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Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto

Tilar J. Mazzeo

4.25 · Rating details · 4,861 ratings · 794 reviews

This book is an account of Irena Sendler—the “female Oskar Schindler”—who took staggering risks to save 2,500 children from death and deportation in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II.

In 1942, one young social worker, Irena Sendler, was granted access to the Warsaw ghetto as a public health specialist. While there, she reached out to the trapped Jewish families, goin ...more

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Hardcover, 317 pages

Published September 27th 2016 by Gallery Books

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May 27, 2017 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing

Thank You Lisa Vegan!!! Unlike Lisa, I had 'not' heard of Irena Sendler. .....
But..... like Lisa, I've read I've read MANY Holocaust books - fiction and non fiction.

Lisa Vegan's review express exactly how I feel....READ HER REVIEW!!!!

"Irena's Children", is sooooo ENGAGING!!!!!! It's non- fiction. The best 'feeling' comparison I can give about this NON-FICTION....that reads like FICTION .....( you wish it were fiction) ....is "Unbroken", by Laura Hillenbrand.
For those who remember reading, 'Unb ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Angela M rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

" This is history, through a glass darkly, with all the attendant perils of the great darkness that was the Holocaust in Poland both during the Second World War and in the decades of communist rule that followed. I have used in all cases my best judgement as a historian and scholar and then proceeded to get on with telling the story of an astonishing group of men and women who saved from the darkness thousands of children." (Tilar J. Mazzeo in the Afterword of this book.)

I would guess that there " This is history, through a glass darkly, with all the attendant perils of the great darkness that was the Holocaust in Poland both during the Second World War and in the decades of communist rule that followed. I have used in all cases my best judgement as a historian and scholar and then proceeded to get on with telling the story of an astonishing group of men and women who saved from the darkness thousands of children." (Tilar J. Mazzeo in the Afterword of this book.)

I would guess that there are a lot of people like myself know who did not know of Irena Sendler. Until I read a review on Goodreads I had not heard of her or any of the brave, good people who worked with her, so many names to mention here. I was happy to see the list of people in Irena's network at the end of the book to remind me. I am grateful to Mazzeo for telling this story of these people who saved so many children from death, from the camps. Irena Sendler was a social worker in Warsaw who started her mission by at first fixing documents so the children would receive assistance, by smuggling food and medicine to the ghetto and moving to the most dangerous of acts - smuggling and hiding the children.

The author has done extensive research and displays a passionate commitment to telling this story that is evident on every page . She gives us a sense of what Irena was like as a person, what these Jewish families were going through, the gruesome descriptions of the conditions of the ghetto, the danger that Irena and those who were involved in the resistance faced, the courage and trust of these families who allowed strangers to take their children to safety. And of course she tells us about the children and their fears in leaving their mothers and fathers. It was difficult to read at times, but as I say whenever I read a book about the Holocaust whether it is fiction or non fiction as this is : it's so necessary to be told and read so we don't forget .

Irena tried to document by code the identities of the children and where they were hidden in hopes of reuniting them with their parents. The heartbreaking truth of the matter is that most of their families did not survive. "By the end of the war, ninety percent of Poland's Jews would perish - some three million people - but not Irena's children." I am heartened that some recognition has been given to her. She was awarded the highest honor given by the Holocaust memorial organization in Israel when she was named one of the "Righteous Among Nations", and thanks to Mazzeo Irena's story is elevated to further awareness to those of us fortunate enough to read it.

I received this ARC from Gallery, Threshold Books through NetGalley. ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Candi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history, biography-autobiography-memoir, ww-2, non-fiction

"Great, heroic acts sometimes come from small beginnings…"

The story of Irena Sendler is one that some readers may be familiar with and many more may not. I hope that this incredible woman’s name will be proclaimed the world over as a true humanitarian, a courageous woman, and an admirable leader. I had first heard her name two years ago, when my son began an assigned reading for school titled Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer. He insisted that I would love the book and sugge "Great, heroic acts sometimes come from small beginnings…"

The story of Irena Sendler is one that some readers may be familiar with and many more may not. I hope that this incredible woman’s name will be proclaimed the world over as a true humanitarian, a courageous woman, and an admirable leader. I had first heard her name two years ago, when my son began an assigned reading for school titled Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer. He insisted that I would love the book and suggested that I get a copy to read for myself. I’m so glad he did – he knows me so well. Without his prompting, I may have remained in the dark about Irena’s story. At least until now, when I have had the honor of reading this well-researched, in-depth look at her life and her commitment to saving the lives of numerous Jewish children who would have doubtless perished during the Holocaust. Author Tilar J. Mazzeo presents a compelling piece of non-fiction in this work titled Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto.

