The Escape Artist

The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World

By: Jonathan Freedland

Narrated by: Jonathan Freedland

Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award · New York Times Bestseller

"A brilliant and heart-wrenching book, with universal and timely lessons about the power of information—and misinformation. Is it possible to stop mass murder by telling the truth?" — Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

A complex hero. A forgotten story. The first witness to reveal the full truth of the Holocaust . . .

Award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist Jonathan Freedland tells the astonishing true story of Rudolf Vrba, the man who broke out of Auschwitz to warn the world of a truth too few were willing to hear.

In April 1944, Rudolf Vrba became one of the very first Jews to escape from Auschwitz and make his way to freedom—among only a tiny handful who ever pulled off that near-impossible feat. He did it to reveal the truth of the death camp to the world—and to warn the last Jews of Europe what fate awaited them. Against all odds, Vrba and his fellow escapee, Fred Wetzler, climbed mountains, crossed rivers, and narrowly missed German bullets until they had smuggled out the first full account of Auschwitz the world had ever seen—a forensically detailed report that eventually reached Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and the Pope.

And yet too few heeded the warning that Vrba had risked everything to deliver. Though Vrba helped save two hundred thousand Jewish lives, he never stopped believing it could have been so many more.

This is the story of a brilliant yet troubled man—a gifted “escape artist” who, even as a teenager, understood that the difference between truth and lies can be the difference between life and death. Rudolf Vrba deserves to take his place alongside Anne Frank, Oskar Schindler, and Primo Levi as one of the handful of individuals whose stories define our understanding of the Holocaust.

©2022 Jonathan Freedland (P)2022 HarperAudio

MUST READ

I had read Vrba's own book called "I Cannot Forgive" and was interested to see what this new book would reveal. The book is beautifully read by the author who leaves no stone unturned to give the sickeningly realistic descriptions of the concentration camps. The feeling of desperation is tangible after the escape when Katzner has been handed the report and he does not alert the people who are being loaded into the cattle cars in Hungary (one of whom ended up with my grandmother after the war). Eventually the word seeps out and gradually this report helps to halt the transports to Auschwitz but only after 426,000 people have been gassed and burned. I can understand Vrba's anger at the Judenrat who had given his name to eh Gestapo. Here was a man who blamed all the cogs in the well oiled wheels of the death factories. The Pope also had Jewish blood dripping from his silent hands. There are graphic moments when the Catholic SS officers pile up Jewish corpses around the base of their Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of the Jew they claim to worship as God. Many years after the war it became apparent to Vrba that the powers that be knew about the extermination of the Jews in the camps before during and after the event and they all sat on their hands while the children of Israel went up in smoke. For 60 years it was uncool to express your Jew hatred but now it has re emerged and it is disguised in demonising Israel. The one tiny Jewish state. We are in trouble again guys but to any non Jews just remember that the Jews are the canary in the coal mine and God has said, I will bless those that bless you and I will curse those that curse you. We are seeing some very interesting times and this book should be deeply contemplated for all its messages.

frustrating slice of history told in an awesome wa

finally, after years of wondering how this tragedy could take place, the answer is told in the most comprehensive and complete way possible. I could not put the book down completing it in to long settings. Rudolph is my hero.

Amazing story

This is a must read for anyone interested in the holocaust, societal indifference and what the will of an amazing human being can do to live through these worst years of humanity.
Beautiful told and read by the author.

Excellent but heartbreaking

This is a very well written and well narrated book. It is definitely one that everyone, especially those who don't know about. the inhumanity that fascism created. I think that with the rise of it in our world today people need to understand the horror of it, especially those who aren't aware of it.. However, the details of this book are just too graphic for me and I will have to return it. I just cannot listen to it because it is so heartbreaking.

Amazing.

I fully admit to getting this the same day as hearing the NPR The New Yorker Radio hour; and I can’t think of a better use of 11 hours.

It is an amazing story and I’d recommend it to every human being everywhere.

Since I listen to NPR all the time, and heard this the podcast first; I was hoping the author would be the voice reading it. He is and does a very good job. Also, he’s British, so all 11 hours are a delight. I’m so glad he took the time to chronicle this story and to have sat down to do the voice reading.

100% recommend to anyone with any humanity.
Doubly so to those who need a reminder.

Stunning

I have read much about the holocaust and the death camps. I knew there were some escapes on a minimal basis. But I had no idea about what Rudolph and the other three went through and tried to do. This book should be read in schools there is so much to learn from. What he overcame and the challenges faced afterwards in the remainder of his life is stunning.

A Must Read

This important story has now been marvelously written and narrated by the author. The bare outlines of the story that two Jews escaped Auschwitz to tell the world was widely disseminated. Jonathan Freedland’s research into the details and his storytelling talent make this a metaphorical page turner. What’s more he really gets under the skin of this difficult and somewhat tragic hero. It’s a must read for anyone with an interest in the Holocaust.

Very good

This book is amazing, and it is really informative. I’m glad I was able to read this and learn more about the holocaust.

Incredible story, well written and presented. Everyone should read this!

An amazing story of resilience and dedication. Perseverance to overcome evil and create good. Inspiring on so many levels. A thorough account of the brutal inner workings of Auschwitz. Everyone should read this book!

Fascinating story read by the author

The narration is a delight, read as it is by the author. An easy recommendation.