In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

( 37 )

Pick Up in Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Paperback (Mass Market Paperback - Reissue) 
A small-format, low-cost paperback -- usually 4 1/4" x 6 3/4" -- most often used for genres such as mystery, romance, and sci-fi, as well as bestsellers with broad commercial appeal.
$7.99
BN.com price
Marketplace (New and Used)
from
$1.85
$7.99 List Price (Save 77%)
All (34)  
Used (18)  
New (16)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 4
Showing 1 – 10 of 34 (4 pages)
$1.85
(Save 77%)
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(73)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Good
Very minimal damage to the cover no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks minimal wear binding majority of pages undamaged minimal creases or tears. Book may have writing, ... underlining, highlighting, wear to cover and corners, notes in margins, writing Read more Show Less

Ships from: Indianapolis, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$1.88
(Save 76%)
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(11914)

Condition: Very Good
2004 Mass Market Paperback Item is in very good condition.

Ships from: Wilmington, MA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 75%)
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(8060)

Condition: Good
Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear and the pages have only minimal creases. A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the ... Atlanta Book Company. Our mailers are 100% recyclable. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Atlanta, GA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 75%)
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(26)

Condition: Very Good
2004 Mass-market paperback Very good. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 304 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: Young adult. W93

Ships from: Vallejo, CA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 75%)
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(1295)

Condition: Acceptable
Selection as wide as the Mississippi.

Ships from: St Louis, MO

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$2.24
(Save 72%)
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(2244)

Condition: Acceptable
ACCEPTABLE with noticeable wear to cover and pages. Binding intact. We offer a no hassle guarantee on all our items. Orders are generally shipped no later than next business day. ... We offer a no hassle guarantee on all our items. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Tualatin, OR

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$2.25
(Save 72%)
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(960)

Condition: Acceptable
Intact & readable. PLEASE NOTE~ we rated this book USED~ACCEPTABLE due to likely defects such as highlighting, writing/markings, folds, creases, ETC. We ship from Dallas within 1 ... day & we LOVE our customers! Satisfaction guaranteed. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Garland, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$3.72
(Save 53%)
Seller since 2011

Feedback rating:

(153)

Condition: Good
Quality text from a reliable seller. Speedy service! Choose EXPEDITED for fastest shipping!

Ships from: Edmond, OK

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$4.00
(Save 50%)
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(1382)

Condition: Good
2004 Mass Market Paperback Good Good condition, Softcover. There is NO writing or highlighting in this book.

Ships from: Fayetteville, NC

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Canadian
  • International
  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
$4.00
(Save 50%)
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(46116)

Condition: Very Good
SHIPS FAST! via UPS(AK/HI Priority Mail) within 24 hrs/ used sticker/some hilite

Ships from: Columbia, MO

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • Standard, 48 States
  • Standard (AK, HI)
  • Express, 48 States
  • Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 4
Showing 1 – 10 of 34 (4 pages)
Close
Sort by
NOOK Book (eBook)
$7.99
BN.com price

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for iPad
  • NOOK for iPhone
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK for Android (Tablet)
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

Note: Visit our Teens Store.

Overview

Recounts the experiences of the author who, as a young Polish girl, hid and saved Jews during the Holocaust.

Recounts the experiences of the author who, as a young Polish girl, hid and saved Jews during the Holocaust.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
Few anti-Nazis could match the spunk of Irene Gut Opdyke. Not only did this spindly Polish teenager steel food for ghetto Jews from a German officers' club; she smuggled Jews out of work camps and, most daringly of all, hid a dozen fugitives in the home of Nazi major, for whom she worked as a housekeeper!
Publishers Weekly
Even among WWII memoirs--a genre studded with extraordinary stories--this autobiography looms large, a work of exceptional substance and style. Opdyke, born in 1922 to a Polish Catholic family, was a 17-year-old nursing student when Germany invaded her country in 1939. She spent a year tending to the ragtag remnants of a Polish military unit, hiding out in the forest with them; was captured and raped by Russians; was forced to work in a Russian military hospital; escaped and lived under a false identity in a village near Kiev; and was recaptured by the Russians. But her most remarkable adventures were still to come. Back in her homeland, she, like so many Poles, was made to serve the German army, and she eventually became a waitress in an officers' dining hall. She made good use of her position--risking her life, she helped Jews in the ghetto by passing along vital information, smuggling in food and helping them escape to the forest. When she was made the housekeeper of a German major, she used his villa to hide 12 Jews--and, at enormous personal cost, kept them safe throughout the war. In translating Opdyke's experiences to memoir (see Children's Books, June 14), Armstrong and Opdyke demonstrate an almost uncanny power to place readers in the young Irene's shoes. Even as the authors handily distill the complexities of the military and political conditions of wartime Poland, they present Irene as simultaneously strong and vulnerable--a likable flesh-and-blood woman rather than a saint. Telling details, eloquent in their understatement, render Irene's shock at German atrocities and the gradually built foundation of her heroic resistance. Metaphors weave in and out, simultaneously providing a narrative structure and offering insight into Irene's experiences. Readers will be riveted--and no one can fail to be inspired by Opdyke's courage. Ages 10-up. (Aug.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
KLIATT
Irene Gut, a student nurse, was living in Poland when the Nazis invaded. Later she became a Russian prisoner; still later she was a German prisoner. Even as she endured personal violence, she witnessed the Jewish population suffering their own horrors. For no reason that she could explain, she was compelled to help the Jews. She began by providing food surreptitiously. Soon she provided some Jews with a safe work environment. Eventually she hid 12 people in the basement of a German major's villa. As she moved around, she had one thought, to find her family; but it was not until many years after the war that she would accomplish this goal. As the war ended, it was all the souls she had helped who helped her. They fed her, hid her and helped her to move on with her life. This memoir offered another perspective on WW II. Irene performed heroic tasks without any thought of her own safety or well-being. She did it because she knew she had to or people would die. Her good deeds were repaid as those she had helped came back to help her later. Some pictures and two pronunciation guides as well as a historical note are included. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1999, Random House, Anchor, 248p. map. 21cm. 98-54095., $12.00. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Robin S. Holab-Abelman; White Plains, NY , July 2001 (Vol. 35, No. 4)
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-An amazing, courageous, uplifting autobiography (Knopf) about a brave teenager who was not afraid to get involved. Irene Gut Opdyke, Polish national, although homesick and separated from her own family, found herself in the right place during World War II to help at least 12 Jews survive the Nazi occupation. The author herself introduces the tape providing insight into her motivation. Her older voice contrasts nicely with the unaccented, talented, youthful film and Broadway actress, Hope Davis, who reads the first person memoir. Davis' expressive voice is gentle, effectively portraying Irene's personality. Although she relates emotional scenes, she remains detached so that the story can be told. The narration flows quickly and keeps listeners eagerly awaiting more. Davis expertly pronounces the many foreign names without hesitation. Opdyke's memoir is especially good for young people because she shows how one young person can make a significant difference. She recognizes that not all Germans were hateful. Although she refers to violence, there are very few graphic scenes. A wonderful addition to Holocaust collections.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
Horn Book Magazine
Many wartime memories, including a brutal rape at the hands of the advancing Russian soldiers, haunt Polish teenager Irene Gutowna. But none more than the vision of a Jewish baby thrown into the air like a bird and shot. Irene's story-from happy eldest of four daughters to laborer in a German officer's mess hall to member of the Resistance-makes for gripping reading. Witness to the Germans' answer to the "Jewish problem," Irene begins to "not do nothing." She works, at first in small ways, against its evil; ultimately, she risks her own life by hiding twelve Jewish friends in the home of the Nazi major who employs her. Irene takes joy in the secret knowledge that, because of her, her town is not judenrein (free of Jews) as the Nazis proclaim. When the major discovers her betrayal, the reader's breath stops. Unfortunately, in an attempt to transform Irene's life into art, Jennifer Armstrong imposes upon it language whose beauty works against the horrific events she narrates, lessening rather than extending its force. Perhaps inspired by the fragment of the poem "Portrait of a Woman" by Wislawa Szmborska that serves as epigraph (she "holds in her hands a sparrow with a broken wing"), Armstrong creates bird and flight imagery that gives structure to a story whose truest understanding evades any meaning or structure. But despite the novelistic flourishes, the power of Irene's true story keeps the reader spellbound. The postscript that details, in words and photographs, the bittersweet histories of Irene and her Jewish "family" comes as a welcome relief.
Kirkus Reviews
Opdyke opens her story with her parents' first meeting in 1921, closes with a 1949 invitation to emigrate to the US, and in between straightforwardly, with restrained passion, lays out a strong tale of innocence burned away by repeated atrocity, of courage fueled by anger and opportunity. A teenaged student nurse separated from her Polish family, the narrator goes from caring for wounded to waiting tables in a German officers' mess and being a German major's housekeeper, but not before being sexually assaulted by Russian and German soldiers alike, arrested and interrogated, and witnessing systematic massacres and casual brutality. Unable to stand by, she contrives to shelter 12 Jews in the cellar of her employer's own villa, and helps them escape into the wild; in the war's closing months, she joins the Polish Resistance. Although there is evil in plenty here, Opdyke does not see all of her enemies as utter monsters, and with Armstrong seamlessly filling in the inevitable gaps in 50-year-old memories, she paints a coherent, compelling picture of her times, and of the moral necessity that compelled her to action. (b&w photos) (Biography. 13-15)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780553494112
  • Publisher: Random House Children's Books
  • Publication date: 9/14/2004
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Edition description: Reissue
  • Pages: 304
  • Sales rank: 93,133
  • Age range: 14 - 18 Years
  • Lexile: 0890L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 4.48 (w) x 6.85 (h) x 0.87 (d)