As Mazzeo states, this book is not simply Irena’s story, it is also about the network of brave citizens that assisted her tremendous effort; furthermore, it is the story of the Polish people, and in particular the residents of Warsaw, during the German occupation of World War II. Mazzeo tells us that fifteen percent of Poland’s population, or approximately 6 million people, were killed as a result of the war – including ninety percent of Poland’s Jewish population. These statistics are simply heartbreaking and downright unthinkable. With the help of the political underground, the Polish welfare offices, and the Jewish community, Irena and her band of heroes and heroines were able to save the lives of nearly 2,500 Jewish children by daring acts of rescue. Many of these were smuggled out of the walled ghetto and placed in Polish homes, convents, and orphanages with the use of forged identity papers. Irena herself was able to come in and out of the ghetto for some time due to her social worker status as well as with the use of an epidemic control pass. As a mother it is hard to imagine entrusting the life of your child with another – to allow your baby or toddler or other cherished son or daughter to be taken from you, with great risk, in order to have a chance at survival in a world that is both treacherous and essentially foreign to your own culture and beliefs. But that is exactly the choice many of these Jewish mothers and fathers were forced to make. It’s just astonishing, really. Irena went through great efforts to make a list of those children rescued, with the hope that one day they could be reunited with their families. Of course, all are familiar enough with the disheartening survival rates of those that were transported to places like Treblinka to know that this dream of Irena’s could never be realized. Nevertheless, those that were saved had a chance at life thanks to people like Irena who took extraordinary risks every day, while the shadow of Pawiak prison loomed large and the prospect of execution was a constant threat.

With the end of the Cold War, many of these true-life dramas like Irena’s were uncovered, and I hope that they continue to get the recognition they deserve. In 1965, the name of Irena Sendler was rightfully added to the list of those “Righteous Among Nations”, the highest honor awarded by the Holocaust memorial organization in Israel. With the exposure of more and more ordinary citizen turned ‘hero’ stories, it should be an inspiration to everyone that even one person can begin to make a difference in the lives of others.

"She was at once a heroine—although she disdained that word, too—and a flawed and average person. But she was also someone gifted with a sense of purpose and righteousness so powerful that she was able, by her example, to persuade others around her to be better than they otherwise might have been, and to do something together amazingly decent and courageous."
...more

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Jan 03, 2017 Lisa Vegan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: holocaust, z2017, zz-5star, biography, history, non-fiction, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, 1-also-at-librarything, reviewed, readbooks-female-author-or-illust

Before reading this book, I had heard of Irena Sendler. I’d read two children’s picture books about her: Irena's Jars of Secrets and Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto. Because they were written for children, they were sanitized and did not reveal the worst of the atrocities or many of the details of Irena’s life and the lives of her collaborators or the lives of the victims. I did not get even close to a full picture, though I’m glad there are books for children about this hero Before reading this book, I had heard of Irena Sendler. I’d read two children’s picture books about her: Irena's Jars of Secrets and Irena Sendler and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto. Because they were written for children, they were sanitized and did not reveal the worst of the atrocities or many of the details of Irena’s life and the lives of her collaborators or the lives of the victims. I did not get even close to a full picture, though I’m glad there are books for children about this heroine. They were fine introductions and inspired me to learn more.

I’ve read hundreds of Holocaust books, non-fiction and fiction. This one is non-fiction and it’s one of the very best books of its kind that I’ve read. I had no qualms about giving it 5 stars. It’s a splendid book, well written and brilliantly organized and expertly constructed. It’s incredibly dense with information, but always readable and engaging. I found it hard to put down, though at times it was extremely painful to read.

I cannot stress enough how much I learned from this book. I got a better feel for the scope of the conditions inside the Warsaw Ghetto, Warsaw and Poland during WWII than I have from reading most other books about it, perhaps more than from any other book. I learned so much about Irena and her background that it made sense why she was as she was and why she did what she did. Many people I’d known about from reading other books make appearances and it was interesting to see how they were connected to each other, including to Irena.

The book is well researched, with a fine explanation from the author about what few liberties she took (I found her and the book’s contents trustworthy!) and how she conducted her research. There are extensive notes and an impressive bibliography. I appreciated what photos were included and wish that there had been even more of them.

It was a good time for me to read this book. Despite its serious and sometimes heartbreaking subject matter, I was fine with reading it over the holidays. I took courage from what these people went through. They and their situations made what trepidation I feel for what we’re facing later this month doable. I got courage from their willingness to do the right thing. This book could have been titled Dozens (maybe Hundreds) of People’s Children. So many participated in trying to save lives and so many were incredibly brave. I hope I would have the courage to do what's right, as might be required, over these next few years! Irena’s bravery and the bravery of those she worked with and the bravery of many other Poles, non-Jewish and Jewish, is so inspiring. They were remarkable people, and ordinary people. I could hope to be only a fraction as brave. There were so many heroes. Unfortunately, there were obviously a huge number of victims, but also so many that were saved, and that is inspiring.

While it turned out that none of them were actually safe, they could certainly have protected themselves better than they did by not trying to help. I was particularly touched by those who had children of their own and risked so much to help other people’s children; their actions were life threatening for them and for their entire families.

I did learn a lot about Warsaw throughout WWII and I’d never realized quite how in danger the Catholic and other non-Jewish Polish people were in, especially toward the end of the war.

How could so many people be so brave (this book must be read to see just how almost superhuman bravery was exhibited time after time!) and how could so many people have acted so evilly? I was left more uplifted than in despair.

One example of what fine storytelling this book has is one of the chapter titles led me to assume one thing, as does the way this book begins (with Irena’s arrest by the Gestapo) and because of that I’d assumed something, until I looked at the photos section in the middle of the book. But why that was done makes perfect sense. The reader follows Irena over time (through her triumphs and tragedies and challenges – with the full gamut of thoughts and emotions and experiences) and the presentation was not done gratuitously but in a way that I as a reader got a real sense of how it was for Irena and all the others, adults and children, non-Jews and Jews, people of all persuasions in this time and place.

I honestly can’t imagine going through what Irena and many of her contemporaries did, and obviously what the Polish Jews had to endure in the ghetto and being sent to Treblinka or otherwise murdered, well I cannot imagine coping. Yes, there is much real life tragedy in this account, but the truly amazing efforts of so many who did what they could to save lives, of adults as well as a large number of children, left me feeling in awe.

There is horrific content and there is a lot of suspense but it also has sweet and lovely and joyful parts.

This is a timely book, telling a story that needed telling, and an excellent effort, and I highly recommend it. ...more

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Jan 10, 2017 Chrissie rated it really liked it

Shelves: audible, bio, 2017-read, history, ww2, love, poland

This book moved me, as most holocaust books do. Honestly, I think that is part of what attracts people to them. We tell ourselves we are leaning history, and we are, but it is the emotional involvement that is the attraction.

This book is not just about Irena Sendler but also about the huge number of compatriots that worked alongside her. Although we do meet many individuals a number stand out, so one does not get lost. One feels connection to many. Both the author and Irena emphasize over and o ...more

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Oct 11, 2016 Tara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history

One of the most absorbing nonfiction books I've ever read. This almost impossible story of a woman who saved about 2,500 Jewish children in Poland during WW II will make you feel guilty that you are not doing more for others. Despite threats to her family, her friends, her own life, Irena Sendler triumphs and stays one step ahead of the Gestapo in Warsaw. She even survives capture and torture, never giving away any of the valuable information she had. Sendler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Pr ...more

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Jul 29, 2017 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2017, history, giveaways-won, non-fiction

This is the story of Irena Sendler and the extraordinary things she did in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. I am sad to say that I am one of those who had never heard of her prior to reading this book. I have read many books about World War II, both fiction and non-fiction, and it amazes me how people endured and coped in the midst of a living hell.

Irena Sendler was a social worker who was granted access to the walled ghetto section of Warsaw. There she saw first hand the fate that awai This is the story of Irena Sendler and the extraordinary things she did in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. I am sad to say that I am one of those who had never heard of her prior to reading this book. I have read many books about World War II, both fiction and non-fiction, and it amazes me how people endured and coped in the midst of a living hell.

Irena Sendler was a social worker who was granted access to the walled ghetto section of Warsaw. There she saw first hand the fate that awaited Jewish families. She reached out to these families to entrust their children to her so that they might live. It is hard to imagine what life must have been like where a parent would turn over a child to someone else in order to save him or her. And there were no guarantees of safety. Smuggling anyone out of the ghetto came at great risk. If caught the Nazi's did not hesitate to kill. The Nazi's would kill the child and anyone assisting. If you assisted a Jew the Nazi's would also kill your family ... while you watched ... and then kill you. Irena Sendler never hesitated though when it came to helping others.

This is the story of Irena Sendler but as she often told people and as the author makes clear throughout the story there was a vast network of people who worked with Irena to save innocent children from the Holocaust. By many accounts some 2,500 children were saved thanks to Irena and her friends. They made dangerous trips through the city's sewers, hid children in coffins, hid them under overcoats. They were brave and selfless and it is important that their story be told and never forgotten. Each and everyone is a hero and an inspiration.

Not only did Irena Sendler help save the lives of these children she did something even more extraordinary and at great personal risk. She kept lists with the names and true identities of those Jewish children with the hope that their relatives could find them after the war. Even after being arrested, imprisoned, and tortured Irena Sendler never stopped her work.

In 1965 the Holocaust memorial organization in Israel awarded Irena Sendler it's highest honor. They added her name to the list of those who are “Righteous Among Nations” and planted an olive tree in her honor on the Mount of Remembrance. The Soviets refused to authorize a passport so that Irena could travel to Jerusalem to accept the award. In 2003 some of the children she helped save wrote a joint letter nominating Irena Sendler for the Nobel Peace Prize. They nominated her again in 2007. Irena dismissed any talk of awards or honors. Irena Sendler died peacefully in 2008 at the age of 98 surrounded by several of "her" children.

