in Prague.
Trawniki is a tiny village in Poland. This is where the SS set up a training camp to help them commit mass murder. They recruited 5,000 men to obliterate the Jewish population who inhabited Poland. These scumbags became the foot soldiers who did most of the dirty work. How lucky for us that many of them came to America, living here with their diabolical secrets. Fortunately, OSI had a persistent, determined team who pursued these criminals until they were caught, and then prosecuted them.
Just when you think that there is nothing new about the Holocaust, another book comes out with something that I never heard about before. Author Debbie Cenziper is an investigative journalist, professor, and author who used her sleuthing skills to write an incredible story. Her impeccable research is based on hundreds of interviews with the lawyers, prosecutors, and historians involved with OSI, talking with Eli Rosenbaum, the original director of it, reading thousands of government documents, Nazi records, transcripts of trials, articles, delving into archives from the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., plus going to Prague, Warsaw, and Lublin, Poland (this is where Trawniki is) to research their archives.
Citizen 865 is a brilliant piece of detective work, and not to be missed.
Highly recommended.
by Debbie Cenziper
After World War II, thousands of Nazi collaborators left Europe for other countries: Brazil, Argentina, the Middle East, Chile, and the United States. They slipped in hoping to make new lives. By the 1960s there was talk about these perpetrators on our shores. Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and others who sought justice spent years tracking them down. It was not enough. What was needed was a much bigger operation. In 1979, the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) was formed. Eventually they would have more than one hundred successful cases. The most lethal one was discovered in a long-hidden document that no Western investigator had ever seen until 1990 in a basement archive in Prague.
Trawniki is a tiny village in Poland. This is where the SS set up a training camp to help them commit mass murder. They recruited 5,000 men to obliterate the Jewish population who inhabited Poland. These scumbags became the foot soldiers who did most of the dirty work. How lucky for us that many of them came to America, living here with their diabolical secrets. Fortunately, OSI had a persistent, determined team who pursued these criminals until they were caught, and then prosecuted them.
Just when you think that there is nothing new about the Holocaust, another book comes out with something that I never heard about before. Author Debbie Cenziper is an investigative journalist, professor, and author who used her sleuthing skills to write an incredible story. Her impeccable research is based on hundreds of interviews with the lawyers, prosecutors, and historians involved with OSI, talking with Eli Rosenbaum, the original director of it, reading thousands of government documents, Nazi records, transcripts of trials, articles, delving into archives from the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., plus going to Prague, Warsaw, and Lublin, Poland (this is where Trawniki is) to research their archives.
Citizen 865 is a brilliant piece of detective work, and not to be missed.
Highly recommended.
Thursday, February 27, 2020
AN UNCONVENTIONAL WIFE : THE LIFE OF JULIA SORELL ARNOLD
by Mary Hoban
Julia Sorell was the kind of woman that everyone admired and befriended. She was beautiful, outgoing, warm-hearted, and passionate of anything that was of interest to her. Julia was born during the Victorian Age in Tasmania. She was not one of those women who were silent. When she married Tom Arnold in 1850 it thrust her into one of the most eminent intellectual families in England. Her husband, Tom, was considered to be a cultivated scholar. They loved each other deeply. This would become the only good thing from their relationship. Tom tried to change her. They had differences of opinions when it came to the meaning of marriage. Julia stood firm in her beliefs. Discord between them began to grow, and it really exploded when Tom decided to become a Catholic. Julia was a staunch Protestant, and refused to convert with him. The conflicts of both religion and marriage would last over thirty years, and would affect the lives of their children, plus other people who knew them.
An Unconventional Wife is a magnificent biography. For too long Julia Sorell Arnold has been in the background, because there's been books written about Tom but not on her. Author Mary Hoban has a wonderful style of writing that draws you right in. She needs to write more books. Hoban brings to life all the nuances of both Julia and Tom with such understanding and empathy. It's very interesting to read about a woman who wanted to be independent (she struggled with that) but would instill in her daughters to think and be this way. Julia somehow rose above all the stress and friction. Very highly recommended.
by Mary Hoban
Julia Sorell was the kind of woman that everyone admired and befriended. She was beautiful, outgoing, warm-hearted, and passionate of anything that was of interest to her. Julia was born during the Victorian Age in Tasmania. She was not one of those women who were silent. When she married Tom Arnold in 1850 it thrust her into one of the most eminent intellectual families in England. Her husband, Tom, was considered to be a cultivated scholar. They loved each other deeply. This would become the only good thing from their relationship. Tom tried to change her. They had differences of opinions when it came to the meaning of marriage. Julia stood firm in her beliefs. Discord between them began to grow, and it really exploded when Tom decided to become a Catholic. Julia was a staunch Protestant, and refused to convert with him. The conflicts of both religion and marriage would last over thirty years, and would affect the lives of their children, plus other people who knew them.
An Unconventional Wife is a magnificent biography. For too long Julia Sorell Arnold has been in the background, because there's been books written about Tom but not on her. Author Mary Hoban has a wonderful style of writing that draws you right in. She needs to write more books. Hoban brings to life all the nuances of both Julia and Tom with such understanding and empathy. It's very interesting to read about a woman who wanted to be independent (she struggled with that) but would instill in her daughters to think and be this way. Julia somehow rose above all the stress and friction. Very highly recommended.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
LABYRINTH OF ICE : THE TRIUMPHANT AND TRAGIC GREELY POLAR EXPEDITION
by Buddy Levy
In July 1881, Lt. Adolphus W. Greely took a journey to the Arctic with a crew of twenty-four scientists and explorers via a two-hundred-foot-long steamship called Proteus. There couldn't have been a better man than Greely to serve as commander. He had been in the army for two decades working his way up, and had gained formidable leadership skills. Greely was tough, would demand that his men would follow orders, and stick to them. The mission's formal name was the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition honoring Lady Jane Franklin. She was the wife of the renowned Sir John Franklin. He and his crew of 129 had vanished trying to find the Northwest Passage in 1845. Before the voyage even took off, the name would morph into the Greely Expedition. The goal of this group was to attain Farthest North. It's an area that was unmarked on maps. It would become one of the most terrible voyages ever to be taken.
Greely and his crew were burdened by ferocious wolves, subzero temperatures, months of complete darkness while they set about exploring, doing scientific experiments, examining flora, doing measurements, foraging for food (hunting any wildlife), and setting up a camp where they could live. The following May 1882, they reached the northern most point ever obtained (the British had held it for three hundred years). They returned to their camp to wait for the resupply ship. It never came.
Labyrinth of Ice has to be one of the most nail-biting books I have ever read. You are literally on the end of your seat with every chapter.Why anybody would want to do this is beyond me. Yet, I so enjoy reading about these harrowing adventures (there's quite a few of them in this blog) that it seems as if each one is better than the one before. Author Buddy Levy is a phenomenal writer, and apparently has quite a following from his previous books. (I plan to check into these.) At the end of this monumental tale, Levy has a Note on the Text and Sources, which is a virtual goldmine on Arctic literature. But then, there's even more great stuff in the Bibliography.
