{"title":"Jan Brokken","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection dedicated to the works of Jan Brokken, a celebrated Dutch author known for his compelling narratives that blend biography, memoir, history, and military themes. With a deft ability to weave intricate stories, Brokken captivates readers by exploring the human spirit through the lens of historical events and personal accounts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eBaltic Souls\u003c\/em\u003e, Brokken embarks on a journey through the complex histories of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, uncovering the extraordinary lives shaped by the turbulent 20th century. His detailed research and poignant storytelling bring the Baltic region's rich cultural and historical tapestry to life, inviting readers to discover the resilience and resolve of its people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Just\u003c\/em\u003e, another of Brokken's acclaimed works, delves into the gripping true story of Jan Zwartendijk, a Dutch diplomat who saved thousands of Jewish lives during the Second World War. Brokken's meticulous attention to historical detail and empathetic writing offer readers a profound insight into this heroic tale of courage and moral fortitude.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJan Brokken's books are an enlightening fusion of factual history and engaging narrative, providing readers with a deeper understanding of past events through the eyes of those who experienced them. Whether you're a history aficionado or new to Brokken's works, this collection is sure to leave a lasting impression.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-just-by-jan-brokken-9781925849295","title":"The Just","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe remarkable story of how a consul and his allies helped save thousands of Jews from the Holocaust in one of the greatest rescue operations of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn May 1940, Jan Zwartendijk, the director of the Lithuanian branch of the Philips electrical-goods company, stepped into history when he accepted the honorary role of Dutch consul.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn Kaunas, the capital of Lithuania, desperate Jewish refugees faced annihilation in the Holocaust. That was when Zwartendijk—with the help of Chiune Sugihara, the consul for Japan, and the Dutch ambassador in Riga, Latvia—chose to break his country's diplomatic rules. He opened up a possible route to freedom through the ruse of issuing visas to the Dutch colony of Curaçao on the other side of the world. Thanks to these visas, and Sugihara's approval of onward passage, many Jews—up to 10,000—were able to travel on the Trans-Siberian Express all through Soviet Russia to Vladivostok, further to Japan, and onwards to China.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the Jews whom Zwartendijk helped escape survived the war, and they and their descendants settled in America, Canada, Australia, and other countries. Zwartendijk and Sugihara were true heroes, and yet they were both shunned by their own countries after the war, and their courageous, unstinting actions have remained relatively unknown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Just\u003c\/em\u003e, renowned Dutch author Jan Brokken wrests this heroic story from oblivion and traces the journeys of a number of the rescued Jews. This epic narrative shows how, even in life-threatening circumstances, some people make the right choice at the right time. It is a lesson in character and courage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'If I had known Jan Zwartendijk's story before, I would have had filmed that.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n– Steven Spielberg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'He [Zwartendijk] filled desperate lives with hope during a period of great darkness, and his actions will remain a beacon of decency and righteousness for generations to come.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n– Bill Clinton\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Brokken provides an inspirational and richly detailed look at bureaucratic efforts to help Jews escape Europe in the early years of WWII ... Evocative portraits of his protagonists' family lives deepen Brokken's depictions of their hazardous actions. Readers will take heart from these obscure yet consequential acts of courage.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n– Publishers Weekly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46338567143660,"sku":"9781925849295","price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18818283482873.jpg?v=1743735301"},{"product_id":"baltic-souls-by-jan-brokken-9781922585837","title":"Baltic Souls","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA monumental journey through Baltic history and culture, in which we encounter well-known personalities and forgotten ones, and a disconcerting picture of Europe in the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1999 to 2010, Jan Brokken explored life stories in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The result was his masterly \u003cem\u003eBaltic Souls\u003c\/em\u003e, available here for the first time in English. Brokken uncovered the stories of famous artists and writers such as Mark Rothko, Sergei Eisenstein, Hannah Arendt, and Jacques Lipchitz, who were all born in the regions bordering the Baltic Sea before leaving to build their work abroad, spreading a bit of the Baltic soul across Europe and America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLess well known were the stories of people such as the Rozes and their family bookstore in Riga, or the von Wrangels, the ultimate descendants of the Baltic barons. Or the story of the titanic struggle that violist Gidon Kremer fought with his father in Riga, who was burdened by the death of thirty-five family members in concentration camps. Or the story of Loreta Asanaviciute, who was run over by a Russian tank in 1991.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is this melancholy imbued with fatalism, this vitality forged by the upheavals of history, this appetite for reading, music, and art, that enriches the portraits painted by Jan Brokken.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConducted in the style of a travel diary where chance encounters and biographical sketches mingle, \u003cem\u003eBaltic Souls\u003c\/em\u003e makes us feel the cruelty and violence of an era, but also the tenderness and solidarity of an entire people, united across borders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A closely observed study of a region often overlooked, but of critical importance in world history ... A learned, literate travelogue about a cultural cornucopia.'\u003c\/em\u003e - Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A gem in its genre. Superbly written.'\u003c\/em\u003e - Le Figaro\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'An absolute highlight of European literature. Bloody beautiful.'\u003c\/em\u003e - La Repubblica\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46369998078188,"sku":"9781922585837","price":44.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14269493482872.jpg?v=1744801782"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/jan-brokken.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}