Jan Karski's Story of a Secret State stands as one of the most poignant and inspiring memoirs of World War II and the Holocaust. With elements of a spy thriller; documenting his experiences in the Polish Underground; and as one of the first accounts of the systematic slaughter of the Jews by the German Nazis; this volume is a remarkable testimony of one man's courage and a nation's struggle for resistance against overwhelming oppression. Karski was a brilliant young diplomat when war broke out in 1939 with Hitler's invasion of Poland. Taken prisoner by the Soviet Red Army; which had simultaneously invaded from the East; Karski narrowly escaped the subsequent Katyn Forest Massacre. He became a member of the Polish Underground; the most significant resistance movement in occupied Europe; acting as a liaison and courier between the Underground and the Polish government-in-exile. He was twice smuggled into the Warsaw Ghetto; and entered the Nazi's Izbica transit camp disguised as a guard; witnessing first-hand the horrors of the Holocaust.Karski's courage and testimony; conveyed in a breathtaking manner in Story of a Secret State; offer the narrative of one of the world's greatest eyewitnesses and an inspiration for all of humanity; emboldening each of us to rise to the challenge of standing up against evil and for human rights. This definitive edition ― which includes a foreword by Madeleine Albright; a biographical essay by Yale historian Timothy Snyder; an afterword by Zbigniew Brzezinski; previously unpublished photos; notes; further reading; and a glossary ― is an apt legacy for this hero of conscience during the most fraught and fragile moment in modern history.
#5183 in Books Steerforth Pr 2016-06-29 2016-06-29Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.10 x 6.00l; .81 #File Name: 1586422383384 pagesSteerforth Pr
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wow! Couldn't Put This Book DownBy Francie NolanI could not put this book down. It was fascinating. And to get the last moments of Hoffa's life -- wow. It's always the best friend who whacks you. Sheeran didn't seem to have much choice. I won't spoil it; but it would appear he chose the lesser of two evils. It was interesting to see how Sheeran came to live the life he did beginning with his rough childhood through to his 400 plus days of WWII combat to slowly but surely falling in with the mob. His daughter's comment at the end of the book was illuminating and sad describing how her father changed after Hoffa's death.What I'll never quite understand is how JFK and his father didn't realize there would be consequences for screwing over The Mob after they helped JFK win or why Hoffa came out of prison spouting off about Fitzsimmons; The Teamsters and organized crime thinking there would be no repercussions. Sheeran said Hoffa thought he was untouchable. I guess JFK and Bobby Kennedy thought they were; too. Maybe when you have that much power; you begin to feel no one can hurt you. I can't imagine because I've never had any kind of power.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This is Hi-Gloss "Paint"By John GoffIf you like history of tough guys; this is a book for you. If you like history of this country and the guys who shaped it and the working conditions; this is a book for you. Charles Brandt lets Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran tell his story in his own words and then ties the ends together in translation for a fully engrossing look at the Labor movement in the U.S. He makes no bones or excuses for Labor Union (Teamsters) takeover under Hoffa and the shadowy Mob (Mafia; Cosa Nostra; whatever you want to call it) being in bed together. He presents it and it's up to the reader to sort out theier own feelings for the various mindsets. Somewhere in there is the wedding of upper management---Teamsters; Mafia and Politicos---to woo and control the people of the country and what happens when that dark Trio clash; this portion feeds into conspiracy theories long considered to be ravings of mad men but if Sheeran is to be believed (and there is evidence to credit him with believability) there are some very dark forces at work in America. Look around and apply some of these principles put forth by Sheeran in Today's "Leadership" and you'll see it at work so who's to say he's full of s***...? Not me... An absolutely fascinating read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Clearing up some Mafia historyBy Michele M WeckerBeing from Detroit; and having heard the names in this book as I was growing up; I thought the book would be a fun read. It did not disappoint. I learned a few things about unions and the Mafia. The comments about the FBI at the end of the book were interesting. All in all; it gave me a lot to think about and helped piece together the stories I read in the papers at that time. I enjoyed the fact that the book was written by a lawyer--someone with an investigative mind; but someone who went well beyond what a journalist would do to corroborate the stories. The fact that Brandt had trial and murder experience sealed the deal. If you are curious about what the lives of the Mafia were like; or about the history of the unions and the Mafia; this is a great read.
