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The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather (2019)

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The Volunteer: The True Story of the Resistance Hero who Infiltrated Auschwitz by Jack Fairweather (2019)

Laura’s Rating: 4/5 Stars


This book tells the true story of a Polish man named Witold Pilecki, who became an underground operative after the Nazis invaded his country. His mission was to infiltrate Auschwitz concentration camp, report on Nazi activity, and stage an uprising among the prisoners.


This book was incredibly informative and I learned a lot of things that were never covered in school for me. The Polish perspective was different from many Holocaust writings and I learned a lot about the politics and government of Poland, as well as the wartime strategies. The book also highlights the intelligence community, both official and underground. I learned that many world leaders even had some knowledge of the horrors happening at the camp before allied soldiers liberated the camps late in the war.


As you might expect, this book is heavy and quite sad in places. The horrors of the Holocaust are shocking and horrible to read about, even if you’re fairly familiar with the topic. I will say though, that I found this story to be inspirational and hopeful as well. The sacrifice and endurance of members of the resistance is remarkable and admirable. Witold and others are an example that even in the face of true evil, there are always good people that will fight against the darkness.


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