Overview

When Katrina Shawver met the eighty-five year old Henry Zguda, he possessed an exceptional memory, a surprising cache of original documents and photos, and a knack for meeting the right people at the right time. Couched in the interview style of Tuesdays with Morrie, Henry relates in his own voice a life as a champion swimmer, interrupted by three years imprisoned in Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a Polish political prisoner. With a pragmatic gallows humor, and sense of hope, he showed the author how to truly live for today, preferably with a shot of good Polish vodka. Henry's path of resiliency and power of connection are as relevant today, as they were in World War II. Henry reminds us that no single class of people was safe from Hitler's reach or imprisonment, and no country suffered more under Hitler and Stalin than Poland. This bridge to history and view of the Holocaust through Polish eyes is supported by extensive research, and features more than 70 original photos and rare German documents. Ultimately, Henry is the story a strong young man, who survives by his wits, humor, friends, and a healthy dose of luck. This book is for the discerning adult looking for an intelligent read that examines World War II, the Holocaust, and the true meaning of friendship then and now.

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9781633935204

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Reviews

This is a much-needed addition to your library. --Polish American Journal The treasure trove of documents and images, from vintage photos from the Buchenwald Memorial to Henry's letters (some 70 original photos and rare German documents) is just one thing that sets Henry apart from any other survivor's story, making it a top 'must have' acquisition for any collection strong in Holocaust survival accounts. -- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review Everyone who reads Henry becomes a witness. --Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and Before the Court of Heaven Highly recommended. --James Conroyd Martin, author of The Poland Trilogy and The Boy Who Wanted Wings We know that we should never forget the Holocaust, and Shawver is ensuring that we won't. -- John Liffiton, Professor and Director Genocide Conferences, Scottsdale Community College This remarkable true story will take you on a historical journey, filled with a firsthand account of how one man survived the impossible, and then found the love of his life. --J.L. Witterick, International Best Selling Author of My Mother's Secret I've read dozens of memoirs of people who survived the camps, and Katrina Shawver's book is among the best. --John Guzlowski, author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, winner of the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Award We are fortunate that Shawver had the presence of mind to bring Zguda's story to the world. --Leonard Kniffel, member of the Board of Directors of the Polish American Librarians Association and the Polish Museum of America in Chicago Henry is both poignant and inspiring. --Andrew Nagorski, author of The Nazi Hunters and Hitlerland Those brave souls who survived World War II are some of the finest examples of courage in our lifetime. Fortunately, Katrina Shawver knew exactly how to bring Henry Zguda's courage to life. -- Judith L. Pearson, author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy I worked as a counterintelligence agent in Germany for twenty-five years . . . From those who were victims of the Nazis or those who spoke honestly about their experiences, I can attest that Shawver knows what she is talking about. --Robert Dukelow, author of Four Strong Women: A Glimpse of Germany's Untold History 1938-1957 Shawver weaves together a riveting, unforgettable tale that captures the unstoppable flight of the human spirit. --Greg Archer, author of Grace Revealed and Huffington Post columnist A remarkable feat of writing! Bravo for humanity! --Marcia Fine, author of Hidden Ones, The Blind Eye, and Paper Children - An Immigrant's Legacy Best book I have read on Auschwitz! --J. R. Sharp, CDR USN (ret), author, Feeding the Enemy The treasure trove of documents and images, from vintage photos from the Buchenwald Memorial to Henry's letters (some 70 original photos and rare German documents) is just one thing that sets Henry apart from any other survivor's story, making it a top 'must have' acquisition for any collection strong in Holocaust survival accounts. -- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review Everyone who reads Henry becomes a witness. --Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and Before the Court of Heaven It is the harrowing personal experiences of this Catholic Pole as a prisoner in the German concentration camps of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau that yield information found nowhere else and keep the reader riveted to the page. Highly recommended. --James Conroyd Martin, author of The Poland Trilogy and The Boy Who Wanted Wings We know that we should never forget the Holocaust, and Shawver is ensuring that we won't. -- John Liffiton, Professor and Director Genocide Conferences, Scottsdale Community College This remarkable true story will take you on a historical journey, filled with a firsthand account of how one man survived the impossible, and then found the love of his life. --J.L. Witterick, International Best Selling Author of My Mother's Secret I've read dozens of memoirs of people who survived the camps, and Katrina Shawver's book is among the best. --John Guzlowski, author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, winner of the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Award We are fortunate that Shawver had the presence of mind to bring Zguda's story to the world. --Leonard Kniffel, member of the Board of Directors of the Polish American Librarians Association and the Polish Museum of America in Chicago Henry is both poignant and inspiring. --Andrew Nagorski, author of The Nazi Hunters and Hitlerland Those brave souls who survived World War II are some of the finest examples of courage in our lifetime. Fortunately, Katrina Shawver knew exactly how to bring Henry Zguda's courage to life. -- Judith L. Pearson, author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy I worked as a counterintelligence agent in Germany for twenty-five years . . . From those who were victims of the Nazis or those who spoke honestly about their experiences, I can attest that Shawver knows what she is talking about. --Robert Dukelow, author of Four Strong Women: A Glimpse of Germany's Untold History 1938-1957 Shawver weaves together a riveting, unforgettable tale that captures the unstoppable flight of the human spirit. --Greg Archer, author of Grace Revealed and Huffington Post columnist A remarkable feat of writing! Bravo for humanity! --Marcia Fine, author of Hidden Ones, The Blind Eye, and Paper Children - An Immigrant's Legacy Best book I have read on Auschwitz! --J. R. Sharp, CDR USN (ret), author, Feeding the Enemy Everyone who reads Henry becomes a witness. --Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and Before the Court of Heaven Highly recommended. --James Conroyd Martin, Author of The Poland Trilogy and The Boy Who Wanted Wings This remarkable true story will take you on a historical journey. J.L. Witterick, International Best Selling Author of My Mother's Secret We know that we should never forget the Holocaust, and Shawver is ensuring that we won't. --John Liffiton, Professor and Director Genocide Conferences, Scottsdale Community College Henry is both poignant and inspiring. --Andrew Nagorski, author of The Nazi Hunters and Hitlerland I've read dozens of memoirs of people who survived the camps, and Katrina Shawver's book is among the best. --John Guzlowski, author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, winner of the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Award. Katrina Shawver has created a book of outstanding research, divine instincts and the most human of components. --Marcia Fine, author of Hidden Ones, The Blind Eye, and Paper Children - An Immigrant's Legacy. Katrina Shawver knew exactly how to bring Henry Zguda's courage to life. --Judith L. Pearson, author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy.