Thanks to Goodreads and Gallery Books for this book. ...more

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Oct 05, 2016 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I thank the author for her meticulous research and the extensive hours she must have put in to bring Irena Sendler’s incredible story to light. Irena was a passionate and courageous woman who risked her life repeatedly, saving thousands of children by smuggling them out of their Warsaw ghetto right under the noses of the Nazis. This novel is a difficult read because of the atrocities yet amidst the tragedies there is Irena and brave souls who step up to help. A powerful WWII story of bravery and ...more

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Dec 08, 2018 Lewis Weinstein rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-history-bio-memoir, a-research

A well written combination of wrenching emotional detail set into clear historical context. What Irena Sendler and those she worked with accomplished in the Warsaw Ghetto was beyond remarkable. The risks they took and the price many of them paid are stunning. The contrast between this human goodness and the utter depravity of the Nazis and those who helped them jumps off every page.

What kind of people murder children? The answer is people who are unable to face up to their own failures (such as ...more

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Jul 11, 2016 Cheryl rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult-nonfiction, survival, biography-memoir, history, arc-giveaway, war-stories-nonfiction

Author and university professor Tilar Mazzeo has written an unforgettable story of courage, sacrifice, selflessness, honor and survival amidst the horrors and brutality of the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland.

Irena Sendler had graduated from university with a Master’s degree and had just begun a job with Warsaw’s municipal welfare office when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. She, along with many of her former classmates, became active in the resistance movement. Although she was not Jewish, Author and university professor Tilar Mazzeo has written an unforgettable story of courage, sacrifice, selflessness, honor and survival amidst the horrors and brutality of the Nazi occupation of Warsaw, Poland.

Irena Sendler had graduated from university with a Master’s degree and had just begun a job with Warsaw’s municipal welfare office when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939. She, along with many of her former classmates, became active in the resistance movement. Although she was not Jewish, Irena had been raised in a small town outside of Warsaw with a large Jewish population. She could speak Yiddish and had quite a few close friends who were Jewish.

As the Nazis began to implement their plan of complete annihilation of Poland’s Jews, Irena focused her attention on saving as many innocent Jewish children as she could. Together with her extensive network of friends and colleagues, she was able to save over 2,500 Jewish children.

In Poland, Irena is seen as a heroine, and is often referred to as “the female Oscar Schindler”. But her story is little known to people in the West. In 1965, based on the testimony of survivors, Israel’s Yad Vashem added Irena Sendler’s name to the list of those who are deemed “Righteous Among the Nations” and an olive tree was planted in her honor on the Mount of Remembrance. Despite receiving this honor, Irena humbly insisted that she only was the coordinator of her network and that she did not do it alone.

Tiller Mazzeo’s exhaustive research brings to life one of the darkest periods in history. The sense of urgency and fear are palpable as the Nazi regime tightens it’s grip on the city of Warsaw. The true story of Irena Sendler reads like a novel and is hard to put down. Her story is a reminder of how, together, people can stand up to evil and make a difference in the world.

Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, for giving me the opportunity to read the advance copy of this outstanding book which will be published in September, 2016.
...more

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Oct 20, 2016 Jean rated it it was amazing

Shelves: european-history, biography, world-war-ii, audio-book, non-fiction, sociology

I became interested in learning more about the Warsaw Ghetto after reading Leon Uris’s book “Milo 18”. Mazzeo’s book is non-fiction and is fascinating.

This is a story of World War II, the Warsaw ghetto and the Holocaust. Mazzeo tells the story of the life of Irena Sendlerowa (Sender). The author covers her story from childhood to death but most of the story covers the war years.

In 1939 Irena Sender is a social worker in Warsaw. As the Germans take control they deprive the Polish Jews of everythi ...more

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Aug 22, 2016 Pamela rated it really liked it

Shelves: europe, history, nonfiction, violent-and-or-disturbing-content, women-of-notariaty, catastrophic-trauma, holocaust, war, biography-memoir

Six Million people - annihilated - viciously and systematically wiped off the planet by the Nazi regime as orchestrated by the evil and ruthless dictator - Hitler. Six Million is roughly the equivalent of the combined total population of: Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Delaware. Or the entire state of Maryland or Missouri. Daunting perspective, isn't it?

My first thought when I began reading Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Six Million people - annihilated - viciously and systematically wiped off the planet by the Nazi regime as orchestrated by the evil and ruthless dictator - Hitler. Six Million is roughly the equivalent of the combined total population of: Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Delaware. Or the entire state of Maryland or Missouri. Daunting perspective, isn't it?

My first thought when I began reading Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto was: What an extraordinary women, and what an extraordinary number of children Irena Sendler was able to save from the Holocaust. And indeed, Tilar Mazzeo gives testimony to just how brave, determined, heroic, and extraordinary Sendler was, in addition to being unconventional, relentless, obsessed, and morally complicated. It is also quite astonishing the number of children she was able to shelter away - not to mention, the varied creative ways in which she accomplished these things.

Twenty-five-hundred children, innocent souls, saved from starvation, prison camps, and slaughter out of six-million- equally innocent souls. Daunting perspective.

