Katrina Shawver met Henry Zguda when she wrote for the newspaper, and after one meeting offered to write his story. This true story is both a witness to the Holocaust through Polish eyes and the story of how a Polish (Catholic) competitive swimmer survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps during World War II by his wits, humor, luck, and friends. This view of the Holocaust through Polish eyes fills a huge gap in historical accounts of Poles during WWII. The book includes a readers guide and original photos and documents, many in print for the first time.
“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
“Through all his hardships Henry Zguda never lost hope or his sense of humor which is present throughout the book. This is a much-needed addition to your library.” —The Polish American Journal
AWARDS
2018 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award – Silver for Biography
2017 The Wishing Shelf Book Awards (UK) – Gold for Adult Non-Fiction
2018 Reader Views Literary Awards – Winner in Four categories:
First Place Biography, First Place Regional, Best Nonfiction Book of the Year,
Best Regional Book of the Year
2018 Feathered Quill Book Award – Second-Place for Historical
2017 Advice Books (Italy) – Voted Best of 2017
Click on image to the left to order HENRY!
I can say remember the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Yet I ask myself, why don’t more people know about the Warsaw Uprising that began on August 1, 1944 and lasted for 63 days. Nearly 200,000 Poles were killed. Like most Americans without a Polish connection or proximity to a strong Polish community, I had never heard of or read about the Warsaw Uprising before meeting Henry Zguda and studying Poland. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 yes, but not the Polish Warsaw Uprising that came a year later. I have several theories that may explain.