“When I was arrested my whole world crumbled. I knew that leaders of political parties had been arrested, and never heard from again. My only chance at survival was to find a way to escape from the jail.” Orphaned in Poland at the age of thirteen, Tadeusz “Tad” Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the … escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship. Discover how Tad’s knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.
The book earned first place in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly Awards in two categories: historical nonfiction and biography/memoir/autobiography.
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This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival
Author: Stefanie Naumann
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 21 readers:
21 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the cover was good or excellent.
21 felt it was easy to follow.
21 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 15 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
20 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
21 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘It’s all in the detail! This is a gripping story of Nazi oppression and finding a way to escape it. The author knows her subject so well, and this shows in all the little details. And, for me, this is what brings the story alive. Books of this nature are so important as it’s so easy to forget bow cruel mankind can be.’ Male reader, aged 43
‘Anybody interested in Polish history, particularly WW2 and the Russian occupation, will find this invaluable.’ Male reader, aged 64
‘Well-edited, often moving account of a man’s battle to survive in war torn Europe. The language element and how it so often saved him is what helps to make this book (and the story) unique. A fascinating read.’ Male reader, aged 43
‘Thank you for sharing your grandfather’s story. I thought it was remarkably interesting in terms of history; but also in terms of the will of a person to survive.’ Female reader, aged 70
To Sum It Up:
‘An uplifting biographical story. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
“How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story Of Survival” by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann is the story of Tadeusz Haska.
His story begins at the beginning of WWII in Poland when as a young teenager him and his brother found themselves orphan and on their own. A sympathetic teacher helps them to continue their education through scholarships but that meant their separation as Tadeusz is the first one to go to high school. Passing the final exam, he was able to move on to the University; then the Germans attacked Poland. After enduring few bombardments, he decided to enlist to fight the Germans along with a bunch of other young students. They are directed to wait near a bomb shelter until the train that could take them to the town where the recruiting office is located is ready to leave. Tadeusz had always been fascinated by languages and was a skilled linguist, and as he waited, he started writing in a notebook on polish ancient language to pass time, and to keep notes of his classes so that he wouldn’t forget. When a police officer sees him writing in weird symbols, he thought he was a spy and arrested him to be interrogated, and so it begins his war story of survival.
The book is presented as a narrative through the protagonist’s own voice. It feels as Tadeusz is talking to the reader from his living room next to the fireplace as we sit on the floor and listen. I found this aspect of the writing to be endearing and captivating to the point where the lack of writing technique doesn’t take away from the experience. Stefanie Naumann did an awesome job keeping her grandfather’s voice intact throughout this extraordinary adventure which kept me glued to the pages until the end.
I gave “How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story Of Survival” by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann a four-star rating only because it needs to be polished with respect to the writing technique, it is Five-Stars in regards to story, voice, and even editing. Definitely a MUST READ!