Here's another disconcerting perspective: Sendler was eventually nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. However, Al Gore and his environmental agenda took home the honors. How soon we forget the atrocities of war and the heroes who gave their all at the risk of life and limb. In fact, Sendler was savagely beat, repeatedly, during her detainment and imprisonment on more than one occasion.

The book is passionately written, enlightening, captivating, full-depth, and painfully staggering - for obvious thematic reasons. Mazzeo certainly dedicated much time and thought to her research, too. It is commendable the task she took on, researching, writing, giving honor to a woman way past her just rewards due. There were pockets of micro-details that slowed the pace to a crawl. And I thought the author interjected a bit too much of herself into the interpretation of events, inserting dialogue of her own making. She's obviously passionate about Irena Sendler, but in so being, she didn't always stay objective in her observations of Sendler's choices/actions/reasonings; at times she was so apologetic on behalf of Sendler it was almost embarrassing.

Overall this was an exceptionally good read; a recommendable,noteworthy biography and cameo history book encompassing one of many unsung heroes of WWII, the Warsaw Ghetto, and the Holocaust. Due to subject matter and themes there is a good bit of violent and/or disturbing content. And for the most part, it seems the author used as much decorum as possible.

FOUR **** Compelling and Insightful, Holocaust History and Extraordinary Heroic Resolve, Biographical **** STARS ...more

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Oct 06, 2016 Brittany rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biographical, reviews, zchallenge-2016, 4-stars, military, mystery, romance, woman-empowering, non-fiction, arcs

Tilar J. Mazzeo writes from an extremely educated standpoint when talking about her subject, which in this case are the thousands of Jewish children that Irena Sendler saved from the Warsaw Ghetto. This was a powerfully disturbing but also amazing look from a different historical standpoint about a truly amazing group of people in our history.

Tilar does an amazing job of setting the scene for the reader in bringing the scenes of the book to life as though they still existed before our eyes. She Tilar J. Mazzeo writes from an extremely educated standpoint when talking about her subject, which in this case are the thousands of Jewish children that Irena Sendler saved from the Warsaw Ghetto. This was a powerfully disturbing but also amazing look from a different historical standpoint about a truly amazing group of people in our history.

Tilar does an amazing job of setting the scene for the reader in bringing the scenes of the book to life as though they still existed before our eyes. She brings the characters to life in a way that makes the reader feel as if you really know them and can see them before your eyes and feel their anxiety and passion and even discouragement. Irena's cell of "saviors" were so amazing in the face of such treatment that describing it as "inhumane" would be an injustice to the horrors of what actually occurred. I felt sick in my heart to know that anyone could ever have to live or feel this way, and so empowered to know that one person or even a few people can truly make the difference in so many generations of lives.

The only points I had that were negative with this book were that I would have liked to have seen a city map to really be able to get a visual feel of how far the ghetto and sewer systems were from different "safe" houses, Gestapo, churches and welfare centers and showing how the sewer and supply lines ran in and out of the Warsaw Ghetto.

The other thing that really took this book down from a 5 star rating for me was that, there were some very tedious moments at times in this book. Mazzeo has done such an amazing job with her research that she has put almost too many details into the book. As a nonfiction book it is a hard thing to really judge on. If I were reading this book for reference into this event I would want that more than reading from an educational pleasure reading stand point as I did. There were some of the interwoven details that seemed to be retold in several different ways. I appreciate their importance but a few times it got a bit boring with certain "deja-vu" feelings with the paperwork and the slower speed to the progress of the book.

I highly recommend this book as it is a story that needs traction. A story of hope for all that we can accomplish when any of us may feel like we can't make a difference in the world, when we ALL have that power within just one of us. If we can band together we have even more strength in the face of anything that the universe can throw at us. This book is also a powerful lesson to the world to show how quickly things can turn from bad to worse, in the face of judgement and fear and hate, and how we must all fight against this at every turn. A stunning 4.5 stars for me.

** I received a copy of this book thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books of Gallery Books and Netgalley ...more

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Aug 29, 2016 Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: true-story-or-based-on, adult-fiction, non-fiction, ya, netgalley-books-read-in-2017, netgalley, 2017

Tilar Mazzeo went to Poland and stumbled upon this story when she saw all the lights in the forest. She researched and what she found compelled her to write Irena's story. I read a children's version of Irena Sendler's story Jars of Hope a little while ago. I had not heard of Irena or her heroic efforts to save the children before that. I was very impressed with this woman and when I saw this book I wanted to read it to find out more about this incredible woman. I actually had to put this book d Tilar Mazzeo went to Poland and stumbled upon this story when she saw all the lights in the forest. She researched and what she found compelled her to write Irena's story. I read a children's version of Irena Sendler's story Jars of Hope a little while ago. I had not heard of Irena or her heroic efforts to save the children before that. I was very impressed with this woman and when I saw this book I wanted to read it to find out more about this incredible woman. I actually had to put this book down a couple of times and read something lighter because the atrocities that happened in Poland, particularly Warsaw were horrific. When this young woman decides that she needs to do what she can to save the children from death, she set to the task without being deterred by the dangers to herself. The book can be dry in parts, but it is a mesmerizing story. The resistance in Poland had such strength of character and the moral right on their side.

Mazzeo does an amazing job of setting the scene for the reader, I could picture what was going on almost as it I was there, although I am glad I was not. She brings the characters to life in a way that makes the reader feel as if you really know them. You can feel what they feel from despair, pain, discouragement, fear and in some cases relief and excitement. Irena's cell of "saviors" were so important to her story. She constantly said she was not a hero, there were so many others that risked so much more than she did and many of them were mentioned in the book. I felt sick in my heart to know that anyone had to endure what these people lived through. The number of Polish people (both Jewish and non-Jewish) that perished during this time was unbelievable. The strength shown by so few to save as many as they could is empowering knowing that good will go up against evil to save even one. This is a must read for those who are interested in WWII, not for the fighting and war, but for the positive spirit shown by so many that had been counted down and out. As they were referred to in the book by the Germans, "Untermensch" or subhuman showed that they were the most human of all. ...more

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Jan 11, 2017 Marialyce rated it really liked it

And to think this woman never received the Nobel Prize!

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Oct 05, 2016 Booknblues rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, historical-fiction, world-war-ll, poland

To understate it, Poland during World War II was a particularly harrowing and horrifying which tested the mettle of all its citizens. There have been many excellent books written about this time, both fiction and nonfiction includingMila 18 and The Zookeeper's Wife, and I have discovered yet another one in Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar Mazzeo.

Irena Sendler was an amazing and heroic woman, who worked as a social wor To understate it, Poland during World War II was a particularly harrowing and horrifying which tested the mettle of all its citizens. There have been many excellent books written about this time, both fiction and nonfiction includingMila 18 and The Zookeeper's Wife, and I have discovered yet another one in Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar Mazzeo.

Irena Sendler was an amazing and heroic woman, who worked as a social worker prior to World War II and continued during the war. She used her skills to organize a network of resistance workers intent on saving Jewish children from the clutches of the Nazis. Tilar Mazzeo is to be commended for her research uncovering many of the players in this network. It is inspiring to realize how many ordinary people were involved and working against the Nazis in this horrible time.

Even though this book is nonfiction, it is anything but dull. From the start, I couldn't put it down. I'd like to share the beginning of the prologue:

Warsaw, October 21, 1943

Aleja Szucha. Irena Sendler knew her destination. The door slammed shut up front, and the black prison car lurched into motion. she had been given only minutes to dress and her fair bobbed hair was bed tousled.

Janka Grabowska had run down the front path with her shoes and thrust them at her at the last moment, braving the violent caprices of the soldiers. Irena hadn't thought to lace them. She was focusing on just one thing: staying calm and keeping her face blank, placid. No sad faces. That was the wisdom Jewish mothers gave to their children when they left them for the last time in the care of strangers. Irena wasn't Jewish, but it was still true that sad faces were dangerous.

The one thing that makes this difficult reading is the sheer number of people which Mazzeo has included. However she has provided a listing of characters in Irena's network at the end of the book to which the reader can refer to. Some of these could even have a book of their own. I know that I would love to read one about the heroic nurse of the Warsaw ghetto, Ala Golab-Grynberg.

I would recommend this book to any and all interested in this era. ...more

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Oct 22, 2016 Harris rated it it was ok

So here's the deal. Irena's personal story and those in her network who risked their lives to save so many is remarkable. However, the book was incredibly boring - my mind kept drifting to other things and it was difficult to stay focused.

Other than being a slow read, I couldn't understand why the author kept referring to Ala or others as "Irena's friend." By page 150 it was abundantly clear that these people were her friends and colleagues. I understand that there were a lot of names and it cou ...more

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Dec 11, 2016 Deborah Pickstone rated it really liked it

Shelves: made-me-cry, wartime, wwii, history-of-all-things, human-nature, non-fiction, lets-be-pacifists, moral-dilemma, biography, holocaust

A story of heroism in the face of the inhumanity of the holocaust. I was much irritated by the author inferring emotions, thoughts etc that she had not access to. That aside, the story speaks for itself and I can only stand in awe of the courage some people have in living up to their own principles. No-one can say that they know for sure how s/he would react in the same shoes; I can only hope I would display some integrity.

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Jan 05, 2017 Hilary rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Hilary by: Lisa Vegan

Deeply moving, harrowing and uplifting story of how a young social worker in Poland with the help of others saved around 2500 jewish children, hiding them, re homing them, and getting them new identities.