Meet the Author

Irene Gut Opdyke was presented with the Israel Medal of Honor and a special commendation from the Vatican. She died in 2003.

Jennifer Armstrong is the author of many highly acclaimed books for young readers. She lives in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Read an Excerpt

An Excerpt from In My Hands
Part Two: Finding Wings


I was awakened by gunfire and explosions. I sat bolt upright in bed, looking around in confusion. When I moved to the window and nudged aside the blackout curtain, I was greeted by the dull clap of detonation. Rokita's men were doing their work, the final Aktion in Ternopol. I could not keep the tears from coming. They spilled onto the front of my dress as I tied my apron around my waist.
——
Schulz was already in the kitchen when I arrived, wide-eyed and shaking. He handed me a cup of coffee and put one arm across my shoulders. "Irene, the pogrom will be over soon. You must compose yourself."
——
Through the window, we could see smoke billowing up beyond the roof of the factory, from the direction of the ghetto. Behind us, the door opened and the major came in, pale and sick-looking.
——
"Schulz, something for a hangover," he said, groping for a chair. He sat down, and with each explosion and burst of gunfire, his shoulders jerked. He was muttering to himself. "Stupid, stupid war."
——
In the dining room, the officers and secretaries were making their late appearance. Hardly anyone spoke, and when they did, it was with a sour, wincing irritableness. The entire German staff of HKP was hungover and in foul spirits. Beyond these walls, people were dying, but the officers and secretaries cared only that the noise hurt their heads, and that work would be hard enough today with disruptions from the SS. It was all I could do to serve those people breakfast, all the time knowing that my friends must be hearing the same terrible sounds I heard, andwondering about friends and relatives who had not escaped.
——
Finally, all the late arrivals had dragged themselves off to work. I was desperate to get to the major's suite and check on my friends. The moment the door shut behind the last straggler, I raced upstairs. The bathroom door was wide open, and I hurried inside, shutting it behind me. Just as I was about to open my mouth to speak, the door opened again.
——
I whirled around. A young SS trooper stood with his hand on the doorknob. He was turning pink with embarrassment at bursting in on me in the bathroom.
——
"Forgive me, Fraulein. I beg your pardon," he stammered.
——
My entire body had gone icy cold. "What are you doing here?"
——
"I — we have orders — " He pulled himself together before I did. "What are you doing here?"
——
"I'm Major R¸gemer's housekeeper, and I'm about to clean his suite. You are in the major's bedroom. Will you please excuse me?"
——
"Of course, Fraulein."
——
Looking quite sheepish, he turned and let himself out. Obviously, he did not expect to find any Jews hiding in the major's bathroom. If he had taken even a moment to look around, he would have spotted the vent. And he would have seen the shadowy form of Ida Haller, sitting cross-legged behind the screen.
——
I closed and locked the door, and drew a shaky breath.
——
"Irene!" Ida whispered. "You must turn us in. This is too dangerous for you."
——
"No! Just wait. I'll let you have a break when I know the SS are gone. Don't do anything until I get back!"
——
I fumbled open the lock and slipped out the door, refusing to argue with them for their lives. I hurried back to my duties, while the SS continued to search HKP. I was as conscious of their presence as a quail who knows a fox is nearby. My skin prickled with their movements around the hotel. By late morning, they had finished at the plant and gone away in their trucks, but detonations and gunfire from surrounding areas of Ternopol continued to break on the summer air all day.
——
As soon as the SS had left the factory complex, I had snuck upstairs to give my friends a chance to stretch their legs and use the toilet. Then I ordered them into the vent again, ignoring their pleas to stop endangering my own life for theirs. I told them it was impossible, what they were suggesting, and that I would not hear of it. I shoved the screen back in place and left them still arguing with me in urgent whispers.
——
After lunch, I went to the villa on foot. The tenants were just leaving as I arrived; they cursed me and called me a whore of the Germans. I stood silently aside to let them pass me; the lives of my friends were more important than my own wounded feelings. I prayed silently for them to hurry up, to leave, to turn the corner of the street and be gone, never to come back.
——
And then the house was mine. Perhaps the major thought it was to be his house, but I knew better. The house was mine, my treasure box, my sword, my henhouse. I turned around and around in the front hall, owning the moldings around the door frames, owning the chandelier over the staircase, owning the door to the basement.
——
I opened that door and went downstairs, taking the time to examine the space more thoroughly. As servants' quarters, the basement rooms were outfitted with everything necessary — two bedrooms, a kitchenette, a bathroom, closets. All the windows up by the ceiling, windows and ground level, were covered with dark cardboard for the Verdunklung, the blackouts. No one could see into the basement from the outside. No light would show. I felt a surge of elation as I went into the furnace room and opened the coal chute. For a moment, as I stood clapping coal dust from my hands, I had a picture of my friends sliding down the chute like children in a playground. I even pictured myself, like a proud mother, catching them in my arms and setting them safely on the ground, while a blue sky embraced us from above.
——
Then the sunny picture faded, and I was left with one more question: How was I going to get them out of the major's bathroom and out of HKP?


