Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

The true story of a slave who escaped to freedom, written in the 1st person.

The Long Walk

The Long Walk By Slavomir Rawicz

A young Polish officer named Slavomir Rawicz is captured and taken prisoner by Russians invading Poland. He is sentenced to life in prison for espianaus and brought to labor camp called Yakutsk hundreds of miles away. Slav becomes friends with a couple of his fellow prisoners and then they escape from the camp and trek into the Siberian wasteland in the middle of winter. Their goal is to reach India where they hope to find a way to freedom and safety which is thousands of miles away. They have to go through some of the most remote and inhospitable land on earth; through Siberia and Mongolia then onto the Gobi Desert through the Himalayas and part of China and then to India. All records of these events have been destroyed by the Russian government. If you like adventure and non-fiction books you should read this book.

Jarrick, Freshman

In My Hands

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Opdyke

In My Hands is an autobiography by Irene Opdyke. The Opdykes are living in their town of Kozience, Poland peacefully. Fear is spreading by newspapers announcing the superior army power of Germany. All is safe for the people of Poland. Everyone knew that if either one of the countries made an act of war, the other wold counteract. This made all of the people of Europe feel safe until Germany and Russia made peace. Almost immediately, the horror from within the borders of Germany unleashes into Poland’s unprepared borders.

This autobiography is about the entire journey that Irene must undertake. A simple Polish girl must quickly adapt into a Polish freedom fighter. Her difficult journey as a freedom fighter against the overwhelming occupation are obstacles that Irene must push aside to stay alive in Poland. When the Germans attack Poland, she is scattered from her family and is forced to work as a nurse in a German hospital. She escapes from place to place and the only thing that conceals her Polish heritage is her German name. Even being of German heritage, she must entertain the suspicious officers as she helps Jews escape behind their backs. This thrilling setting puts the reader into the horror of war and the lives of the patriots who risked their lives against overwhelming odds. This book brings you into Irene’s world of danger and shows how dangerous living in an occupied country can really be. The courage, loyalty, and survival make this book a must read.

Theodore, Sophomore