The story, the details, the characters, the drama are all laid out brilliantly. This book is a MUST read.
Very highly recommended.
by Buddy Levy
In July 1881, Lt. Adolphus W. Greely took a journey to the Arctic with a crew of twenty-four scientists and explorers via a two-hundred-foot-long steamship called Proteus. There couldn't have been a better man than Greely to serve as commander. He had been in the army for two decades working his way up, and had gained formidable leadership skills. Greely was tough, would demand that his men would follow orders, and stick to them. The mission's formal name was the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition honoring Lady Jane Franklin. She was the wife of the renowned Sir John Franklin. He and his crew of 129 had vanished trying to find the Northwest Passage in 1845. Before the voyage even took off, the name would morph into the Greely Expedition. The goal of this group was to attain Farthest North. It's an area that was unmarked on maps. It would become one of the most terrible voyages ever to be taken.
Greely and his crew were burdened by ferocious wolves, subzero temperatures, months of complete darkness while they set about exploring, doing scientific experiments, examining flora, doing measurements, foraging for food (hunting any wildlife), and setting up a camp where they could live. The following May 1882, they reached the northern most point ever obtained (the British had held it for three hundred years). They returned to their camp to wait for the resupply ship. It never came.
Labyrinth of Ice has to be one of the most nail-biting books I have ever read. You are literally on the end of your seat with every chapter.Why anybody would want to do this is beyond me. Yet, I so enjoy reading about these harrowing adventures (there's quite a few of them in this blog) that it seems as if each one is better than the one before. Author Buddy Levy is a phenomenal writer, and apparently has quite a following from his previous books. (I plan to check into these.) At the end of this monumental tale, Levy has a Note on the Text and Sources, which is a virtual goldmine on Arctic literature. But then, there's even more great stuff in the Bibliography.
The story, the details, the characters, the drama are all laid out brilliantly. This book is a MUST read.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
WHEN TIME STOPPED : A MEMOIR OF MY FATHER'S WAR AND WHAT REMAINS
by Ariana Neumann
In 1939 thirty-four members of the Neumann family were living in Czechoslavakia. Two years later one of them was arrested because he swam in a section of a river that was forbidden to Jews. He would be the first member to be transported to Auschwitz. Twenty-nine members would be deported to concentration camps; of these, twenty-five were murdered by the Nazis. There were four survivors. Two family members escaped the transports completely. One of these was the author's father, Hans.
Ariana Neumann really didn't know much about her father, especially about his life long before she was born. She had no idea that he was Jewish. He never shared any details with her and never talked about the past. All she knew was that he, and his brother, Lotar, came to Venezuela because where they came from was destroyed by the war. The two of them started a paint factory, and Hans became quite successful.
There were hints about him while she was growing up that she really didn't pay attention to or really think about. One of them was hearing him screaming waking up from a nightmare and speaking in a language that Ariana did not understand. She certainly couldn't talk to her father about it. Their relationship was difficult. It wasn't until Ariana found this photograph, in a box, of a man that looked like her father, but with a different name and birthday that she realized there was a whole other side about him. She would have to wait until after Hans died to find out and understand who her father really was.
When Time Stopped is a beautiful story that will totally blow you away. There's actually two stories here: her father's secret past and a long-lost history of his extended family. How she pieces everything together is simply marvelous. Ariana found relatives that she never knew she had (thank goodness for the Internet), who helped her with their memories, mementos, letters, documents, and photos. She was quite a tenacious sleuth in her research, never stopping, always searching. Her writing is superb. This is one brilliant book.
Very highly recommended.
by Ariana Neumann
In 1939 thirty-four members of the Neumann family were living in Czechoslavakia. Two years later one of them was arrested because he swam in a section of a river that was forbidden to Jews. He would be the first member to be transported to Auschwitz. Twenty-nine members would be deported to concentration camps; of these, twenty-five were murdered by the Nazis. There were four survivors. Two family members escaped the transports completely. One of these was the author's father, Hans.
Ariana Neumann really didn't know much about her father, especially about his life long before she was born. She had no idea that he was Jewish. He never shared any details with her and never talked about the past. All she knew was that he, and his brother, Lotar, came to Venezuela because where they came from was destroyed by the war. The two of them started a paint factory, and Hans became quite successful.
There were hints about him while she was growing up that she really didn't pay attention to or really think about. One of them was hearing him screaming waking up from a nightmare and speaking in a language that Ariana did not understand. She certainly couldn't talk to her father about it. Their relationship was difficult. It wasn't until Ariana found this photograph, in a box, of a man that looked like her father, but with a different name and birthday that she realized there was a whole other side about him. She would have to wait until after Hans died to find out and understand who her father really was.
When Time Stopped is a beautiful story that will totally blow you away. There's actually two stories here: her father's secret past and a long-lost history of his extended family. How she pieces everything together is simply marvelous. Ariana found relatives that she never knew she had (thank goodness for the Internet), who helped her with their memories, mementos, letters, documents, and photos. She was quite a tenacious sleuth in her research, never stopping, always searching. Her writing is superb. This is one brilliant book.
Very highly recommended.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
STOLEN : FIVE FREE BOYS KIDNAPPED INTO SLAVERY AND THEIR ASTONISHING ODYSSEY HOME
by Richard Bell
By 1825, slavery was pretty much either dead or dying in the northern states. Less than twenty thousand blacks were still in bondage, mostly in the rural parts of New Jersey and New York. Pennsylvania, though, was a free state. Philadelphia had a reputation of being a safe haven for people of color, and was the headquarters of the American antislavery movement. Unfortunately, it was one of the most dangerous places in the United States for a black person. Pennsylvania was separated by two slave states: Maryland and Delaware (the Mason-Dixon Line), and Philadelphia was just forty miles north of this border. Because it was so close to the South the black community were instant targets for kidnappers from slave states. Slavery was still very profitable in the South and thousands of free black people were stolen right off the streets to be sold to American settlers for a high amount of money. This black market network of human traffickers became known as the Reverse Underground Railroad.
Five very young (little kids), free black boys from Philadelphia would fall into the hands of one of the worst gangs of slavers by being lured onto a ship where they were promised food and payment. Instead they were greeted with blindfolds, ropes, and threatened with knives. Four grueling months would take them shackled to one another from the waterfront of Philadelphia to Mississippi and beyond. Since they only had each other for support, these children would struggle to survive while at the same time thinking of escape. Their parents would really suffer because being a person of color there was no legal recourse for them, and nobody cared. It was a terrible situation. Then, the mayor of Philadelphia decided to take the matter up.
Stolen is a very difficult and disturbing book to read, but it's important to know what went on decades before the Civil War. Author Richard Bell (he's also a historian) is a wonderful storyteller and encapsulates all the horrors, events, and nuances that happened during this time. His impeccable, detailed research took him all over the place.Even though this story has never been told before, and families back then didn't leave any kind of documentation, Bell was still able to masterfully bring everything together.
