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Review: Beyond Courage


In a stirring chronicle, Doreen Rappaport brings to light the courage of countless Jews who organized to sabotage the Nazis and help other Jews during the Holocaust.

Under the noses of the military, Georges Loinger smuggles thousands of children out of occupied France into Switzerland. In Belgium, three resisters ambush a train, allowing scores of Jews to flee from the cattle cars. In Poland, four brothers lead more than 1,200 ghetto refugees into the forest to build a guerilla force and self-sufficient village. And twelve-year-old Motele Shlayan entertains German officers with his violin moments before setting off a bomb. Through twenty-one meticulously researched accounts — some chronicled in book form for the first time — Doreen Rappaport illuminates the defiance of tens of thousands of Jews across eleven Nazi-occupied countries during World War II. In answer to the genocidal madness that was Hitler’s Holocaust, the only response they could abide was resistance, and their greatest weapons were courage, ingenuity, the will to survive, and the resolve to save others or to die trying.
Extensive end matter includes: - timeline of important events
- index
- pronunciation guide
- source notes
- maps integrated throughout text


This isn't the sort of book I normally review however I wanted to add a little bit on it on here because it really is a brilliant book which was an absolutely fascinating read. I was very pleased to see the use of the collection of pictures and drawings from the children from Theresienstadt ghetto which I've only seen before in one non uk published book before. They are heart breaking and insightful.

Highly recommended for children / teens studying the holocaust I will be using it extensively at school

Comments

I've never read much about the Resistance so it seems like this should be a book I add to my to-read list as I would love to know more about these real-life heroes.
Brandi Wa said…
Thank you for posting this review. I need to pick this book up...I've always been very interested in the Holocaust. This time in history is so heartbreaking but at the same time it's stories like these of the resistance that just amazes me.