Michael's Messengers [Paperback]

Lewis Allen Lambert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2004

In 1931, just three months after his mother's untimely death, 11-year-old Jacob Grunfeld and his father fled Poland on the eve of Hitler's rise to power in Germany. For eight years he lived the American dream in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland where he resided with his German-born father a noted thoracic surgeon. Fearing anti-Semitism, even in America, Jacob's father changed their surname to Meadows and young Jacob became Jack Meadows. During high school Jack learned to fly and discovered a passion that consumed him for the rest of his life. Jack was an extremely exceptional student both in the air and on the ground. Jack graduated college with honors at 18 years of age. In 1939, Jack Meadows, now an American citizen, returned to his native homeland to serve with the Polish Air Force in a futile attempt to halt Nazi aggression and the eventual murder of six million Jews. After Poland was defeated, Jack made his way to England where he joined the RAF. By early 1941, he became the leading fighter pilot among his peers in the Allied Air Forces and was a highly decorated hero of the Battle of Britain. In 1942, Jack was selected to command the 1st Polish Air Force Wing, one of the many foreign units that were an integral part of RAF. In 1939-40, when they were reconstituted in Britain, the Poles distinguished themselves and played a significant role in defeating the Luftwaffe while the Nazis were ravaging their native country. Jack met the love of his life who eventually left him, and met the passion of his life who disappointed him. The women he dearly loved abandoned him. He risked his life for a country that adopted him. He challenged the Luftwaffe whose fiercely skilled pilots had much in common with him. Though Jack was Polish by birth, American by choice and British by fate, he was a German in all other respects thanks to his father.

Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1418409324
• ISBN-13: 978-1418409326
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,090,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Michael's Messengers, June 8, 2006

By 

Martin Downie - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Michael's Messengers (Paperback)

This is an outstanding piece of historical fiction. From the very beginning I was drawn in by the main character, Jack Meadows who was the Allies' leading ACE pilot. The insights into his personal past against the context of WWII really makes for some top notch reading. Recommend to anyone who loves a great story or has an interest in this time period.