The Defiant: A True Story of Escape, Survival, & Resistance [Paperback]

Shalom Yoran (Author), Varda Yoran (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002

While recuperating in a hospital after World War II, a Polish refugee wrote at length about his remarkable experiences in war-torn Europe. The Defiant, his memoir, is the account of a young man who refused to yield to the German onslaught and chose instead to become a Jewish resistance fighter. Chronicling the bravery of a small group of men and women who carried on a forest war, this extraordinary book sheds light on events that few know of in this country.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Defiant - "A vivid and memorable account of survival and fighting back in spite of atrocity...a welcome and highly recommended addition to World War II History collections, Holocaust Studies, and 20th Century Jewish History reference collections." (The Midwest Book Review )

About the Author

Shalom Yoran was born in Poland. After Nazis killed his parents, he and his brother fought as partisans against the German war machine. In 1946, Yoran moved to Israel to begin a new life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Square One Publishers (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757000789
• ISBN-13: 978-0757000782
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #825,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping account, April 14, 2006

By 

T. Kunikov (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Defiant: A True Story of Escape, Survival, & Resistance (Paperback)

More and more survival accounts are starting to come out in regard to Jewish partisans, whether they were Soviet or Polish. This is one of the most interesting accounts I've read and goes to show that Jews did not just sit by and idly wait for death, on the contrary they tried the best they could to come to grips with reality and take revenge for what was happening to them and their families. A quick and compelling read, the author wrote all his memories down right after the war so that they were still fresh and much of what he describes rings true and is worth knowing and acknowledging. A worthwhile account of a struggle rarely remembered or thought about.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life of a warrior, January 11, 2007

By 

Larion Ayzman "lainla" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Defiant: A True Story of Escape, Survival, & Resistance (Paperback)

A well written story. Consise and able to take the reader on a journey. Full of lessons in life, and examples of what a person is able to live thru and do in their life.

Amazing perspective from a person who was not only able to survive unbelievable odds but do so with a determination and stile.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid and memorable account of survival and fighting back, March 9, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Defiant: A True Story of Escape, Survival, & Resistance (Paperback)

The Defiant: A True Story Of Escape, Survival & Resistance is the personal memoir of Shalom Yoran, a young man who dared to become a Jewish resistance fighter in Poland during the grim years of World War II. Yoran's story (and the story of the brave men and women who fought with him), is brought forward from a manuscript which he drafted fifty years ago while recuperating in an Israeli hospital. A vivid and memorable account of survival and fighting back in spite of atrocity and anti-Semitism on all sides, The Defiant is a welcome and highly recommended addition to World War II History collections, Holocaust Studies, and 20th Century Jewish History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.