Author: Tadeusz Haska
Release Date: 24th September 2019
Genre: MemoirSeries:
Format: E-book
Pages: 148
Publisher: Koehler Books
Blurb: “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 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.
Book Review
How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story Of Survival by Tadeusza Haska and Stefanie Nauman is a gut-wrenching memoir depicting how the knowledge of different languages helped Mr Tadeusz Haska, survive the aftermath of his prison time during WWII.
This book is written by his granddaughter and has been written exceptionally well. This book is a devastating insight into life in the post-WWII era and the problems faced by Mr Tad. Though I did relish reading about how he used his wits and education of various languages to get him out of situations that could have very well meant death.
This is a very good memoir and I’d recommend it to all readers who take an interest in history and memoirs.
You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon
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