——
I would need a key. The street entrance of the hotel was not guarded, and was well out of sight of the guardhouse at the main gate. But the door was always locked at night, for fear of sabotage or murder by the locals, I suppose, or of unauthorized late-night rendezvous. All through dinner preparations I tried to think of ways to get the major's keys, trying out first one then another story to explain why I needed them. In the end, I decided simply to steal the keys.
——
Every one of staff was still suffering from the effects of their party the night before. The dining room was quiet during dinner. Voices were subdued, and barely a laugh rose above the sullen murmur. People tried to handle their forks and knives carefully to avoid clattering, and many officers and secretaries excused themselves early. There was little billiard playing or after-dinner drinking.
——
I went to the major's table, where he sat alone, nursing a glass of wine and looking down at his uneaten dinner.
——
"Can I get you anything, Herr Major?" I asked.
——
He looked up at me, his glasses catching the light in such a way as to obscure his eyes; he regarded me with a round, blank stare.
——
"I think perhaps I will take a glass of warm milk with me to bed, Irene. And I'll take something to help me sleep. This has been a terrible day."
——
I tried to keep the excitement out of my voice as I began clearing his dishes. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Herr Major. I'll be happy to bring some milk to your room right away."
——
He pushed himself away from the table. "Good. And tomorrow I will send some men to paint inside the house. If you could just watch over them, see that they do the job properly . . ."
——
"Of course."
——
I practically hauled him to his feet and shoved him out of the dining room, so anxious was I to see him in bed and unconscious. At the bottom of the staircase I left him and ran to the kitchen to heat the milk, and in five minutes I was knocking on his door.
——
Major R¸gemer took the glass from the little tray and put a small white pill on his tongue. While he gulped down the milk I glanced at his dressing table. His keys were there.
——
——
"Sleep well, Herr Major," I said as he turned away.
——
"Hmm? What's that?"
——
I smiled and raised my voice. "Good night, Herr Major!"
——
        I left the door slightly ajar and hurried back downstairs. Now, for the second night in a row, I had to keep my vigil, waiting for the hotel to fall asleep. I sat on the edge of my bed, not daring to lie down while I waited, for in spite of my state of nervous anxiety, I was as weary as if I'd been juggling bricks all day. So I sat, staring out my open door into the hallway, listening to the sounds that came further and further apart. At last, the place was still. I kicked my shoes off and tiptoed up to the third floor.
——
        At the door to the major's bedroom I stopped to listen; from within came a labored snoring. I remembered the sensation of waiting in the wings offstage in high school, then taking a deep breath and walking out into the lights. There was the same fluttering in my stomach, the same twitch of muscles between my shoulder blades as I straightened my back. And so, I took a deep breath and went in.
——
The light from the hallway slanted in across the room and illuminated the dressing table. I gave a quick glance to the bed, which was in shadow. The major snored on. I closed my hand over the bulky set of keys to keep them from jingling, and then backed out, locking the door behind me. I don't know what I was thinking, for if the major had woken and tried to leave his room, he would have raised a commotion. But I could not have him walk into the bathroom until I'd gotten my friends.
——
They were stiff, cramped, and tired. One at a time they lowered themselves from the air duct and stood rubbing their aching muscles. Fanka swung her arms in circles to get the blood moving, and Steiner's back let out a crack as he stretched himself.
——
"Let's hurry," I said, opening the door to peek out. I waved them after me, and we went single file and down the staircase as fast as their stiff legs would allow. They stood behind me, watching anxiously, while I found the right key from the ring in my hands; then I had the street door open, and they were stepping out into the fresh night air.
——
"You know the address," I whispered. "Go through the coal chute on the left side of the house and wait for me in the basement. I'll be over first thing in the morning. Go! Stay in the shadows, and God bless you."
——
In a moment, they had disappeared into the darkness. I locked the door again, returned the keys to the major's room, and then threw myself onto my own bed, telling myself that they would make it. I did not allow myself to imagine otherwise.
——
Before I fell asleep, I felt a surge of triumph: Rokita thought Ternopol was judenrein tonight, that his Aktions had rid the city of Jews once and for all. But I had taken action myself. There were at least six Jews left in town. As long as I could help it, Ternopol would never be judenrein.
——
The instant I was able to get away after breakfast, I walked to the villa as quickly as I could — quickly enough to put a stitch in my side and to break a sweat in the heat. I unlocked the door and burst inside, dreading the sound of planters bumping ladders against the furniture. But it was silent. I was in
time — assuming that my friends were indeed waiting in the basement. The smell of cabbage and potatoes lingered in the air.
——
Almost fearing what I might find, I opened the basement door and clattered down the stairs, my shoes making a racket on the wooded steps. "Hoo-ee! It's Irene!" I called out.
——
The first room was empty. Trying not to worry, I opened the door to the furnace room, praying to find my six friends — and Henry Weinbaum. The door creaked as it swung open into the gloom, and I called out again.
——
"It's Irene!"
——
There was an almost audible sigh of relief. One by one, figures merged from the shadows: Ida, Lazar, Clara, Thomas, Fanka, Moses Steiner, and a young, handsome fellow I took to be Henry Weinbaum. I shook hands with them all silently, suddenly overcome with emotion. They were all there; they were safe and alive. And, to my surprise, I found three strangers, who greeted me with an odd mixture of sheepishness and defiance.
——
"I'm Joseph Weiss," the eldest of the three said. "And this is Marian Wilner and Alex Rosen. Henry told us."
——
For a moment I was at a loss. I had ten lives in my hands now! But there wasn't time for lengthy introductions. The soldiers from the plant were due any minute to start painting.
——
"Hurry, everyone," I said. "You'll have to stay in the attic until the house is painted. I'll check on you as often as I can. I don't need to tell you not to make any noise at all."
——
This was met with grim nods all around. Then we made our way upstairs. The attic was musty; dust swirled in a shaft of light from the high window, and the air smelled of mouse droppings. "Shoes off," I said. "Don't walk around unless you absolutely must."
——
I locked them in just as trucks ground to a halt out on the street.