Highly recommended.
by Richard Bell
By 1825, slavery was pretty much either dead or dying in the northern states. Less than twenty thousand blacks were still in bondage, mostly in the rural parts of New Jersey and New York. Pennsylvania, though, was a free state. Philadelphia had a reputation of being a safe haven for people of color, and was the headquarters of the American antislavery movement. Unfortunately, it was one of the most dangerous places in the United States for a black person. Pennsylvania was separated by two slave states: Maryland and Delaware (the Mason-Dixon Line), and Philadelphia was just forty miles north of this border. Because it was so close to the South the black community were instant targets for kidnappers from slave states. Slavery was still very profitable in the South and thousands of free black people were stolen right off the streets to be sold to American settlers for a high amount of money. This black market network of human traffickers became known as the Reverse Underground Railroad.
Five very young (little kids), free black boys from Philadelphia would fall into the hands of one of the worst gangs of slavers by being lured onto a ship where they were promised food and payment. Instead they were greeted with blindfolds, ropes, and threatened with knives. Four grueling months would take them shackled to one another from the waterfront of Philadelphia to Mississippi and beyond. Since they only had each other for support, these children would struggle to survive while at the same time thinking of escape. Their parents would really suffer because being a person of color there was no legal recourse for them, and nobody cared. It was a terrible situation. Then, the mayor of Philadelphia decided to take the matter up.
Stolen is a very difficult and disturbing book to read, but it's important to know what went on decades before the Civil War. Author Richard Bell (he's also a historian) is a wonderful storyteller and encapsulates all the horrors, events, and nuances that happened during this time. His impeccable, detailed research took him all over the place.Even though this story has never been told before, and families back then didn't leave any kind of documentation, Bell was still able to masterfully bring everything together.
Highly recommended.
Friday, December 27, 2019
A CASTLE IN WARTIME : ONE FAMILY, THEIR MISSING SONS, AND THE FIGHT TO DEFEAT THE NAZIS
by Catherine Bailey
As World War II encroached upon all of Europe, a woman by the name of Fey von Hassell thought that she could resist the Nazis right where she lived. Fey was the daughter of Ulrich von Hassell, Hitler's Ambassador to Italy. She resided with her husband Detalmo Pirzio-Biroli, an Italian aristocrat, in a castle in the northern part of Italy. Because it was tucked away in the environs, the chaos of war left them untouched. But as soon as Fascism reared its ugly head, Ulrich and Detalmo decided to resist the Nazis. Detalmo joined an underground, anti-Fascist resistance group in Rome. Ulrich despised Hitler and assembled other like-minded souls to plot his assassination.
Fey ended up being stuck in the castle as SS soldiers moved in. As both Ulrich and Detalmo became ever more defiant and mutinous, the Gestapo soon showed up at Fey's doorstep. She was arrested and her two young toddlers (ages two and three) were taken away by the SS.
A Castle in Wartime is an incredible story. Apparently author Catherine Bailey is quite well-known (she has written two other books) because she has this incredible ability to weave family histories with immense historical events. She certainly has done that here. Bailey was able to use first-hand family accounts, documents from concentration camps, and even files from the SS.
It's very compelling, absorbing, and will keep you riveted.
Highly recommended.
by Catherine Bailey
As World War II encroached upon all of Europe, a woman by the name of Fey von Hassell thought that she could resist the Nazis right where she lived. Fey was the daughter of Ulrich von Hassell, Hitler's Ambassador to Italy. She resided with her husband Detalmo Pirzio-Biroli, an Italian aristocrat, in a castle in the northern part of Italy. Because it was tucked away in the environs, the chaos of war left them untouched. But as soon as Fascism reared its ugly head, Ulrich and Detalmo decided to resist the Nazis. Detalmo joined an underground, anti-Fascist resistance group in Rome. Ulrich despised Hitler and assembled other like-minded souls to plot his assassination.
Fey ended up being stuck in the castle as SS soldiers moved in. As both Ulrich and Detalmo became ever more defiant and mutinous, the Gestapo soon showed up at Fey's doorstep. She was arrested and her two young toddlers (ages two and three) were taken away by the SS.
A Castle in Wartime is an incredible story. Apparently author Catherine Bailey is quite well-known (she has written two other books) because she has this incredible ability to weave family histories with immense historical events. She certainly has done that here. Bailey was able to use first-hand family accounts, documents from concentration camps, and even files from the SS.
It's very compelling, absorbing, and will keep you riveted.
Highly recommended.
Friday, November 29, 2019
BETRAYAL IN BERLIN : THE TRUE STORY OF THE COLD WAR'S MOST AUDACIOUS ESPIONAGE OPERATION
by Steve Vogel
During the 1950s, Berlin was a hotspot for espionage. Many intelligence agencies from countries such as Great Britain, the United States, Germany, and Russia could traverse between East and West Berlin (this is before the wall was erected) meeting up with potential recruitments. It was also a hub for communications: every call that was ever made went through Berlin. For this reason, both the Americans and the British had the bright idea of digging a secret tunnel underneath where the East German troops patrolled. It would begin at the American zone and extend to the Soviet sector. If the plan worked, they could listen in to KGB and Soviet military telecommunication lines. What a wealth of information could be relayed: Soviet nuclear forces, operations of KGB counterintelligence, and the identities of quite a number of communist agents. The green light was given for Operation Gold, and the allies began excavating as quietly as possible. There was only one problem: a mole. This traitor would be the most damaging spy of the Cold War.
Betrayal in Berlin is the BEST spy book that I have ever read. (I know I must have said it before within this blog for other works on espionage, but this book far surpasses any other of this genre.) Hats off to author Steve Vogel! I don't believe any other writer could have done justice as Vogel did, mainly because of his background. Vogel was born in Berlin one year before the wall went up. His family left the city in 1962. (They were able to get out due to the fact that his father was a CIA officer stationed in Berlin.) Years later, Vogel returned to West Germany, and was there when the Berlin Wall came down. As a journalist he reported on all the events that happened afterwards including intelligence secrets. Between his immense research and interviews with the principal players, Vogel has recreated the creepy, paranoid milieu of a divided city. You might think it's all fiction, but it's most definitely not. The writing is superb and will keep you riveted. If you want to sink your teeth into an excellent masterpiece of espionage, get this book.
Very highly recommended.
by Steve Vogel
During the 1950s, Berlin was a hotspot for espionage. Many intelligence agencies from countries such as Great Britain, the United States, Germany, and Russia could traverse between East and West Berlin (this is before the wall was erected) meeting up with potential recruitments. It was also a hub for communications: every call that was ever made went through Berlin. For this reason, both the Americans and the British had the bright idea of digging a secret tunnel underneath where the East German troops patrolled. It would begin at the American zone and extend to the Soviet sector. If the plan worked, they could listen in to KGB and Soviet military telecommunication lines. What a wealth of information could be relayed: Soviet nuclear forces, operations of KGB counterintelligence, and the identities of quite a number of communist agents. The green light was given for Operation Gold, and the allies began excavating as quietly as possible. There was only one problem: a mole. This traitor would be the most damaging spy of the Cold War.
Betrayal in Berlin is the BEST spy book that I have ever read. (I know I must have said it before within this blog for other works on espionage, but this book far surpasses any other of this genre.) Hats off to author Steve Vogel! I don't believe any other writer could have done justice as Vogel did, mainly because of his background. Vogel was born in Berlin one year before the wall went up. His family left the city in 1962. (They were able to get out due to the fact that his father was a CIA officer stationed in Berlin.) Years later, Vogel returned to West Germany, and was there when the Berlin Wall came down. As a journalist he reported on all the events that happened afterwards including intelligence secrets. Between his immense research and interviews with the principal players, Vogel has recreated the creepy, paranoid milieu of a divided city. You might think it's all fiction, but it's most definitely not. The writing is superb and will keep you riveted. If you want to sink your teeth into an excellent masterpiece of espionage, get this book.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
THE VOLUNTEER : ONE MAN, AN UNDERGROUND ARMY, AND THE SECRET MISSION TO DESTROY AUSCHWITZ
by Jack Fairweather
Who would ever think of volunteering yourself to be a prisoner in Auschwitz? You would have to be out of your mind. Unless, of course, there was a special mission to know exactly what was going on. There was such an individual who voluntarily got captured, had a fake identity and was sent to this Nazi camp. His name was Witold Pilecki, a Polish resistance fighter. The underground wanted him to find out what had happened to their fellow countrymen, and see whether they were still alive or not. Not only was he to collect information, but he was told to implement an attack within without the Germans knowing anything about it.
For two and a half years, Pilecki gathered together an underground army that destroyed facilities, killed Nazi informants, and amassed evidence of horrendous abuse and mass murder. Then he discovered that the ultimate goal of the Nazis was to have Auschwitz become the core for the extermination of Europe's Jews. Pilecki realized that he had to get this information out to the West. The only way to do it was the impossible: he had to escape from the camp.
With all of the books that I have read about the Holocaust and Auschwitz, I never heard of any kind of resistance fighting inside the camp. How these weak men (they did slave labor for the Germans) had the strength and wherewithal to stand up to the Nazis is mind-boggling. And why have we not heard about Witold Pilecki before? Thanks to Poland's postwar Communist government, his name and historical record were completely expunged. Until now. Author Jack Fairweather has written a phenomenal story that keeps you riveted to your seat. Pilecki was an average man who risked his life against all odds to help his compatriots. He is one truly spectacular hero.
Very highly recommended.
by Jack Fairweather
Who would ever think of volunteering yourself to be a prisoner in Auschwitz? You would have to be out of your mind. Unless, of course, there was a special mission to know exactly what was going on. There was such an individual who voluntarily got captured, had a fake identity and was sent to this Nazi camp. His name was Witold Pilecki, a Polish resistance fighter. The underground wanted him to find out what had happened to their fellow countrymen, and see whether they were still alive or not. Not only was he to collect information, but he was told to implement an attack within without the Germans knowing anything about it.
For two and a half years, Pilecki gathered together an underground army that destroyed facilities, killed Nazi informants, and amassed evidence of horrendous abuse and mass murder. Then he discovered that the ultimate goal of the Nazis was to have Auschwitz become the core for the extermination of Europe's Jews. Pilecki realized that he had to get this information out to the West. The only way to do it was the impossible: he had to escape from the camp.
With all of the books that I have read about the Holocaust and Auschwitz, I never heard of any kind of resistance fighting inside the camp. How these weak men (they did slave labor for the Germans) had the strength and wherewithal to stand up to the Nazis is mind-boggling. And why have we not heard about Witold Pilecki before? Thanks to Poland's postwar Communist government, his name and historical record were completely expunged. Until now. Author Jack Fairweather has written a phenomenal story that keeps you riveted to your seat. Pilecki was an average man who risked his life against all odds to help his compatriots. He is one truly spectacular hero.
Very highly recommended.
Monday, November 11, 2019
THE ROAD TO SAN DONATO : FATHERS, SONS, AND CYCLING ACROSS ITALY
by Robert Cocuzzo
What better way to truly understand your father (what makes him tick?) than to take a cycling trip across Italy? Their destination would be San Donato, which was where Robert's grandfather was born. He had never gone back to his ancestral home, and was now too ill to leave Massachusetts. Stephen, Robert's dad, was delighted. It would be quite a challenge for both of them. Robert was used to traveling on his own, and Stephen was a man who enjoyed taking risks (he had survived a series of accidents biking on Boston's main thoroughfares).
They rented bikes in Florence, and got incredible workouts ascending Tuscany's many hills that most people wouldn't dare to even conquer. For the first time Robert was keeping a careful watch out for his father; not something he's normally used to.
When they met their many "cousins" in the village, they discovered that many of its residents had saved Jews from Hitler's wrath. But, there were others that didn't and sided with the Fascists. Where did the Cocuzzo family lie in all of this?
Within The Road to San Donato there are three intertwining storiea. The first one is the grueling trek the father and son took together on bicycles in a European country. In the second you learn about the background and life of Robert's grandfather. The last part (the third tale) is finding out about how the residents of San Donato dealt with fascism. Author Robert Cocuzzo writes with raw emotion, and bares his soul. What he produces is just beautiful. The writing is flawless, and keeps you riveted.
Highly recommended.
by Robert Cocuzzo
What better way to truly understand your father (what makes him tick?) than to take a cycling trip across Italy? Their destination would be San Donato, which was where Robert's grandfather was born. He had never gone back to his ancestral home, and was now too ill to leave Massachusetts. Stephen, Robert's dad, was delighted. It would be quite a challenge for both of them. Robert was used to traveling on his own, and Stephen was a man who enjoyed taking risks (he had survived a series of accidents biking on Boston's main thoroughfares).
They rented bikes in Florence, and got incredible workouts ascending Tuscany's many hills that most people wouldn't dare to even conquer. For the first time Robert was keeping a careful watch out for his father; not something he's normally used to.
When they met their many "cousins" in the village, they discovered that many of its residents had saved Jews from Hitler's wrath. But, there were others that didn't and sided with the Fascists. Where did the Cocuzzo family lie in all of this?
