Beyond the Wire

By: James D. Shipman

Narrated by: Robert Fass

October 1944: In the long, narrow undressing rooms in Auschwitz-Birkenau, prisoner Jakub Bak toils under the scrutiny of SS guards. Like other members of the Sonderkommando, Jakub was selected on arrival for an unthinkable job: sorting through the clothes of the dead and moving their bodies from the gas chambers to the crematoriums. Jakub clings to the promise he made to his murdered father - to live, at any cost - and to the moments he is able to spend in the company of Anna, imprisoned in the women's camp.

Every morning, Anna marches miles to the union munitions factory where she works alongside other prisoners. Even Jakub doesn't know that she and a few other women have been taking the ultimate risk, smuggling trace amounts of gunpowder back in their clothing. A bold plan is brewing to revolt against the SS and liberate the camp. Jakub, pressured to join the resistance, knows that any uprising faces impossible odds. Added to this already stark choice is another desperate reality - the risk from informers who see their only chance of survival in betraying their fellow Jews.

Powerfully moving and unflinching in its authenticity, Beyond the Wire tells of the women and men who, though outnumbered and outgunned, fought to free themselves, sparking a brilliant flash of light and hope amidst the darkest evil that humans can conceive.

©2022 James D. Shipman (P)2022 Tantor

Rough but riveting.

This story depicts the loss of humanity that war allows for and in fact The depths of degradation people will go to when they are encouraged and in fact rewarded by their bosses is astounding.

Heartbreaking story well written and narrarated.

A difficult story to write about the horrors of life, death and deceit in the concentration camps.

Excellent Book! Love this story!!

Page turner-characters so well described-felt as if I knew their struggles and strengths in the midst of harrowing torture hunger escape etc… an amazing read that touched my soul!!!

Holocaust Auschwitz Story brings knowledge

I’ve heard about Auschwitz and the concentration cams, but didn’t realize the in-depth in humanity that was put upon the different ethnicities, The story was very good at Brad love brotherhood overcoming anything. House a great story and made me realize the history of the holocaust. I have seen the Holocaust museum in New York and in Jerusalem, but this had a special spot of bringing more compassion, understanding what they really went through.

Enthralling

I thought it would be a man's story. Showed the prisoners actually FID fight back.