Table of Contents

Tears 1
Part 1 I Was Almost Fast Enough 3
Part 2 Finding Wings 69
Part 3 Where Could I Come to Rest? 207
Amber 235
Postscript 237
Polish: A Rough Guide to Pronunciation 239
German: A Rough Guide to Pronunciation 241
Some Historical Background 243
A Note on the Writing of This Book 247

Introduction

The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your group's reading of In My Hands, written by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong. This awe-inspiring memoir of a young Polish girl who became a Holocaust rescuer—responsible for saving twelve Jews—portrays with stunning vividness the triumph of a real-life heroine over the grossest of human atrocities.

Foreward

1. In the first pages of the memoir we are introduced to the Black Madonna of Czestochowa at the shrine of Jasna Gora, and Irene recounts that she prayed to God to get her through particularly difficult or lonely times. What role does religion play in Irene's story? Does religion sustain her or fail her in her times of need? As she watches the last trucks full of Jews drive away from the Ternopol ghetto she says, "I tried to pray, but the words in my head did not fit together in the right order. I wanted to say 'Holy Father,' but I could not. I thought He must have gone far away, taking His name with Him" [p. 147]. Does her faith waiver at other times? How do the different clergymen that Irene encounters strengthen or weaken her resolve?

2. Irene's father assures Irene during their brief reunion by telling her, "God has plans for you. He did not let you die" [p. 74]. Yet later, Irene explains, "You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis, all at once. One's first steps are always small: I had begun by hiding food under a fence" [p. 126]. And, finally, in her epilogue she tells us, "Yes, it was me, a girl, with nothing but my free will clutched in my hand like an amber bead. God gave me this free will for my treasure. I can say this now. I understand this now. The war was a series of choices made by many people" [p. 234]. Were Irene's actions predestined or the result of her free will? How is free will an important theme in understanding the Holocaust overall?

3. How much of Irene's success is based on sheer luck and how much on quick thinking? Forexample, she easily escapes the Russian commissar [p. 63], she finds the vent in the major's bathroom to hide the Jews before moving them to the major's villa [p. 150], and she escapes through the prison window in Krakow [p. 224].

4. From the first chapter when we meet Bociek, the stork that Irene and her sisters care for, different images of birds permeate Irene's memoir. References to birds or bird images appear at least seven more times in the memoir in different contexts [pp. 68, 80, 104, 133, 142, 215, 234]. How are these images symbolic of Irene? What else do the birds represent? What is the significance of the moments in Irene's story when bird imagery is used? How does the bird motif characterize the style Jennifer Armstrong uses in telling Irene's story?

5. Irene tells us, "Sometimes, when I thought of the amount of hatred dwelling in Poland, I was surprised to see that the grass was still green, that the trees still flourished their leaves against a blue sky. . . . The birds can hop from one branch to another, tipping their heads and honing their small beaks against the bark while a child dies in the mud below" [pp. 99<ETH>100]. How is nature portrayed in In My Hands? How does Irene perceive man's relationship with nature and the land during the war? How is the land of Poland simultaneously a force for man to reckon with, as in the cruel cold of Polish winters, and a symbol of hope, as in the flowers of Poland heralding the arrival of spring?

6. So many questions remain at the end of the memoir, and the pictorials raise questions about Irene's life after Poland: What was her courtship and marriage like? What were her sisters' lives like after the war? Did she ever communicate with Eduard R?gemer again? Why did her sisters and her Jewish friends decide to remain in Europe? Why does the author choose to end Irene's memoir where she does and leave these and other questions unanswered?

7. In significant passages, Irene recalls the manifestation of German anti-Semitism in Poland. She writes of her home town: And in some shops not many, but some there were signs saying, "Don't Buy from Jews!" or "A Poland Free from Jews Is a Free Poland." This mystified me. In my home, there had never been any distinction made between people. . . . We did not imagine where it would lead. How could we? To us, Germany had always been a seat of civilization, the home of poets and musicians, philosophers and scientists. We believed it was a rational, cultured country. How could we know that the Germans did not feel the same about us? How could we know the depth of their scorn for us? Despite our centuries of glorious achievements, despite our Chopins and our Copernicuses, our cathedrals and our heroes and our horses—despite all this, Germany viewed Poland as a land of Slavic brutes, fit only for labor. And so Hitler wanted to destroy us [pp. 17<ETH>18].

It was now impossible not to understand what Hitler's plans for the Jews were. . . . Janina and I would recall Jewish friends from our girlhood. . . . It seemed to us . . . that if our childhood friends could be considered enemies, what was to keep us from the same fate? Weren't we all the same? Hitler would finish the Jews, ghetto by ghetto, and then turn his full attention to the rest of us Poles [p. 98].

In both of these passages, Irene begins by discussing anti-Semitic acts and ends with fear of what such German behavior might mean to Poland and the Poles. From Irene's point of view, how did these anti-Semitic actions and sentiments differ from anti-Polish actions and sentiments?

8. Except for the incidental German women echoing the anti-Semitism of their Nazi soldier boyfriends, all of the perpetrators of evil in Irene's wartime experience are men. How are Irene's actions made possible by the fact that she is a woman? How might a man read her memoirs differently than a woman?

9. In Irene's memoirs she juxtaposes the major's decentness against Rokita's iciness [pp. 134<ETH>135]. Yet, after he elicits sex from her in exchange for protecting her secret she reflects, "I wondered how the major's honor would allow him to make such a bargain. I had always felt that behind the uniform was a decent man. I had never seen him do anything cruel or rash. . . ." [p. 191]. Is the major a sympathetic person? What are Irene's feelings toward Major R?gemer? Are the major's actions toward Irene"justified," or is Irene rationalizing? While Irene had clearly realized his feelings for her before this fateful moment and, more and more, had exploited them [pp. 113, 123, 142, 164], was the major's demand in fact inevitable?

10. Equally complex is Irene's opinion of the average German, as epitomized by Herr Schulz. On one hand, he is a "good, friendly man" and "had none of the ferocity and malevolence that [Irene] had come to expect of the Germans" [p. 88]. But she also admits, "As good and kind as he was, he was a German, and I could not reconcile those two things in my mind" [p. 93], and "He made hating the Germans a complex matter, when it should have been such a straightforward one" [p. 119]. Is Herr Schulz's behavior understandable? Excusable?

11. Is it possible that Dr. David and Dr. Miriam are Jewish, as their names would indicate? Was the "Rachel Meyer," whom Irene poses as in Kiev, supposed to be Jewish? If so, why would Irene not explicitly note this irony? After the war, when Irene is in the repatriation camp posing as a Jew, she notes twice, "I fooled myself that I belonged" [p. 231]. And, after three years, the village still "did not feel like home" [p. 232]. Why might Irene have felt this way?

Reading Group Guide

1. In the first pages of the memoir we are introduced to the Black Madonna of Czestochowa at the shrine of Jasna Gora, and Irene recounts that she prayed to God to get her through particularly difficult or lonely times. What role does religion play in Irene's story? Does religion sustain her or fail her in her times of need? As she watches the last trucks full of Jews drive away from the Ternopol ghetto she says, "I tried to pray, but the words in my head did not fit together in the right order. I wanted to say 'Holy Father, ' but I could not. I thought He must have gone far away, taking His name with Him" [p. 147]. Does her faith waiver at other times? How do the different clergymen that Irene encounters strengthen or weaken her resolve?

2. Irene's father assures Irene during their brief reunion by telling her, "God has plans for you. He did not let you die" [p. 74]. Yet later, Irene explains, "You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis, all at once. One's first steps are always small: I had begun by hiding food under a fence" [p. 126]. And, finally, in her epilogue she tells us, "Yes, it was me, a girl, with nothing but my free will clutched in my hand like an amber bead. God gave me this free will for my treasure. I can say this now. I understand this now. The war was a series of choices made by many people" [p. 234]. Were Irene's actions predestined or the result of her free will? How is free will an important theme in understanding the Holocaust overall?

3. How much of Irene's success is based on sheer luck and how much on quick thinking? For example,she easily escapes the Russian commissar [p. 63], she finds the vent in the major's bathroom to hide the Jews before moving them to the major's villa [p. 150], and she escapes through the prison window in Krakow [p. 224].

4. From the first chapter when we meet Bociek, the stork that Irene and her sisters care for, different images of birds permeate Irene's memoir. References to birds or bird images appear at least seven more times in the memoir in different contexts [pp. 68, 80, 104, 133, 142, 215, 234]. How are these images symbolic of Irene? What else do the birds represent? What is the significance of the moments in Irene's story when bird imagery is used? How does the bird motif characterize the style Jennifer Armstrong uses in telling Irene's story?

5. Irene tells us, "Sometimes, when I thought of the amount of hatred dwelling in Poland, I was surprised to see that the grass was still green, that the trees still flourished their leaves against a blue sky. . . . The birds can hop from one branch to another, tipping their heads and honing their small beaks against the bark while a child dies in the mud below" [pp. 99-100]. How is nature portrayed in In My Hands? How does Irene perceive man's relationship with nature and the land during the war? How is the land of Poland simultaneously a force for man to reckon with, as in the cruel cold of Polish winters, and a symbol of hope, as in the flowers of Poland heralding the arrival of spring?

6. So many questions remain at the end of the memoir, and the pictorials raise questions about Irene's life after Poland: What was her courtship and marriage like? What were her sisters' lives like after the war? Did she ever communicate with Eduard R? gemer again? Why did her sisters and her Jewish friends decide to remain in Europe? Why does the author choose to end Irene's memoir where she does and leave these and other questions unanswered?

7. In significant passages, Irene recalls the manifestation of German anti-Semitism in Poland. She writes of her home town: And in some shops not many, but some there were signs saying, "Don't Buy from Jews!" or "A Poland Free from Jews Is a Free Poland." This mystified me. In my home, there had never been any distinction made between people. . . . We did not imagine where it would lead. How could we? To us, Germany had always been a seat of civilization, the home of poets and musicians, philosophers and scientists. We believed it was a rational, cultured country. How could we know that the Germans did not feel the same about us? How could we know the depth of their scorn for us? Despite our centuries of glorious achievements, despite our Chopins and our Copernicuses, our cathedrals and our heroes and our horses--despite all this, Germany viewed Poland as a land of Slavic brutes, fit only for labor. And so Hitler wanted to destroy us [pp. 17-18].

It was now impossible not to understand what Hitler's plans for the Jews were. . . . Janina and I would recall Jewish friends from our girlhood. . . . It seemed to us . . . that if our childhood friends could be considered enemies, what was to keep us from the same fate? Weren't we all the same? Hitler would finish the Jews, ghetto by ghetto, and then turn his full attention to the rest of us Poles [p. 98].

In both of these passages, Irene begins by discussing anti-Semitic acts and ends with fear of what such German behavior might mean to Poland and the Poles. From Irene's point of view, how did these anti-Semitic actions and sentiments differ from anti-Polish actions and sentiments?

8. Except for the incidental German women echoing the anti-Semitism of their Nazi soldier boyfriends, all of the perpetrators of evil in Irene's wartime experience are men. How are Irene's actions made possible by the fact that she is a woman? How might a man read her memoirs differently than a woman?

9. In Irene's memoirs she juxtaposes the major's decentness against Rokita's iciness [pp. 134-135]. Yet, after he elicits sex from her in exchange for protecting her secret she reflects, "I wondered how the major's honor would allow him to make such a bargain. I had always felt that behind the uniform was a decent man. I had never seen him do anything cruel or rash. . . ." [p. 191]. Is the major a sympathetic person? What are Irene's feelings toward Major R? gemer? Are the major's actions toward Irene"justified, " or is Irene rationalizing? While Irene had clearly realized his feelings for her before this fateful moment and, more and more, had exploited them [pp. 113, 123, 142, 164], was the major's demand in fact inevitable?

10. Equally complex is Irene's opinion of the average German, as epitomized by Herr Schulz. On one hand, he is a "good, friendly man" and "had none of the ferocity and malevolence that [Irene] had come to expect of the Germans" [p. 88]. But she also admits, "As good and kind as he was, he was a German, and I could not reconcile those two things in my mind" [p. 93], and "He made hating the Germans a complex matter, when it should have been such a straightforward one" [p. 119]. Is Herr Schulz's behavior understandable? Excusable?

11. Is it possible that Dr. David and Dr. Miriam are Jewish, as their names would indicate? Was the "Rachel Meyer, " whom Irene poses as in Kiev, supposed to be Jewish? If so, why would Irene not explicitly note this irony? After the war, when Irene is in the repatriation camp posing as a Jew, she notes twice, "I fooled myself that I belonged" [p. 231]. And, after three years, the village still "did not feel like home" [p. 232]. Why might Irene have felt this way?

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 37 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(31)

4 Star

(5)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(1)

Your Rating:

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identiy on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

We're sorry, but penname is already taken.

Please select one of the following:
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

penname is available!

By visiting the BN.com website or marking a purchase on BN.com, a User is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.

Continue Anonymously

Welcome, penname

You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 146 Customer Reviews
  • Posted January 12, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Amazing!

