The boys in the light : an extraordinary World War II story of survival, faith, and brotherhood / Nina Willner.
The extraordinary and inspiring true story of a band of young U.S. soldiers who fought together in World War II and, in the throes of combat, rescued two survivors--one of them the author's father--from Hitler's plot to exterminate the Jews of Europe. The Boys in the Light follows the parallel journeys of Company D and Eddie Willner, the author's father, as they experience two sides of World War II. This is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of the bonds forged during war; a must-read for fans of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and Erik Larson's The Splendid and the Vile. At sixteen, Eddie Willner was among the millions of European Jews rounded up by Hitler's Nazis. He was forced into slave labor alongside his father and his best friend, Mike, and spent the next three years of his life surviving the death camps, including Auschwitz. Meanwhile, in the United States, boys only a few years older than Eddie were joining the army and heading toward their own precarious futures. Once farmers, factory workers, and coal miners, they were suddenly army officers and infantrymen, thrust into the brutal conflicts of WWII. A company of 3rd Armored Division tankers, led by Elmer Hovland, quickly became battle-hardened and weary, constantly questioning whether the war was worth it. Eight months in, they got their answer when two emaciated boys stepped out of the woods with their tattooed arms raised, Eddie and Mike. Elmer and his soldiers could barely believe their eyes as they finally came face-to-face with the human cost of Hitler's evil. What Elmer did next would change everyone's lives.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780593471272
- ISBN: 059347127X
- Physical Description: xi, 362 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 24 cm
- Publisher: New York, New York : Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2025]
- Copyright: ©2025
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-348) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Preface -- American innocence -- A German Jewish boy -- Patriots and parasites -- Rise of hate -- Promise -- Kristallnacht -- Blue ribbon America -- On the run -- Training -- The vineyards -- New York harbor -- Transport 31 -- Ship to England -- Lazy -- Coming ashore -- Auschwitz -- Baptism -- North plant -- "Kom Goed Thuis" -- Thanksgiving -- Siegfried's prophecy -- Christmas Eve -- Butch -- The long march -- The talisman -- The tunnels -- The prayer -- Breakout -- Angels -- "They're with us now" -- Big brothers -- Unbreakable bond -- Liberation -- The final goodbye -- "I want those days back" -- The call -- The reunion -- Postscript -- Coda: supper with Uncle Pepsi -- Epilogue
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- United States. Army. Armored Regiment, 32nd. Company D > Biography.
Willner, Eddie, 1926-2008.
Swaab, Mike.
Hovland, Elmer L., 1920-2012.
Decola, Louis, 1919-2016.
World War, 1939-1945 > Regimental histories > United States.
Holocaust survivors > Germany > Biography. - Genre:
- Regimental histories.
Biographies.
Available copies
- 27 of 37 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at McDowell County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 5 current holds with 37 total copies.
Show All Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion Library | 940.54 WIL (Text) | 37810435836365 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Camden County Library | 940.541 WIL (Text) | 39488900319106 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Cleveland County Main Library | 940.54 WIL (Text) | 22281500163289 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Cliffdale Library | 940.5412 WIL (Text) | 31781069158929 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Coats Public Library | 940.5412 Wil (Text) | 33633002185469 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Columbus Library | 940.5412 WIL (Text) | 31250200094299 | Adult New Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Denton Public Library | 940.541 WIL (Text) | 25908004467424 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Down East | HISTORY WAR WW2 WILLN (Text) | 34208900253591 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| East Regional Library | 940.5412 WIL (Text) | 31781069158945 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Eden Library | 940.541 W (Text) | 31554012310115 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