The devastation of Warsaw was horrendous, unbelievable that anyone survived such horror. What is truly amazing is that so many people were willing to risk their lives to help others. Irena kept carefully hidden notes on whatever information she had about the children in the hope that one day th ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Magdelanye rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: displacement, ethics, social-history, culture-conflict, go-girls, biography, war-torn

This is a remarkable harrowing true account of a Polish woman whose strength of character propelled her to make a huge and mostly hidden difference in the resistance to the Nazi regime in Warsaw particularly.
This is not the first book Ive read on the subject, but it remains unbelievable. The horror is too vast. TJM has found the right perspective and tone to bring the reader right into the chaos of the time.

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Oct 26, 2016 Debbie Carnes rated it it was amazing

A part of history few know about. People have heard of Schindler and all that he did to help during WW2, This is about Irena Sendler a courageous young woman and others who helped save the lives of more then two thousand Jewish children.
This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
Thank goodness there were and still are people in this world that care so much about others that they put their own lives on the line.

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Aug 31, 2016 Jolene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016

I have read lots of Holocaust books and it never ceases to amaze me the atrocities done by the Nazis to the Jews and those that tried to help them. The story of Irena in Warsaw, Poland was one of selflessness and courage. Irena and her group of friends helped smuggle 2500 Jewish children to safety during World War 2. Parents were so desperate to save their children they would throw their babies over the ghetto wall not knowing if anyone caught them and took them to safety. Children would live in ...more

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Sep 21, 2016 Darcia Helle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, culture-sociology, nonfiction, review-copies, biographies-memoirs, history

Books like this one are not easy to read, and they shouldn't be. But, when well written, books like this can teach us a lot about how and why average men and women either went along with the masses, silent in the face of atrocities, or stayed true to their values, fought against the tide, and became heroes. This book is exceptionally well written.

Tilar Mazzeo writes an engaging narrative. This is absolutely not a dry, textbook type of read. Mazzeo gives us emotion, passion, and insight. She lets ...more

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Jun 08, 2018 Dov Zeller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: revolutionary-thinkers, war-and-fighting, jewish, kids, middle-grade-ya, non-fiction, wwii-related, biograpical, germany, poland

Poland was hit hard during WWII. They were brutalized by Germany.

Poland was, on one hand, a victim of Germany.

And yet, they were also extreme perpetrators of violence. Their cooperation (and often initiation) in killing Jews during the war is chilling.

It is estimated that over 90% of Poland's Jews died during World War II. There were about three million and four hundred thousand Jews in Poland before the war. Only about 300,000 survived.

Nearly 400,000 thousand Jews lived in Warsaw. Only abou ...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Hermien rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, audiobooks, wwi-ii

I have great admiration for people who were willing to make huge sacrifices to do the right thing.

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Jan 22, 2017 Tweedledum rated it it was amazing

Shelves: prisoners-and-captives, 2017-books-read, wwii, poland

I learned about Irena Sendler thanks to a GR friend's comments online. Having reserved the book through the library, though I was keen to read it , I was unprepared for the extra-ordinary stories of courage, ingenuity, dedication and the rest within. Increasingly I could not tear myself away from the harrowing tale. Shindler's List and The Pianist and prepared me for the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto but I had not understood how the hatred, destruction and denial went on and on long after the ghe ...more

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Apr 27, 2018 Krista rated it it was ok

Shelves: influential, educational, non-fiction, biography, holocaust

I loved Irena Sendler's life story. She is an amazing woman, who meant amazing people that helped save so many lives. I am so inspired and thankful that people like Irena created a resistance during WWII and helped save so many lives, risking their own, as well as, their families lives.

However, the writing itself of Irena's story was hard to get through. The author has a textbook style kind of writing that, for myself, was extremely boring. I wish her story would have been written more vibrant, ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Olga Miret rated it really liked it

This is story, through a glass darkly Thanks to Net Galley and to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for offering me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had not heard the story of Irena Sendler before I read this volume, and it is one of the great untold stories of War World II, unfortunately not the only one. In the last chapter of the book (before the copious acknowledgements and notes) the author speculates about the possible reasons for that neglect, including how t This is story, through a glass darkly Thanks to Net Galley and to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for offering me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had not heard the story of Irena Sendler before I read this volume, and it is one of the great untold stories of War World II, unfortunately not the only one. In the last chapter of the book (before the copious acknowledgements and notes) the author speculates about the possible reasons for that neglect, including how tough life was for those who had supported the Polish Resistance in the years after the war, under Soviet control, and also personal difficulties and even change in religious feelings. By the time Irena Sendler wrote her memoirs she was in her nineties and it must have been impossible to recall all the details of what had happened at such a cruel time, fraught with risk and physical and mental hardship. I could not help but wonder if the fact that she was a woman also had a bearing on it. Heroism is expected in men, for whom it is OK to put duty or fighting for one’s ideals before family and heart matters, but when it comes to women, the general discourse looks at them in a suspicious manner if they put ethics, politics or ideals before their role as homemakers and their families. Sendler also always said that the task of saving the children was a team effort and insisted on giving credit where credit was due, and collective events always make for a story less easy to sell and less straightforward to tell.
I learned a lot, not only about Irena Sendler and her collaborators, but also about what Poland went through in the war, the resistance movement in Warsaw and Poland, and the strength of individuals set on helping others, no matter how big the odds against them. Although there were betrayals and terrible things (not only on the German camp) taking place, there are also incredible feats of bravery and generosity. It is easier to fully comprehend what certain events might have meant for the population when one has a human being (be it an invented character in historical fiction or a real person in non-fictional accounts) to follow and empathise with. In this book, we follow not only Sendler but also the experiences and fates of many of her friends and collaborators, and also of some of the children who were rescued by the whole team.
The book is detailed and follows a chronological order (apart from a short Prologue set at a particular dramatic moment for the protagonist), building up from the early times before the German occupation, providing us enough information about Irena to understand where her ideas came from, and showing clearly how quickly things deteriorated, at first for Jews only, but eventually for everybody. It is not an easy book to read, not because of the writing, but because of the content. Some of the images the book creates: of the effects of the epidemic illnesses, of the contrasts inside the ghetto between the glamorous cabarets where champagne flew a few streets from where others were dying, mothers throwing their children over the wall to try to save them or the Jewish family who sent a gold crucifix and a baptism gown for their baby when they were informed he’d have to be converted to Catholicism to save him, I will not forget. There were blackmailers, and unknown kind strangers, people who would not join in the cause but helped given a chance. This is not a story of battles and big armies (although they are there too, in the background), but of individual and small guerrilla resistance, of the everyday battle and of the people who would help, because of their beliefs and ethics or for money. Perhaps the best-laid plans fail because they never take into account the individuality of the cog in the machine and how they can subvert everything, both for good and for bad.
I recommend this book to anybody interested in this historical period but perhaps not as familiar with the history of what happened in Poland as with events in other places. It is also a great read for anybody interested in inspiring stories of human endurance, resistance, bravery and fighting against all odds. Although the book is not a memoir of Irena Sendler’s life, and only makes a passing reference to what happened to her after the war, it centres on her and her role in saving the lives of over 2500 Jewish Polish children. Sendler is not presented as a heroine with no weaknesses and the book tries to show her doubts and internal struggles when trying to decide what to do, worrying about her mother and her lover, Adam, but sometimes putting herself and others at untold risks without thinking about it. It tries to remain close to the documentation, data and witness accounts, although I recommend reading the author’s note before reading the book itself, as that explains the process of creation of the book and how the different materials are incorporated into the final narration, including the use of italics to indicate material the author has written and added to make up the missing parts. In one of the reviews I saw they mentioned pictures, but I got an ARC e-copy with no photographs on it, so I can’t comment on them. There are very extensive notes of the sources at the end that will be useful to people wanting to explore further the materials and a cast of characters that will be useful to keep track of the many characters (especially as some of them had to change identities and names). I also noticed that there is a version for Young Adults that is worth exploring.
In sum, an important work to bring attention to a figure and a movement that deserves to be better known and remembered. A must read.
...more

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Mar 28, 2018 David Carraturo rated it it was amazing

One of the most compelling and interesting stories I have ever read not only on WW2 but related to world history. Ms. Mazzeo provided thorough research, great story telling, vivid details to the amazing life of Irena Sendler and by extension all who were in her inner circle of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. I would say this nonfiction is a MUST READ for anyone interested int he horrors and atrocities committed by the nazi's during WW2.

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Aug 02, 2016 Sharon Lawler rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ww2-holocaust, a-nonfiction-adult, city-warsaw-poland

This is a beautifully crafted biography that puts the human face on the woman who became famous for saving 2500 children from certain death in the Warsaw ghetto. Even though her accomplishment surpassed Oskar Schindler's, it was not until Communism failed in Poland that her story was discovered. With a large cast of characters, the story never drags--how could it? It begins with her childhood in Otwock, and the impact of her father on her unflinching dedication to social justice for all, even if ...more

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Play Book Tag: Irena's Children - Tilar J. Mazzeo 4.5/5	6	25	Apr 22, 2018 04:37PM
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Play Book Tag: Irena's Children; 3.5 Stars	4	14	Mar 16, 2018 11:08AM
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About Tilar J. Mazzeo

Tilar J. Mazzeo

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Tilar J. Mazzeo is a cultural historian, biographer, and passionate student of wine and food culture. She divides her time among the California wine country, New York City, and Maine, where she is a professor of English at Colby College.

(from the author's website)

Books by Tilar J. Mazzeo

The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It

The Hotel on Place Vendome: Life, Death, and Betrayal at the Hotel Ritz in Paris

Irena's Children: A True Story of Courage

The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume

Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton

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“Gandhi, who once said, “A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.” Such were Irena and all her friends, and this is their story. Afterword Author’s Note on the Story of Irena’s Children” — 0 likes

“I tell their stories here to do all of them some small honor. Their lives and, sometimes, their deaths speak to what we are capable of as average people in the face of evil and horror.” — 0 likes

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