    This is an amazing story of how one young woman overcame so many hurdles to keep herself alive all the while saving the lives of others.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted November 29, 2008

    Close and personal story

    I read this book when I begin to be interested in World War II and this close, personal story puts you there in the action. It is unforgivingly real and true to this woman's story and life. If you have read Anne Frank, you will want to read this more mature, yet heart-breakingly similiar memoir of life in the face of absolute hatred.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2010

    A great read

    I could not put this one down. Highly recommend. It takes a look at WWII from the perspective of a young Polish girl and her journey through the war years.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 30, 2010

    Absolutely Inspirational!

    The book In My Hands: Memoires of a Holocaust Rescuer, tells the inspiring tale of a young Polish girl, Irene Gut, and how she became a Holocaust rescuer. Irene was a seventeen-year-old, Catholic girl living in Poland at the time of Hitler's invasion in 1939. As the war progressed, Irene's family, country and life apart began to be torn apart Through small actions at first, Irene strived to help the Jews. She began with simply smuggling food to the Jews in the neighboring ghetto. Irene's impact quickly turned into much more when she ultimately risked her own life in order to save the lives of 16 other Jews. This book displayed the horrors of World War II, but also the compassion of people during the war. Through the vividly described events and scenes, the reader is drawn in and allowed to feel the emotions that could only be felt, not seen. Her tale gives realism to the Holocaust that I had never experienced before. Overall, I completely adored this book. I could hardly put it down! There was not a single part that I disliked or would change. The plot is constantly thickening and always throwing new obstacles in the way of Irene. Her story is an inspiration to all those that read it and carries strong themes of patriotism and courage. Despite her young age or how bad circumstances looked, Irene never gave up on herself or her country. Her courage is an example of how everyone can do something, despite how small, to change the world. Although this novel is categorized as young adult, I would encourage people of all ages to read it. There is a lesson to learn by everyone within these pages. Overall I would give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. Other recommended readings similar to this book would include The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne and The Diary of Anne Frank.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted February 27, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Extremely good!

    I have read many books and have a long list of favorites but this book will be in the top 5 and Irene's story will stay with me forever. I read this book in 3 days and when I was not reading it I was thinking about it and what it must have been like to live during WWII and the Holocaust. I tried to picture myself walking in Irene's shoes or being one of the Jews that was sent to a camp or being a German who had Jewish neighbors. How would I have handled it all? How would I have acted? Would I have been brave and stong like Irene or would I have been scrared and looked away? I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful and good story of a beautiful, stong and caring person & I wish I could have known Irene.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 14, 2011

    Breathtaking!

    In My Hands was a breathtaking novel about the survival of a 17 year old girl, named Irene, during the holocaust. When her country of Poland was suddenly taken over from both the Germans and the Russians, she is captured and raped. Even after that horrible experience of being a victim, she turns her world around by slowly fighting back and becoming a rescuer.
    I loved this book because there were many emotional tolls in it, but it teaches you about the deeper meaning of life and helps you to grasp the idea of survival that we usually don't need to think about. It has many theories and concepts that will change your life for the better. There are many places, where she almost gets caught smuggling Jews into the woods, but in the end she gets them to safety. I recommend this book for all to read because you get an emotional connection with Irene.not all books have that. Even though she went through different things, it's still very easy to relate to her. All I can say is that I read the book, changed my life, and it will do the same for you.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 12, 2011

    Heartbreaking and Inspirational

    In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke was an informational masterpiece! The book takes you through Irene's personal World War II experience as a native polish, and a student nurse. At only 17 she faces the emotional toll of separation from her family and friends along with getting torn away from her home town, however she also gains connections to friends that lasted a lifetime. She begins as a student nurse but finds herself as part of the polish army and later working as a server in several German hotels and restaurants, along with being a house keeper for a German soldier. Throughout her work she manages to save the lives of several Jewish friends as well as keep herself healthy and safe. Her life saving actions began as just small gestures but resulted in her risking her own life to save others. By the end of the war she has nothing but an amazing, heartbreaking story to tell. Her story contains everything from love and relationships to heartbreaking history. She experiences the stripping of her innocence, and the realization of the world around her and the life she was forced to have. She descriptively tells the story of the severity of the holocaust including the way the Jewish and others suffered. She describes her experience while also describing different conditions some had to live through during those years. The journey she takes you on is remarkable, and the stories she tells about the friends she makes and the hardships she survived are inspirational. She really takes you back to they 1940's and makes you feel like you are separated from your family, your home town, and your innocence. Their wasn't anything dull or slow throughout the entire story. Every piece is lovable and inspirational. As soon as you pick up this book you wont put it down, it was a 10!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 11, 2011

    A Humbling Book

    The book In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer is an inspiring book that tells the dramatic story of the Holocaust through Irene Gut Opdyke eyes. This book is for people who are interested and intrigued by the history, emotions, and reality for the people involved in the Holocaust. Opdyke's story started at about 17 years old, while in Radom studying for nursing. From there she traveled all over Poland, German, and Russian just to stay alive. Irene was forced to grow up very quickly as a teenager. She learned to protect others and herself, by using her talents and personality to her advantage. One of the things that will stick with me the most is the realistic stories that are retold by Gut. The story revealed facts and information that would never come out any other way than a biography. With all of the negative, pessimistic views during that time it's amazing how Irene stayed so positive and unselfish. In this book unselfishness was the theme that drove the plot of this book, this true story actually. The lessons of unselfishness in this book were shown in action, the willing to do something. This book not only focused on Irene, but also many other good people who felt the will to make an impact on the world. Although this book is about Ms. Gut, I was amazed how many other people stepped up in helping the ones who "shouldn't" be helped. Learning about the Holocaust in grade school and visiting the museum in Washington DC really told what happened from the stand point of facts and information. In My Hands, tells the emotional and personal side of the story. After reading this book I realized more of what it means when a person says, "I survived the Holocaust." Everyone old enough to understand what happened in Europe during this time should read this book to get an even broader view on the subject. Irene does an amazing job telling her life story in such detailed and unforgettable memories. My favorite part of this book was following the ongoing rollercoaster between the protagonists, Irene versus the antagonist, the German Nazi's. Throughout the book the story is interesting and very factual. During some points in the book I thought it was all going to end and in other parts I thought, "You go girl!"One of the things that I didn't like as much about the book was the beginning. It was hard to follow the location of Irene without a map of Europe during the thirties and forties. It would have been useful to have a map of Europe to know specifically where Irene was going. Overall this book is a wonderful and insightful book that makes you think a lot after you are done reading it. When I finished I thought a lot about what I would have done, and honestly I don't know if I would have the courage to do what Irene did. I give this book 5 stars!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2011

    An Inspirational Read You Don't Want to Miss

    In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke is a true story which takes place during WWII. Opdyke is only seventeen when, as the war begins, she is a student nurse who gets separated from her family. She describes the many risks she took in protecting the lives of friends and strangers alike. In My Hands is written in a descriptive format with a mixture of languages which is both entertaining and easy to read. The suspense is intense as Opdyke describes hiding Jews with the threat of death hanging over her head. The message is clear: it is about the triumph of good over evil. Opdyke did not start out to become a hero, she found herself in this role as events unfolded in front of her and as she says at one point, "Every step of my childhood had brought me to this crossroad; I must take the right path, or I would no longer be myself." This is a book which will keep your attention from beginning to end; you will laugh and you will cry. Anyone looking for a true story of human courage and compassion should read this book. This reviewer found nothing to dislike about this book and gives it an overall rating of "Must Read."

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Outstanding and Inspirational

    Life altering and straight forward, Opdyke really shows the reader the hard truth about life during the holocaust. The author emphasizes the difficult choices she had to make and her thoughts through all of it. When I read this book I honestly felt like I was literally apart of Irene and when Irene was upset so was I and when she was scared I was scared for her. This book outlines Irene's life throughout the holocaust and how she was able to take advantage of people she knew for the sake of many Jewish people whom she saved. Irene was seventeen when she went off to volunteer at a hospital, it was at this time that she was stuck in the woods with other refugees and got lost and abused by Russian officers. At the age of seventeen Irene started making decisions even full grown people never have to make and she went through way more than any teenage girl goes through in a lifetime. After escaping near death, Irene was able to use her charm to take refuge as a Nazi major's housekeeper and put her own life at risk so she could save the life of the innocent. Irene started out small with hiding food under a fence for Jews and continuously progressed until she successfully hid twelve Jewish people in the basement of a German official's house Because of her fast thinking and outstanding virtues Irene was able to accomplish what some people would say are miracles. Throughout this book I felt petrified, happy and horrified all in one reading because of the description and point of view it's hard not to be scared for Irene as she smuggles Jewish people around while there is a Nazi officer not 4 feet away. In My Hands brings up how one should never lose sight of what they truly believe and that one person really can make a difference and change lives. This is an inspiring book about resistance and having the courage to challenge ideas. If you love books about people sticking up for their beliefs, great adventure tales rimmed with romance or books about the Holocaust you have to read this fantastic book.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Deeply-Touching, Brilliantly Written

    In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer vividly recounts the disturbing horrors of the Holocaust, yet illustrates an underlying sense of patriotism, courage, and selflessness. Irene Gut was only a seventeen-year-old Catholic girl when the Nazis invaded the Poland she loved. Her training as a nurse was immediately terminated, and when the opportunity arose to fight and resist the German soldiers, Irene did not hesitate.

    As an innocent young woman, she was fully immersed into a foreign world of terror as she was violently abused and left to die by Russian soldiers. She escaped into German territory where she was forced to work for the German army, including in the home of a Nazi officer. As housekeeper for the officer, she was relatively secure; however, with access to food and valuable information, she risked her life in order to smuggle nourishment and information to the Jews in the ghetto. Irene's ultimate endeavor was to hide a dozen Jews in the home of the German officer she was working for.

    Irene's story is brilliantly told with an ideal balance between describing the surreal atrocities of the Holocaust and providing a message of strength, hope, and courage. Readers will find Irene's outlook on life inspirational, despite the unimaginable struggles she went through. This book is very touching and allows the reader to imagine for a moment if they were in Irene's shoes, or in the shoes of someone she rescued.

    I personally have a strong interest in history, particularly in World War II and the Holocaust, so I was immediately drawn and intrigued by this book. From the very first pages to the end, my interest was sustained throughout the entire book, and I believe I gained a greater knowledge of not only the Holocaust, but of life. The book was very intimate and emotional but did not drag on or fail to point out key historical information about the Holocaust. I would urge someone to read this not only because the Holocaust is an important event that should never be forgotten, but because the messages of compassion and sacrifice are absolutely profound.

    Overall, In My Hands was deeply-motivating and inspiring, and I would recommend it for any teenager or adult!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 11, 2011

    Inspirational!

    This intense and inspiring read follows a 16 year old girl who was enforced from her home and her Polish family during the horrifying times of WWII. Irene Gutowna was required to work for a German Soldier and the rest of his men in the quarters/ hotel as his personal servant. Irene was not in favor of what was happening to the Jewish people. While serving the General and his men she was secretly giving food to the Jewish prisoners under the Ghetto. She then began to bring them into the house and hide them from the General. Irene managed to save amounts of people at only age 16 and 17. This one girl made a difference and took a stance to help those who truly needed it and were a part of something completely dreadful and unnecessary. There are numerous themes throughout the book for instance courage is definitely one of them and the power to make a difference and it coming from only one person. Basically the message of the story is anyone can do anything no matter what the size. What I personally enjoyed about this book was the fact that this girl risked her own life she even got caught once, to save the lives of many people. It was inspiring and while reading it you also learn so much about how peoples live drastically changed during this time periods and all of the hardships people had to overcome. For instance having to leave their homes to go work like Irene had too or being completely separated from their family and knowing that they most likely won't see their families ever again. It is a tragic but yet uplifting story in a way that the actions that were taking place were extremely tragic but knowing that there were people who were trying to save these innocent people. Readers who enjoy a little suspense, happiness and sadness all put together to make one book this book is most definitely for you. This book made me release the power of making a difference and understanding the life's that these people were forced to live. In my hands was inspiring and is a great read that will keep you interested and hey you might learn something.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 11, 2011

    Fantastic Book

    In My Hands in a tremendously inspirational book. It has a pretty slow start, but once it gets into talking about what started to happen during the Holocaust, it was excellent and grabbed my attention. This book causes you to explorer deeper into thought and the history of the World. Irene Gut Opdke was an incredibly brave woman who cared more about other people than her own self every day she was alive. She was constantly putting herself at a high risk to save others, like the 16 Jews she kept hidden in the basement of the General's house she was working for. In My Hands shows you that not only the Jewish population suffered from the war, but everyone else in the country suffered too. The Polish lost their land, their houses, and their families; because they were being captured and forced to work for the German soldiers, but little did they know that once all the Jewish were dead, they would be the ones being killed next. The story of Irene can inspire and warm the hearts of many people. She was very daring, and went against many rules, but she did it for an extremely superior cause. In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer, taught me more than the obvious about the war. I learned that by being a young lady, you weren't treated with the most respect, and being Polish did not help. I find it completely incredible that even after everything that she had been through, she never gave up. Even after the German general she was working for, found two of the Jewish women in his house, she found a way to keep them there, even if she was not proud of what she had to do. becoming the general's mistress. Irene has inspired me to always consider others, before I think of myself, and to help the people that are in need of help. She had found a way to help as many Jews as possible, starting with small things like smuggling food under the fence of a neighboring 'Ghetto'. Then starting to do things that had a higher risk like, hiding people in a general's air vent. By reading Irene's story, I have truly learned that there are people out there that are willing to put themselves in danger, as long they can save the lives of others. In My Hands, was an intense book, talking about the horror of the war, and what people were going through just to live another day in their home land. It causes you to wonder how someone could even start something as huge as killing people just because of their religion. You don't want to believe that everything you're reading is true, but you know that it is. I really enjoyed In My Hands, and I know that other people would too.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2011

