Rescue: The Story of How Gentiles Saved Jews in the Holocaust

As a successor to Never to Forget: The Jews of the Holocaust , Meltzer has written this work about a hidden side of history to show ``that we need not give in to evil.'' The acts of generosity recounted here are challenging, as Meltzer puts it, since readers may doubt whether they, in similar straits, would behave as decently. One lesson is clear: ``Nobody survived without help from others,'' and thousands of Jews were saved because of daring acts of kindness. Oskar Schinkler, an industrialist, protected 1200 Jews in his factory; the entire French village of Le Chambon harbored Jews; and 8000 Jews were smuggled to safety by Danes in very little time. The most remarkable aspect of this book, aside from the array of astonishing facts, is Meltzer's clear sense of perspective. Even the thorny question of why the pope failed to defend Italian Jews is objectively handled. In contrast to its sensationalistic cover, this is a calm book (about extreme events) that lifts the spirit. Photos not seen by PW. Ages 12-up. (August)