Richard H. Balson

Althouhh the book was well-intentioned, it was poorly executed in my opinion. The premise was interesting...a man lauded as a hero during WWII is accused of being a liar...having actually been a collaborator.
The book is chock full of facts about Danish history, but tbe characters present these facts as though they are reciting from a text book. I would have preferred flashbacks rather than one character reading from the notebook of another.
The final courtroom scene was better than the rest of the book.
So, 4 stars for what I learned, and 2 stars for characterization and dialogue. 3 stars total.… (más)

This book, A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson was a beautiful story of survival, courage and endurance. The story begins by introducing readers to the main characters, Karyn and Teddy. Teddy, an elderly man living out the remainder of his life in an assisted living home and Karyn who was separated from her sister years earlier when they were children during WWII in Amsterdam. A chance encounter in a bakery ends up leading to Karyn meeting Teddy, an American sent to Amsterdam to work in the US consulate.
Over time Teddy tells Karyn the story of his life in Amsterdam, how he not only survived the occupation of the Nazis when they invaded Amsterdam, but also his role helping in the rescue of thousands of Jews who were forced to hide out.
This story is riveting and enthralling.
I loved this book and found the writing style of the author very easy to read and capturing. The content is historically accurate and captures the fullness of this time period. Very well done!… (más)