ebooks Isaac's Army: A Story of Courage and Survival in Nazi-Occupied Poland by Matthew Brzezinski in History

Review

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful. A pageturner: an oft told story told in a new and meaningful wayBy Stuart M. WilderThere are many books on the atrocities that occurred in Warsaw during World War II. This book; by a non-Jew; nicely ties together accounts and stories about not only the sufferings and courage of Jews in the Ghetto; but also the heroism; sacrifice; and perfidy or their Polish neighbors. The stories of the Jewish resistance fighters are riveting; but I have read very little about the righteous gentiles who helped hide them and arm them-- that to me was the new view offered by this book. Matthew Brzezinski also tells the story in a way that left me wondering form nearly the beginning whether I would have had the courage to leave my family and fight; or if I was Polish; to help Jews knowing discovery of such aid would mean death for me and maybe my family. The book ends with an interesting comment on that which I will leave for anyone fortunate enough to read it. It is an engaging read; and I can't recommend it enough.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Well-Told History of Unsurpassed Tragedy and HeroismBy Inside the Beltway ReaderIn cinematic detail; Isaac's Army brings to life the period of death; destruction; survival and resistance that was wartime Warsaw under the Nazi occupation. In telling this history; Matthew Brzezinski masterfully weaves together the stories of half a dozen Jews; four of whom played key roles in the organized resistance. These stories might well have been lost had the author not been able to track down and interview those still living a decade ago with first-hand knowledge and intact memory of these events. The oral histories the book is based on alone make a major contribution to Holocaust studies. But the narrative goes well beyond transcriptions of witness testimonies recollected decades after the events. Equal parts tragedy and heroism to an unfathomable extent; it is as thrilling to read as was (in my faded recollection) Hersey's fictional account of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in The Wall or any of the WWII spy/resistance novels by Allen Furst; who provided his own laudatory review of this book ("told with care and compassion ... riveting account ... an intense story that transcends the horror of the time and finds real inspiration in the history of those who fought back ...").4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. gripping and well-writtenBy K. HuggsI agree with all the earlier reviewers of this powerful book. I have always been interested in Jewish resistance to the Nazis and this adds immeasurably to my understanding. A fair amount has been written about the rebellions at the Treblinka and Sobibor death camps but there hasn't been much about the Jewish rebellion in Warsaw; besides Leon Uris' highly romanticized novel.I also agree with the criticisms about the lack of maps. I am not on the Vine and the only map is inside the covers; where it's split by the binding and very hard to read. Due to the destruction; it may be hard to determine just where certain streets were but there must be some pre-war maps out there somewhere. The author went to so much trouble to find and interview survivors and I wish he had continued on and found some maps; and maybe pre-war photos.In any case; if you are at all interested; get this book; preferably at a time when you don't have too many demands on your time.