The treasure trove of documents and images, from vintage photos from the Buchenwald Memorial to Henry's letters (some 70 original photos and rare German documents) is just one thing that sets Henry apart from any other survivor's story, making it a top 'must have' acquisition for any collection strong in Holocaust survival accounts. -- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review Everyone who reads Henry becomes a witness. --Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and Before the Court of Heaven It is the harrowing personal experiences of this Catholic Pole as a prisoner in the German concentration camps of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau that yield information found nowhere else and keep the reader riveted to the page. Highly recommended. --James Conroyd Martin, author of The Poland Trilogy and The Boy Who Wanted Wings We know that we should never forget the Holocaust, and Shawver is ensuring that we won't. -- John Liffiton, Professor and Director Genocide Conferences, Scottsdale Community College This remarkable true story will take you on a historical journey, filled with a firsthand account of how one man survived the impossible, and then found the love of his life. --J.L. Witterick, International Best Selling Author of My Mother's Secret I've read dozens of memoirs of people who survived the camps, and Katrina Shawver's book is among the best. --John Guzlowski, author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, winner of the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Award We are fortunate that Shawver had the presence of mind to bring Zguda's story to the world. --Leonard Kniffel, member of the Board of Directors of the Polish American Librarians Association and the Polish Museum of America in Chicago Henry is both poignant and inspiring. --Andrew Nagorski, author of The Nazi Hunters and Hitlerland Those brave souls who survived World War II are some of the finest examples of courage in our lifetime. Fortunately, Katrina Shawver knew exactly how to bring Henry Zguda's courage to life. -- Judith L. Pearson, author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy I worked as a counterintelligence agent in Germany for twenty-five years . . . From those who were victims of the Nazis or those who spoke honestly about their experiences, I can attest that Shawver knows what she is talking about. --Robert Dukelow, author of Four Strong Women: A Glimpse of Germany's Untold History 1938-1957 Shawver weaves together a riveting, unforgettable tale that captures the unstoppable flight of the human spirit. --Greg Archer, author of Grace Revealed and Huffington Post columnist A remarkable feat of writing! Bravo for humanity! --Marcia Fine, author of Hidden Ones, The Blind Eye, and Paper Children - An Immigrant's Legacy Best book I have read on Auschwitz! --J. R. Sharp, CDR USN (ret), author, Feeding the Enemy Everyone who reads Henry becomes a witness. --Jack Mayer, author of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project and Before the Court of Heaven Highly recommended. --James Conroyd Martin, Author of The Poland Trilogy and The Boy Who Wanted Wings This remarkable true story will take you on a historical journey. J.L. Witterick, International Best Selling Author of My Mother's Secret We know that we should never forget the Holocaust, and Shawver is ensuring that we won't. --John Liffiton, Professor and Director Genocide Conferences, Scottsdale Community College Henry is both poignant and inspiring. --Andrew Nagorski, author of The Nazi Hunters and Hitlerland I've read dozens of memoirs of people who survived the camps, and Katrina Shawver's book is among the best. --John Guzlowski, author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, winner of the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Award. Katrina Shawver has created a book of outstanding research, divine instincts and the most human of components. --Marcia Fine, author of Hidden Ones, The Blind Eye, and Paper Children - An Immigrant's Legacy. Katrina Shawver knew exactly how to bring Henry Zguda's courage to life. --Judith L. Pearson, author of The Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy.

Author Information

Katrina Shawver wrote hundreds of newspaper columns over eleven years for The Arizona Republic, holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona in English/Political Science and has excelled at the School of Trial and Error. In addition to a variety of previous careers in software support, the paralegal profession, tax preparation, and answering phones for a forensic psychiatrist, she has presented at the community college level on Poland Under Hitler and Stalin. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and still wishes sweet potato fries counted as a vegetable. Visit her website katrinashawver.com where she blogs regularly. This is her first book.

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