Within The Road to San Donato there are three intertwining storiea. The first one is the grueling trek the father and son took together on bicycles in a European country. In the second you learn about the background and life of Robert's grandfather. The last part (the third tale) is finding out about how the residents of San Donato dealt with fascism. Author Robert Cocuzzo writes with raw emotion, and bares his soul. What he produces is just beautiful. The writing is flawless, and keeps you riveted.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
THE MOST SPECTACULAR RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD : THE TWIN TOWERS, WINDOWS ON THE WORLD, AND THE REBIRTH OF NEW YORK
by Tom Roston
At one time, Windows on the World made more money than any restaurant in the entire country. It was built in 1976 and positioned all the way up on the 107th floor of the North Tower located in the World Trade Center. Below this beauty (tons of money was spent), New York City was a mess overwhelmed by crime, filth, and a government that was inept. What better thing to have than a magnificent, new eatery where one could go for fine dining amidst a city that was falling apart! Windows ended up proving the naysayers wrong. The reviews were tremendous. The famous and the not so famous ate here. This was the restaurant to go to celebrate and for a marvelous meal up in the stars. For twenty-five years thousands of people flocked here. It was the place to be seen. And then it all ended that horrible day on September 11, 2001.
If you ever wanted to know what goes into constructing a restaurant, designing it, figuring out what kind of food will be served (James Beard was brought in as a consultant), hiring the best employees (over four hundred from two dozen countries), dealing with the budget, and a thousand other things then you must read The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World. Journalist Tom Roston does a terrific job starting off by telling the entire history of how the restaurant came to be with the people behind it, specifically Joe Baum the intensely driven restaurateur who had the vision, impetus, and stamina to do something very different than anyone else in the food business. Roston had over one hundred and twenty-five interviews with many of the key sources who were intimately involved in the whole experience. Everything is so well documented with such incredible details. Roston is a tremendous writer, and I can't imagine anybody else doing a better job than him. It's definitely one of the most spectacular books I have ever read concerning the restaurant business.
Very highly recommended.
by Tom Roston
At one time, Windows on the World made more money than any restaurant in the entire country. It was built in 1976 and positioned all the way up on the 107th floor of the North Tower located in the World Trade Center. Below this beauty (tons of money was spent), New York City was a mess overwhelmed by crime, filth, and a government that was inept. What better thing to have than a magnificent, new eatery where one could go for fine dining amidst a city that was falling apart! Windows ended up proving the naysayers wrong. The reviews were tremendous. The famous and the not so famous ate here. This was the restaurant to go to celebrate and for a marvelous meal up in the stars. For twenty-five years thousands of people flocked here. It was the place to be seen. And then it all ended that horrible day on September 11, 2001.
If you ever wanted to know what goes into constructing a restaurant, designing it, figuring out what kind of food will be served (James Beard was brought in as a consultant), hiring the best employees (over four hundred from two dozen countries), dealing with the budget, and a thousand other things then you must read The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World. Journalist Tom Roston does a terrific job starting off by telling the entire history of how the restaurant came to be with the people behind it, specifically Joe Baum the intensely driven restaurateur who had the vision, impetus, and stamina to do something very different than anyone else in the food business. Roston had over one hundred and twenty-five interviews with many of the key sources who were intimately involved in the whole experience. Everything is so well documented with such incredible details. Roston is a tremendous writer, and I can't imagine anybody else doing a better job than him. It's definitely one of the most spectacular books I have ever read concerning the restaurant business.
Very highly recommended.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
FDR AND THE HOLOCAUST : A BREACH OF FAITH
by Rafael Medoff
In 1932 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was vying for the presidency of the United States, he made a campaign promise that he would champion the cause of "the forgotten man." Before the elections FDR said that he would support the Jewish people, and about 80 or 90% of the Jews voted for him after hearing that declaration. Why would they not? After all he made this pledge and they swallowed it up hook, line, and sinker. FDR would renege as soon as the elections were over. He basically closed the door on the Jews. This would become apparent when it came to the Holocaust. FDR was virulently anti-Semitic, and so was most of his Cabinet. There were many despicable cretins. One of them was fascist Breckinridge Long (he admired Mussolini), and was very impressed by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf because of his opposition to Jews. Long and FDR were long-time friends, and so Long was placed in the State Department where he was in charge of the visa section. His attitude was to delay and postpone any Jewish immigrant who wanted to come to the United States with as many obstacles as possible. All these American Jews blindly trusted FDR to be a man of his word, and all he did was to turn his back on them.
FDR and the Holocaust is quite an eye-opener, although I have known for years about FDR's total abandonment of European Jewry during the Nazi genocide. But, he didn't just hate Jews. How about his internment of Asians who were U.S. citizens? He also didn't like black people. (FDR had no interest in their civil rights, and refused to support anti-lynching legislation.) Some humanitarian. There's all these myths about FDR being there for the downtrodden when in actuality he could not have cared less.
This is a book that should be read by everyone, especially the American Jews who still idolize him today. Maybe they will learn something.
Highly recommended.
by Rafael Medoff
In 1932 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was vying for the presidency of the United States, he made a campaign promise that he would champion the cause of "the forgotten man." Before the elections FDR said that he would support the Jewish people, and about 80 or 90% of the Jews voted for him after hearing that declaration. Why would they not? After all he made this pledge and they swallowed it up hook, line, and sinker. FDR would renege as soon as the elections were over. He basically closed the door on the Jews. This would become apparent when it came to the Holocaust. FDR was virulently anti-Semitic, and so was most of his Cabinet. There were many despicable cretins. One of them was fascist Breckinridge Long (he admired Mussolini), and was very impressed by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf because of his opposition to Jews. Long and FDR were long-time friends, and so Long was placed in the State Department where he was in charge of the visa section. His attitude was to delay and postpone any Jewish immigrant who wanted to come to the United States with as many obstacles as possible. All these American Jews blindly trusted FDR to be a man of his word, and all he did was to turn his back on them.
FDR and the Holocaust is quite an eye-opener, although I have known for years about FDR's total abandonment of European Jewry during the Nazi genocide. But, he didn't just hate Jews. How about his internment of Asians who were U.S. citizens? He also didn't like black people. (FDR had no interest in their civil rights, and refused to support anti-lynching legislation.) Some humanitarian. There's all these myths about FDR being there for the downtrodden when in actuality he could not have cared less.
This is a book that should be read by everyone, especially the American Jews who still idolize him today. Maybe they will learn something.
Highly recommended.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE : THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE AMERICAN SPY WHO HELPED WIN WORLD WAR II
by Sonia Purnell
While France was in the throes of Hitler's invasion in 1940, with bombs screaming down all over the place, Private Virginia Hall was an ambulance driver. Everyone around her was either fleeing from the debris or trying to take cover, but not Virginia. She was quite willing to jeopardize her life, and to take risks against the Third Reich. But this would be baby steps compared to the next role she would take on.
Virginia, an American woman from Baltimore, would help the Allies win the Second World War. She worked for both the British and American secret services and set up enormous spy networks of volunteers who heeded her commands. Virginia equipped, trained, and directed her secret armies of men (she basically built the French Resistance) behind enemy territory. She mastered the art of spycraft. And she accomplished all of this with a prosthetic leg (she called it Cuthbert). Obviously, being disabled did not stop her.
Here we go again with another story of an unknown, unheard of woman (How many more will there be?), who was courageous, persistent, strong, and defiant in a time of the greatest danger to herself and others. Author Sonia Purnell has written a phenomenal book that took her many years to research. It is jam-packed with details that will have you sitting at the end of your seat, and is truly one hell of a story. Purnell previously wrote about Winston Churchill's wife, Clementine (reviewed in this blog), so she definitely knows how to write biographies that bring the essence of the particular individual to the core.
Virginia Hall was an unrecognized, under-appreciated woman who loved freedom, country, and people, and her exploits proved just that. She went way above and beyond in what she accomplished. Virginia is no longer of no importance.
Very highly recommended.
by Sonia Purnell
While France was in the throes of Hitler's invasion in 1940, with bombs screaming down all over the place, Private Virginia Hall was an ambulance driver. Everyone around her was either fleeing from the debris or trying to take cover, but not Virginia. She was quite willing to jeopardize her life, and to take risks against the Third Reich. But this would be baby steps compared to the next role she would take on.
Virginia, an American woman from Baltimore, would help the Allies win the Second World War. She worked for both the British and American secret services and set up enormous spy networks of volunteers who heeded her commands. Virginia equipped, trained, and directed her secret armies of men (she basically built the French Resistance) behind enemy territory. She mastered the art of spycraft. And she accomplished all of this with a prosthetic leg (she called it Cuthbert). Obviously, being disabled did not stop her.
Here we go again with another story of an unknown, unheard of woman (How many more will there be?), who was courageous, persistent, strong, and defiant in a time of the greatest danger to herself and others. Author Sonia Purnell has written a phenomenal book that took her many years to research. It is jam-packed with details that will have you sitting at the end of your seat, and is truly one hell of a story. Purnell previously wrote about Winston Churchill's wife, Clementine (reviewed in this blog), so she definitely knows how to write biographies that bring the essence of the particular individual to the core.
Virginia Hall was an unrecognized, under-appreciated woman who loved freedom, country, and people, and her exploits proved just that. She went way above and beyond in what she accomplished. Virginia is no longer of no importance.
Very highly recommended.
Monday, March 25, 2019
MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WAR : THE DARING YOUNG WOMAN WHO LED FRANCE'S LARGEST SPY NETWORK AGAINST HITLER
by Lynne Olson
When Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was thirty-one years old she became the head of the largest resistance network in France. It was 1941 and as soon as France occupied her country, she joined this organization. The group's name was Alliance and they all used the names of animals and birds as their aliases. Hers was Hedgehog: looks unthreatening but when challenged all the spines come out. It definitely fit her as she was very strong-willed, independent, and tough. Known as la patronne (the boss) she would eventually command three thousand agents, who immersed themselves in every port and town in the country. This network supplied crucial intelligence to both American and British commanders on Germany's military secrets, such as: troop movements; the sailing schedules of submarines; the Reich's terror weapons; and also supplied a 55-foot-long map of the beaches and roads on which the Allies would land on D-Day. Needless to say, the Gestapo pursued Alliance wanting to completely wipe them out. Many of her spies were caught, tortured, and executed. By 1944, Fourcade had no idea if any of them were still alive. Her chances of surviving were growing dim. To stay away from the Nazis she would constantly change her headquarters moving elsewhere, and disguise herself. Soon enough, though, she was caught. and then managed to escape both times. What fortitude! All she cared about were her agents, sustaining the network, and making sure that Alliance would not crumble.
I have read so many books on the French Resistance, and yet never have I heard about Marie-Madeleine Fourcade until now. She was one heck of a woman who was fearless. Fourcade was the only woman to head up a resistance group during World War II. It didn't take long for the male members of her group to be completely won over by her courage, strength, and her skills. Lynne Olson has written a tremendous book on an unforgettable woman, who has risen out of obscurity.
Very highly recommended.
by Lynne Olson
When Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was thirty-one years old she became the head of the largest resistance network in France. It was 1941 and as soon as France occupied her country, she joined this organization. The group's name was Alliance and they all used the names of animals and birds as their aliases. Hers was Hedgehog: looks unthreatening but when challenged all the spines come out. It definitely fit her as she was very strong-willed, independent, and tough. Known as la patronne (the boss) she would eventually command three thousand agents, who immersed themselves in every port and town in the country. This network supplied crucial intelligence to both American and British commanders on Germany's military secrets, such as: troop movements; the sailing schedules of submarines; the Reich's terror weapons; and also supplied a 55-foot-long map of the beaches and roads on which the Allies would land on D-Day. Needless to say, the Gestapo pursued Alliance wanting to completely wipe them out. Many of her spies were caught, tortured, and executed. By 1944, Fourcade had no idea if any of them were still alive. Her chances of surviving were growing dim. To stay away from the Nazis she would constantly change her headquarters moving elsewhere, and disguise herself. Soon enough, though, she was caught. and then managed to escape both times. What fortitude! All she cared about were her agents, sustaining the network, and making sure that Alliance would not crumble.
I have read so many books on the French Resistance, and yet never have I heard about Marie-Madeleine Fourcade until now. She was one heck of a woman who was fearless. Fourcade was the only woman to head up a resistance group during World War II. It didn't take long for the male members of her group to be completely won over by her courage, strength, and her skills. Lynne Olson has written a tremendous book on an unforgettable woman, who has risen out of obscurity.
Very highly recommended.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
FOOD ON THE MOVE : DINING ON THE LEGENDARY RAILWAY JOURNEYS OF THE WORLD
Edited by Sharon Hudgins
For the past 150 years many different railways all over the world have had dining cars (some still do today) that people have partaken all of their meals in. During long railway journeys, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared and cooked in a small kitchen, and then served in a narrow dining room. The food can range from the most basic to gourmet fare. There are several choices for each course, which are displayed on menus. For people who can afford to travel this way and be indulged, it is a most satisfying trip.
Food on the Move takes us along on nine legendary railway journeys traveling across five continents. The authors who wrote these accounts are all rail fans and have quite different and interesting backgrounds. They write about the train's history, the description of the cars (the dining cars are the most elaborate), the excursions, and what food was cooked then and the present day.
The book includes beautiful illustrations of the dining cars, and some menus, along with black and white, plus color photographs. Recipes of some of the food that was prepared are within each chapter, so if you are inclined you can make them yourself. Just reading about all the many kinds of cuisine that one could eat makes you salivate.
If you consider yourself a foodie, you will definitely enjoy the ride.
Highly recommended.
Edited by Sharon Hudgins
For the past 150 years many different railways all over the world have had dining cars (some still do today) that people have partaken all of their meals in. During long railway journeys, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared and cooked in a small kitchen, and then served in a narrow dining room. The food can range from the most basic to gourmet fare. There are several choices for each course, which are displayed on menus. For people who can afford to travel this way and be indulged, it is a most satisfying trip.
Food on the Move takes us along on nine legendary railway journeys traveling across five continents. The authors who wrote these accounts are all rail fans and have quite different and interesting backgrounds. They write about the train's history, the description of the cars (the dining cars are the most elaborate), the excursions, and what food was cooked then and the present day.