    Gripping Intensity and Reality

    In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong is a thrilling autobiography about a brave polish girl who is determined to help the victims of the Holocaust. Irene works for a Nazi Major as his housekeeper, which puts her in a very dangerous position. However, this does not stop her from helping her Jewish friends. She smuggles a group of Jews into the forest to join a group of resistance fighters, and cares for a group of them in the Major's basement for over two years. Later she goes on to become a spy for the resistance group. This book is about the amazing triumphs of one girl in the midst of a Nazi army. No one says it better than Irene herself, "You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis all at once. One's first steps are small: I had begun by hiding food under a fence." This book is a page turner and gets you up close and personal to the real horrors and emotions of the Holocaust. The way Irene so vividly describes her situations and the feelings of what she is going through is truly entrancing. I loved that this book gave a different view of the holocaust. Everyone hears the stories of the survivors but it is rare to hear a story of a rescuer. This book evoked real emotions in me and I was shocked at how much I related to the characters and the experiences they had to go through. The way In My Hands is written does a wonderful job of really allowing the reader to feel what Irene felt and to imagine what she saw. When you open the pages it's as if you are dropped right into the scene, standing right next to her. I learned so much from reading this book and I would highly suggest it to anybody that is interested in the Holocaust. There are some pretty graphic scenes throughout the book and some mature content so I would not suggest this book to immature readers. In most books I would say that the graphic scenes are not necessary but in this book I completely agree with the author's choice to include these scenes. I really enjoyed In My Hands and I believe it will touch everyone's hearts and help to better the reader.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2011

    A touching must read!

    I can't normally sit down and read a book for a long period of time, but this book was definitely an exception. It's about a girl named Irene who is Polish. All of her troubles begin when she gets recruited to help as a nurse in the war. She gets captured and runs into problem after problem. A large portion of the book she is separated from her family and doesn't usually know if they're okay or where they are. She continually puts herself in bad positions just to help others in need, while fully aware that she could be brutally punished, even killed, for what she's doing. She is a very strong and caring girl. Her life is the least of her worries when it comes to her friends, family and everyone else who's struggling. I read this book in two nights, something I have never done with any other book before. This book continued to draw me in even further page after page. The author, who is the main character in the book, uses very descriptive words and paints unbelievable pictures in your mind. I had to read over some parts multiple times and make sure I had read what I thought I read. Everything those people had to go through was absolutely, 100% awful. If I were Irene, I'd be in tears every minute wishing I were somewhere else. I loved how she worded her story so it made you feel as if it was actually happening to you, a perspective that some stories don't give you. A majority of this book was very sad and for many, it would be hard to read. If you like reads that are uplifting or funny throughout the entire book, this probably wouldn't be a good choice for you. This book would be a suitable choice for anyone who is interested in the holocaust and/or survival stories. There were moments when I couldn't sit still, afraid for the character because you put yourself in her position and it becomes very suspenseful. This book is heartbreaking, tear-jerking, touching, and inspirational. Her story will truly make you put things into perspective because there are not a lot of things that can compare to the tragedy these people had to endure. I felt that the purpose of this story was to inform people about what happened during WWII and to tell us that even when things seem at their worst; it's never worth giving up. Irene Gut Opdyke is an ideal example of what it looks like to be a hero.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted September 9, 2011

    Amazing story- great read!!!

    This book is a heartwrenching yet rewarding tale of a girl who, while having to keep herself safe, kept the live of sixteen other Jewish people safe during the Holocaust. Irene Opdyke is a young polish girl who was age seventeen at the time of Hitler's invasion, and as the war progressed, Irene's family was torn apart and her life started falling to pieces. She overcame many harsdships such as being raped, loosing her family, and getting taken advatage of, but even with these harships she managed to rescue the Jews by bringing them food and places to hide. I found this book to be very inspiring and quite an interesting read. It really shows you how, even with the hatred from the Nazis, there is still some compassion out there in the world and there always will be. What makes this book so interesting is how it's a true story and how its told from Irene's point of view. It really helps you to understand what she was going through but at the same time leaves you in shock that such horrible things could happen to such a young girl. Irene's bravery and courage throughout the novel is truly inspiring and as you're reading the book you find yourslef wondering how you would of handled the situation. Would you have had the courage that Irene had? Or would you have remained silent and left the Jews to die. This book is really great for readers with an interest in World War Two, or even just disasters that occurred in the history of our world. I've always been fascinated by the Holocaust, so I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It gives you an idea of what it must have been like to live during World War two and helps you to understand what these people must of gone through. If you are not a fan of non fiction, you may not have any interest in reading this story, but even so I would still highly recommend it. The only thing I did not enjoy about this book was how vivid it was. At times I felt uncomfortable reading certain parts, like I was spying on someone, but I also think that's part of what really helps you to connect with the book. If you do not like books that are so detailed they make you uncomfotable, I would not recommend this book for you. Other than that it turned out to be a great read and an amazing story of a yound, caring, wonderful girl who followed her heart and saved the lives of many people.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 6, 2011

    Fantastic read- Based on a true story!

    Irene Opdyke didn't publish this book for fame or for money, but to tell her own tale as a Holocaust Rescuer. Her small but heartfelt deeds brought comfort and hope to those being exterminated by the Nazi party during WWII. It all started by simply smuggling food into a starving ghetto, to hiding Jews in the basement of a Nazi General. Irene committed the acts she did because she saw it as the right thing to do and her perception of her actions is very humble. In reality, her acts were quite courageous and heroic. From working as a nurse, to being raped, and then forced to work under the Nazis, Irene constantly held her own for the sake of others. She thinks of her family often and is more concerned about their safety and well-being then her own. Her story of saving over 16 people and not trying to save herself is such an empowering story, revealing the selflessness of her deeds and acts that were not uncommon but somewhat overlooked compared to the liberators of the concentration camps and soldiers. Irene Opdyke was her own kind of soldier, one of many who found the strength within themselves to go above and beyond their persons and help those less fortunate of themselves. When you read this novel, her message of selflessness becomes clearer with the turn of every suspenseful page.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted July 13, 2011

    Brilliantly written.

    This book was one of the best books i have ever read. This young woman went through so much im surprised ahe could bring it up again. Its women like her that gives you assurance that there is a God.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted July 9, 2011

    Exellnt Excellent.....and well written JPDuffer

    Nothing but complete admiration for that extraordinary woman.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted June 2, 2011

    Great book

    Sometimes i wonder why im blessed with plenty when things like this happen in the world. Its unfair.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 146 Customer Reviews

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit