The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz
by Jack Fairweather
The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather (4/16/2019)
This is a truly compelling story. The writing is well-done for the most part and kept my attention. At times transitions and attributions were a little hard to follow. The story is incredibly well documented, with 64 pages of reference notes. I learned a lot about the German war machine of WWII and the geopolitical events involving Poland and other Eastern European countries, and of course the tragic and barbaric treatment of Jews, Poles, gypsies and others who were murdered by the Nazi regime.
However, despite the above positives, I would not have finished the book had I not committed to do so for the "First Impressions" program. The presentation of the violence was unrelenting. I realize it is the unvarnished, detailed truth, but as a reader it was too painful and psychologically tormenting for me. While the brutality was a necessary part of the story it was overdone. Had it been balanced with the other elements, the human relationships, the logistics of the underground, the risk, etc., I don't think the impact would have been lost. But to focus on the brutality page after page after page—it just seemed excessive and unnecessary, in my opinion.
I say this while greatly respecting the author's obviously incredible effort to bring the story forward.
