Filmed as Schindler’s List starring Liam Neeson, this is the story of a German businessman who lived an ostentatious life driven by wealth.  A Nazi party member, he opened a factory in Poland producing supplies for the German army during World War II and he employed Jews.  It was a cover for one of the most daring rescue operations of the war.  Under its umbrella he saved thousands of lives.  This is an extraordinary tale of an extraordinary man.  Giving more depth than the film, it should be obligatory reading as a lesson in humanity and a compelling portrait of the Holocaust, lest we forget.  Heart-rending, powerful, horrific and eventually uplifting, it is a magnificent work.

Comparison: Peter Carey, William Styron, Kazuo Ishiguro.

Synopsis

In the shadow of Auschwitz, a flamboyant German industrialist grew into a living legend to the Jews of Cracow. He was a womaniser, a heavy drinker and a bon viveur, but to them he became a saviour. This is the extraordinary story of Oskar Schindler, who risked his life to protect Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland and who was transformed by the war into a man with a mission, a compassionate angel of mercy.

Reviews

'An astounding story...in this case the truth is far more powerful than anything the imagination can invent' - NEWSWEEK

'Thomas Keneally had done marvellous justice to a marvellous story' - SUNDAY TIMES

'An extraordinary achievement' - GRAHAM GREENE

About the Author

Thomas Keneally has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize four times and won it with SCHINDLER'S ARK in 1982. His novels have been filmed (Schindler's List and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith) and dramatised (The Playmaker). He has also written several works of non-fiction, including THE PLACE WHERE SOULS ARE BORN, about the American Southwest, and HOMEBUSH BOY, a memoir.   Photograph © Sean Pollock   More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation