MARCH 2018 - AudioFile
This audiobook is an American immigrants' story about how Jewish youth fled from the Nazis to the U.S. and then returned to Europe as soldiers of the U.S. Army. Brett Barry’s matter-of-fact narration is perfect for bringing to life the story of the Ritchie Boys, a unit of nearly 2,000 German-born Jews who were trained to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war. Listeners learn about a half-dozen of the Ritchie Boys and their lives before, during, and after WWII. Barry creates riveting, distinctive profiles for the featured soldiers. He also smoothly handles the complicated personal and geographic names in this work. The result is a fascinating look at a little-known segment of military history. D.E.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get the crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. ... The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today’s war on terrorism.” — Leon Panetta, Former Director of the CIA and Former Secretary of Defense
“Henderson is a skilled storyteller. Sons and Soldiers records concrete acts of courage, commitment, compassion... and, of course, unspeakable cruelty.” — San Francisco Chronicle
“Highly compelling. … The Ritchie Boys… are the unsung heroes who saved so many American lives and helped win the war.” — Daily Mail (London)
“Riveting. ... Richly detailed. ... Puts readers alongside the Ritchie Boys in some of the darkest moments of history. ... A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war.” — USA Today
“Gripping. … A story of courage and determination, revenge and redemption. … Opens a window into a much-ignored aspect of the war. … A magnificent story, one crying out to be told, and one that is told very well.” — Boston Globe
“Thrilling. ... Gripping. ... An overdue tribute to these unique Americans.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Harrowing. ... No small amount of courage was needed for [the Ritchie Boys’] work. ... Their contribution to victory is undeniable.” — New York Post
“[A] mesmerizing account of how frightened boys grew into fearless men... to fight Nazi barbarianism.” — San Antonio Express-News
“An irresistible history of the WWII Jewish refugees who returned to Europe to fight the Nazis.” — Newsday
“A revelatory work about a group of Jewish men whose World War II journeys are so implausible and heroic it’s difficult to understand why so few of us knew about them before now. A book of fear, flight and almost divine retribution.” — Steve Twomey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor
“A must-read. ... Poignant. ... Henderson is a wonderful storyteller who has written a never-before-told chapter of the Second World War.” — Jewish Book Council
“An ably researched and written account. ... Henderson does well to humanize the story.” — Publishers Weekly
“A first-rate account of one of the last, great untold stories of World War II.” — Steven P. Remy, author of The Malmedy Massacre
“[A] sparkling account of young Jewish-German exiles deployed... in the fight against Nazi Germany.” — Politico
“Bruce Henderson’s Sons and Soldiers artfully evokes the drama of the persecution and flight — and later, their brave return as soldiers — of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph.” — Colin Heaton, author of The German Aces Speak and The Star of Africa
“An impressive account. ... Henderson expertly delineates the lives and valor of the Ritchie Boys. ... Filled with gripping stories.” — World War II Magazine
“This coming-of-age saga is a story of patriotism and courage unlike any other from World War II. An unforgettable story and a great read, told in Bruce Henderson’s poignant and powerful style.” — Bill Sloan, author of Their Backs Against the Sea
“Unforgettable. ... The ‘Ritchie Boys’ finally get their due. In telling their... story so eloquently, Henderson has done them proud.” — Washington Independent Review of Books (a Favorite Book of 2017)
“Sons and Soldiers is the riveting — and long neglected — story of Jewish refugees from Nazi barbarism who fought an intensely personal war for America. Bruce Henderson has delivered a fast-paced and rich narrative.” — Douglas Waller, author of Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan
“An inspiring account. … Chronicles how, despite great personal risk if their Jewish identity was discovered, these soldiers were on the front lines in Europe, gathering crucial intelligence.” — Booklist
“An inspiring story. ... Fans of Stephen Ambrose and World War II histories will enjoy this look into a little-known aspect of U.S. Army operations.” — Library Journal
“A triumph! More than seventy years after World War II ended, historians scramble to unearth a fresh story. With Sons and Soldiers, Bruce Henderson has found one. This gripping account of German Jews who fled their nation only to return as members of an elite U.S. Army unit to help defeat the Nazis, tugs at every emotion.” — John Wukovits, author of Tin Can Titans
“An important, fascinating story.” — Jewish Review of Books
“Pays homage to [the Ritchie Boys’] achievements. ... Achieves a rare intimacy, putting readers in foxholes and interrogation rooms. — Forward
“An invaluable, must-read addition to the canon of important WWII books, about the thousands of European-born American soldiers whose own odysseys were ingrained in the 20th Century’s two most significant narratives: the Holocaust and the Allied war against their families’ oppressors in Nazi Germany.” — Steven Karras, author of The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II
“Fascinating. ... Extensively researched.” — Winnipeg Free Press
“This is an extremely informative book on a little-known subject and is highly recommended.” — Journal of America’s Military Past
San Antonio Express-News
[A] mesmerizing account of how frightened boys grew into fearless men... to fight Nazi barbarianism.
Leon Panetta
Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get the crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. ... The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today’s war on terrorism.
San Francisco Chronicle
Henderson is a skilled storyteller. Sons and Soldiers records concrete acts of courage, commitment, compassion... and, of course, unspeakable cruelty.
USA Today
Riveting. ... Richly detailed. ... Puts readers alongside the Ritchie Boys in some of the darkest moments of history. ... A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war.
New York Post
Harrowing. ... No small amount of courage was needed for [the Ritchie Boys’] work. ... Their contribution to victory is undeniable.
Boston Globe
Gripping. … A story of courage and determination, revenge and redemption. … Opens a window into a much-ignored aspect of the war. … A magnificent story, one crying out to be told, and one that is told very well.
Newsday
An irresistible history of the WWII Jewish refugees who returned to Europe to fight the Nazis.
Daily Mail (London)
Highly compelling. … The Ritchie Boys… are the unsung heroes who saved so many American lives and helped win the war.
Steve Twomey
A revelatory work about a group of Jewish men whose World War II journeys are so implausible and heroic it’s difficult to understand why so few of us knew about them before now. A book of fear, flight and almost divine retribution.
San Francisco Chronicle
Henderson is a skilled storyteller. Sons and Soldiers records concrete acts of courage, commitment, compassion... and, of course, unspeakable cruelty.
USA Today
Riveting. ... Richly detailed. ... Puts readers alongside the Ritchie Boys in some of the darkest moments of history. ... A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war.
Bill Sloan
This coming-of-age saga is a story of patriotism and courage unlike any other from World War II. An unforgettable story and a great read, told in Bruce Henderson’s poignant and powerful style.
Steven P. Remy
A first-rate account of one of the last, great untold stories of World War II.
John Wukovits
A triumph! More than seventy years after World War II ended, historians scramble to unearth a fresh story. With Sons and Soldiers, Bruce Henderson has found one. This gripping account of German Jews who fled their nation only to return as members of an elite U.S. Army unit to help defeat the Nazis, tugs at every emotion.
Washington Independent Review of Books (a Favorite Book of 2017)
Unforgettable. ... The ‘Ritchie Boys’ finally get their due. In telling their... story so eloquently, Henderson has done them proud.
World War II Magazine
An impressive account. ... Henderson expertly delineates the lives and valor of the Ritchie Boys. ... Filled with gripping stories.
Journal of America’s Military Past
This is an extremely informative book on a little-known subject and is highly recommended.
Winnipeg Free Press
Fascinating. ... Extensively researched.
Jewish Review of Books
An important, fascinating story.
Douglas Waller
Sons and Soldiers is the riveting — and long neglected — story of Jewish refugees from Nazi barbarism who fought an intensely personal war for America. Bruce Henderson has delivered a fast-paced and rich narrative.
Colin Heaton
Bruce Henderson’s Sons and Soldiers artfully evokes the drama of the persecution and flight — and later, their brave return as soldiers — of German-born Jewish sons to America, where they found a new home and a divine purpose. More than an enlightening history, it is a stellar addition to the literature of human survival and triumph.
Jewish Book Council
A must-read. ... Poignant. ... Henderson is a wonderful storyteller who has written a never-before-told chapter of the Second World War.
Forward
Pays homage to [the Ritchie Boys’] achievements. ... Achieves a rare intimacy, putting readers in foxholes and interrogation rooms.
Booklist
An inspiring account. … Chronicles how, despite great personal risk if their Jewish identity was discovered, these soldiers were on the front lines in Europe, gathering crucial intelligence.
Politico
[A] sparkling account of young Jewish-German exiles deployed... in the fight against Nazi Germany.
Steven Karras
An invaluable, must-read addition to the canon of important WWII books, about the thousands of European-born American soldiers whose own odysseys were ingrained in the 20th Century’s two most significant narratives: the Holocaust and the Allied war against their families’ oppressors in Nazi Germany.
Booklist
An inspiring account. … Chronicles how, despite great personal risk if their Jewish identity was discovered, these soldiers were on the front lines in Europe, gathering crucial intelligence.
New York Post
Harrowing. ... No small amount of courage was needed for [the Ritchie Boys’] work. ... Their contribution to victory is undeniable.
Journal of America's Military Past
This is an extremely informative book on a little-known subject and is highly recommended.
Washington Independent Review of Books
Unforgettable. ... The ‘Ritchie Boys’ finally get their due. In telling their... story so eloquently, Henderson has done them proud.
Leon E. Panetta
Sons and Soldiers tells the remarkable story of how 2,000 German-born Jews were able to get crucial intelligence that saved American lives and helped win World War II. The 'Ritchie Boys’ interrogated German POWs and helped defeat the enemy that persecuted them and their families. The message of their courage and patriotism should not be lost in today’s war on terrorism.
MARCH 2018 - AudioFile
This audiobook is an American immigrants' story about how Jewish youth fled from the Nazis to the U.S. and then returned to Europe as soldiers of the U.S. Army. Brett Barry’s matter-of-fact narration is perfect for bringing to life the story of the Ritchie Boys, a unit of nearly 2,000 German-born Jews who were trained to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war. Listeners learn about a half-dozen of the Ritchie Boys and their lives before, during, and after WWII. Barry creates riveting, distinctive profiles for the featured soldiers. He also smoothly handles the complicated personal and geographic names in this work. The result is a fascinating look at a little-known segment of military history. D.E.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