The book includes beautiful illustrations of the dining cars, and some menus, along with black and white, plus color photographs. Recipes of some of the food that was prepared are within each chapter, so if you are inclined you can make them yourself. Just reading about all the many kinds of cuisine that one could eat makes you salivate.
If you consider yourself a foodie, you will definitely enjoy the ride.
Highly recommended.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
THE TRAGEDY OF BENEDICT ARNOLD : AN AMERICAN LIFE
by Joyce Lee Malcolm
Benedict Arnold, before he was considered a traitor, was recognized as a brilliant officer on both sides of the Revolutionary War. He was a hero who inspired hundreds of men who served under him. Courageous, daring, he went into battle with his head held high. Yet, all of his honor would disappear when he joined the British side. Arnold abandoned the country that he loved turning against it, forever. Why? Author Joyce Lee Malcolm does a tremendous job in unraveling facts from previous books written about Arnold that were not exactly true or correct. Her in-depth research makes you see the kind of man he really was.
The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold is a fascinating story extremely well written by Joyce Lee Malcolm, who is a professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. She is already an accomplished author having written two other books previously.
I never knew anything about Arnold except for hearing over and over again about his traitorous deed. With this book you get a completely different story as both his personal and public life is fastidiously delved into.
It's definitely an engaging read and will make you think differently about him.
Highly recommended.
by Joyce Lee Malcolm
Benedict Arnold, before he was considered a traitor, was recognized as a brilliant officer on both sides of the Revolutionary War. He was a hero who inspired hundreds of men who served under him. Courageous, daring, he went into battle with his head held high. Yet, all of his honor would disappear when he joined the British side. Arnold abandoned the country that he loved turning against it, forever. Why? Author Joyce Lee Malcolm does a tremendous job in unraveling facts from previous books written about Arnold that were not exactly true or correct. Her in-depth research makes you see the kind of man he really was.
The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold is a fascinating story extremely well written by Joyce Lee Malcolm, who is a professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. She is already an accomplished author having written two other books previously.
I never knew anything about Arnold except for hearing over and over again about his traitorous deed. With this book you get a completely different story as both his personal and public life is fastidiously delved into.
It's definitely an engaging read and will make you think differently about him.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, January 6, 2019
THE ESCAPE ARTISTS : A BAND OF DAREDEVIL PILOTS AND THE GREATEST PRISON BREAK OF THE GREAT WAR
by Neal Bascomb
The most notorious POW camp during the Great War was Holzminden in Germany. Run by the despicable tyrant Karl Niemeyer, he emphasized over and over again that nobody could EVER escape. The Allied prisoners (most of them airmen) called the camp "Hellminden," and vowed to get out so that they could return to finish the fight. A plan was hatched. They would need disguises, forged documents, would have to create fake walls, and need nerves of steel to dig a tunnel. The inmates who were involved spent months trying to dig their way to freedom. If they could get beyond the watchtowers and the constant patrols, they still had a 150-mile run to reach the Dutch border.
The Escape Artists is a fantastic, nail-biting story that keeps you riveted throughout the entire book. Author, Neal Bascomb is a phenomenal writer (have read several of his previous tomes) and this one is just as good if not better than his other ones. There have been many books written about "The Great Escape" of World War II, but World War I seemed to be lagging behind. Bascomb became interested in this time period by discovering accounts that really inspired him. Luckily for us, from his research, interviews with family members, memoirs, letters. photos, and any ephemera he could find, Bascomb has created a masterpiece.
Very highly recommended.
by Neal Bascomb
The most notorious POW camp during the Great War was Holzminden in Germany. Run by the despicable tyrant Karl Niemeyer, he emphasized over and over again that nobody could EVER escape. The Allied prisoners (most of them airmen) called the camp "Hellminden," and vowed to get out so that they could return to finish the fight. A plan was hatched. They would need disguises, forged documents, would have to create fake walls, and need nerves of steel to dig a tunnel. The inmates who were involved spent months trying to dig their way to freedom. If they could get beyond the watchtowers and the constant patrols, they still had a 150-mile run to reach the Dutch border.
The Escape Artists is a fantastic, nail-biting story that keeps you riveted throughout the entire book. Author, Neal Bascomb is a phenomenal writer (have read several of his previous tomes) and this one is just as good if not better than his other ones. There have been many books written about "The Great Escape" of World War II, but World War I seemed to be lagging behind. Bascomb became interested in this time period by discovering accounts that really inspired him. Luckily for us, from his research, interviews with family members, memoirs, letters. photos, and any ephemera he could find, Bascomb has created a masterpiece.
Very highly recommended.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
CONAN DOYLE FOR THE DEFENSE : THE TRUE STORY OF A SENSATIONAL BRITISH MURDER, A QUEST FOR JUSTICE, AND THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS DETECTIVE WRITER
by Margalit Fox
Right before Christmas 1908, a very wealthy, old woman was brutally murdered in her Glasgow home in Scotland. The victim, Marion Gilchrist, actually knew that she was going to be killed that particular week.
The following spring, Oscar Slater, a Jewish immigrant from Germany who had recently arrived in Glasgow, was tried and convicted for the crime. This case would be known as the Scottish Dreyfus affair. Slater would end up in in this horrible prison where he was consigned to do hard labor.
Arthur Conan Doyle was incensed by this injustice and for the last twenty years of his life he would scour the transcripts of the trial, read newspaper accounts, and witnesses' "evidence" that they saw Slater coming out of Gilchrist's apartment, finding holes in the story, and numerous lies made by the police and the prosecutors. Conan Doyle knew from the beginning that Slater was innocent. He would use the art of diagnosis, which is how his creation Sherlock Holmes solved all those mysteries. So Conan Doyle became a true-crime investigator ready to do battle.
Conan Doyle for the Defense is a phenomenal book. Author Margalit Fox is one heck of a writer. She has written some other books and now I can't wait to dive into them. It's not surprising that Arthur Conan Doyle would become a detective in real life. His stories were so popular that people thought that he could solve real crimes and were constantly badgering him to do so. He did take on some cases that were successful. Freeing Oscar Slater, though, would be the icing on the cake. This book will keep you riveted.
Very highly recommended.
by Margalit Fox
Right before Christmas 1908, a very wealthy, old woman was brutally murdered in her Glasgow home in Scotland. The victim, Marion Gilchrist, actually knew that she was going to be killed that particular week.
The following spring, Oscar Slater, a Jewish immigrant from Germany who had recently arrived in Glasgow, was tried and convicted for the crime. This case would be known as the Scottish Dreyfus affair. Slater would end up in in this horrible prison where he was consigned to do hard labor.
Arthur Conan Doyle was incensed by this injustice and for the last twenty years of his life he would scour the transcripts of the trial, read newspaper accounts, and witnesses' "evidence" that they saw Slater coming out of Gilchrist's apartment, finding holes in the story, and numerous lies made by the police and the prosecutors. Conan Doyle knew from the beginning that Slater was innocent. He would use the art of diagnosis, which is how his creation Sherlock Holmes solved all those mysteries. So Conan Doyle became a true-crime investigator ready to do battle.
Conan Doyle for the Defense is a phenomenal book. Author Margalit Fox is one heck of a writer. She has written some other books and now I can't wait to dive into them. It's not surprising that Arthur Conan Doyle would become a detective in real life. His stories were so popular that people thought that he could solve real crimes and were constantly badgering him to do so. He did take on some cases that were successful. Freeing Oscar Slater, though, would be the icing on the cake. This book will keep you riveted.
Very highly recommended.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
THE CHILDREN OF NAZIS : THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF HIMMLER, GOERING, HOESS, MENGELE, AND OTHERS : LIVING WITH A FATHER'S MONSTROUS LEGACY
by Tania Crasnianski
How do the sons and daughters of Nazis deal with the fact that their fathers were monstrous war criminals? Do they continue loving them or do they walk away? Can they judge a parent? As children they were unaware of what their fathers did away from home. These offspring of Himmler, Goering, Hess, Frank, Bormann, Hoess, Speer, and Mengele, were sheltered and lived a life of privilege. That would change when World War II ended with Germany's surrender and they were told of their fathers' crimes against humanity. So, how did they live (many of the descendants are still alive) knowing that they had a parent who was involved in the extermination of millions of innocent people?
The daughters remembered how much they were loved and absolutely worshiped their fathers. Some of them still do today. In their eyes, their fathers did nothing wrong. On the other hand, there are some sons who hate and totally reject their fathers. One of the most interesting aspects of all this is that most of these Nazi children did not change their names. Two of the sons have the same first name of their fathers. What a legacy!
The Children Of Nazis is most likely the first book where these eight individuals are no longer anonymous. With everything that has been written about the high-ranking Third Reich leaders, one never heard about their children. Author Tania Crasnianski delivers each portrait objectively and though at times it can be horrifying to read, you'll want to keep going on with it. These Nazis had loving relationships with their own children, but then thought nothing of killing Jewish children. To top it off, these men considered themselves to be highly moral. Incredible!
A must read.
Highly recommended.
by Tania Crasnianski
How do the sons and daughters of Nazis deal with the fact that their fathers were monstrous war criminals? Do they continue loving them or do they walk away? Can they judge a parent? As children they were unaware of what their fathers did away from home. These offspring of Himmler, Goering, Hess, Frank, Bormann, Hoess, Speer, and Mengele, were sheltered and lived a life of privilege. That would change when World War II ended with Germany's surrender and they were told of their fathers' crimes against humanity. So, how did they live (many of the descendants are still alive) knowing that they had a parent who was involved in the extermination of millions of innocent people?
The daughters remembered how much they were loved and absolutely worshiped their fathers. Some of them still do today. In their eyes, their fathers did nothing wrong. On the other hand, there are some sons who hate and totally reject their fathers. One of the most interesting aspects of all this is that most of these Nazi children did not change their names. Two of the sons have the same first name of their fathers. What a legacy!
The Children Of Nazis is most likely the first book where these eight individuals are no longer anonymous. With everything that has been written about the high-ranking Third Reich leaders, one never heard about their children. Author Tania Crasnianski delivers each portrait objectively and though at times it can be horrifying to read, you'll want to keep going on with it. These Nazis had loving relationships with their own children, but then thought nothing of killing Jewish children. To top it off, these men considered themselves to be highly moral. Incredible!
A must read.
Highly recommended.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
THE LAST WILD MEN OF BORNEO : A TRUE STORY OF DEATH AND TREASURE
by Carl Hoffman
For a long time (starting in the 1920s and 1930s) both Americans and Europeans have been obsessed with the country of Indonesia, particularly its many islands. Thousands of westerners have flocked to Bali for its beaches, its cheap living, and collecting tribal art. Two men in particular were captivated with Borneo and would leave their native countries, living life to the fullest by two separate ventures.
Bruno Manser, a Swiss man, was always wandering, traveling all over, never satisfied with whatever he was striving for. He took great risks and could have died several times. In 1984, Bruno went on an expedition to visit these caves in Borneo and then slipped away from the group to make contact with the Penan, an indigenous tribe of hunter-gatherer nomads. He ended up living for years with them, learning the language, cutting his hair short, wearing a loincloth, hunting with a blowpipe and poison arrows. They accepted him as a member of the tribe.
American Michael Palmieri was originally from California. He, too, wandered the world, and eventually settled in Bali in the 1970s. Michael would lead expeditions into the jungle of Borneo buying up all this art and and carved statues from the Dayaks. He became so successful and wealthy that eventually museums and private collectors wanted the stuff.
Both men were in Indonesia at the same time, only met each other once for a brief conversation, never realizing that they both were fascinated with native culture.
The Last Wild Men of Borneo is a tremendous book. Author Carl Hoffman is one heck of a writer. Fortunately he had Bruno Manser's journals, interviews with Bruno's relatives, friends of Bruno's, and met up with Michael Palmieri who took him to Borneo. The story is very compelling and keeps you riveted. If you like a good adventure story about two fearless men and what they encountered in the deepest heart of Borneo (the good with the bad), you'll want to read this book.
Very highly recommended.
by Carl Hoffman
For a long time (starting in the 1920s and 1930s) both Americans and Europeans have been obsessed with the country of Indonesia, particularly its many islands. Thousands of westerners have flocked to Bali for its beaches, its cheap living, and collecting tribal art. Two men in particular were captivated with Borneo and would leave their native countries, living life to the fullest by two separate ventures.
Bruno Manser, a Swiss man, was always wandering, traveling all over, never satisfied with whatever he was striving for. He took great risks and could have died several times. In 1984, Bruno went on an expedition to visit these caves in Borneo and then slipped away from the group to make contact with the Penan, an indigenous tribe of hunter-gatherer nomads. He ended up living for years with them, learning the language, cutting his hair short, wearing a loincloth, hunting with a blowpipe and poison arrows. They accepted him as a member of the tribe.
American Michael Palmieri was originally from California. He, too, wandered the world, and eventually settled in Bali in the 1970s. Michael would lead expeditions into the jungle of Borneo buying up all this art and and carved statues from the Dayaks. He became so successful and wealthy that eventually museums and private collectors wanted the stuff.
Both men were in Indonesia at the same time, only met each other once for a brief conversation, never realizing that they both were fascinated with native culture.
The Last Wild Men of Borneo is a tremendous book. Author Carl Hoffman is one heck of a writer. Fortunately he had Bruno Manser's journals, interviews with Bruno's relatives, friends of Bruno's, and met up with Michael Palmieri who took him to Borneo. The story is very compelling and keeps you riveted. If you like a good adventure story about two fearless men and what they encountered in the deepest heart of Borneo (the good with the bad), you'll want to read this book.
Very highly recommended.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)