Raoul Wallenberg: The Man Who Stopped Death

by Sharon Linnea
Available from Amazon
*****
Raoul Wallenberg had a mission for his life from his youngest days. He was impressed with the story of the Scarlet Pimpernel, and wanted to save people in a similar manner. During World War II, Raoul worked at the Swedish embassy in Poland, giving Swedish citizenship to thousands of Jews. These “new” Swedes were protected by Sweden, since the Nazis were not at war with Sweden, and had no wish to be. Raoul helped them out of the country, and gave others work there in his department. He provided ration cards to the starving Jews. Secretly employed by the United States government, he hired a photographer to document the activities in which he lived. Some of those photographs are in this book. Raoul fought with Adolph Eichmann with everything he had: money, wits, subtlety, threats and power, and he had plenty to work with. He escaped several attempts on his life, but in the end, fell into the hands of the Russians, who he had supposed would be friendly to him. No one really knows, or has made public, what happened to him after that. The Russian government claimed that he died, but many people reported sharing a cell with him after that.

This book was easy to read: a real page turner, but not simplistic. Linnea pulls her readers into the world of Raoul Wallenberg, and makes them care about his life. Certainly not a dry biography, it reads like a novel following an undercover agent. Even young children would be interested in his story. Read this biography, and learn of a daring and courageous man who defied the powers and authorities to save life.

Saved at Sea

by Mrs. O. F. Walton
Available from Lamplighter Publishing and Amazon
*****
Alick Fergusson lived with his grandfather on a small island off the coast of Scotland. His grandfather was the keeper of the lighthouse, and Jem Millar, his assistant, and his family were the Fergusson’s only neighbors. They lived their life on the island, tending their gardens, keeping the light going, and rescuing shipwrecked people whenever they could. Only once a month were they allowed to leave the island to go shop and take care of affairs in the village, and Jem and Sandy Fergusson took turns. They did have a “general store” boat that came out once a week to sell provisions.

In a powerful storm one night, the men from the island were trying to rescue passengers who were shipwrecked on Ainslie Crag. They were unable to get close, and the violence of the waves finally destroyed the boat right in front of them, but not before a little girl had been thrown to them through the storm. They looked for survivors, but there were none to be found. They assumed that the little girl’s family had drowned with the others there, and the Fergussons made her a part of their family. She soon won their hearts, and they hated to think of parting with her. When they again went to the mainland, they notified the officials there that only one survivor had been rescued from the wreck, and gave the name found on the hem of her dress.

Later two men came to the island, whom Alick and his grandfather feared had found relatives of the girl, and were going to take her away. However, one was the owner of the ship, and had come to meet them and the little girl. He asked them if they were founded on the Rock. Sandy assured him that if they were not, the lighthouse and other buildings would never last the first storm that blew over; they were not buildings were not on the sand seen by the shore, but on the solid rock of the island. When the man left, he sent back a piece of paper with the words, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand: all other ground is sinking sand.”

Puzzled, they talked it over with Jem Millar, and he said he thought he understood. He was heading to the mainland soon, but before he left, he told Alick that he knew he was on the Rock. It was well for him, because he never returned, having missed his step on the dock in the fog.

In the course of the rest of the book, a new man with links to the Fergussons’ past comes to take Jem’s place. Sandy is asked, “If your house was built on the sand down by the shore, what would you do?” He responded that he would tear it down, piece by piece, and rebuild it on the rock. He came to see that the good works he was counting on to get him into heaven were a sandy foundation, and he chose to rebuild his life on Christ. Alick also believed in Him.

After a while, it was discovered that the little girl’s parents were not with her on the ship, after all. They came to claim her, and although the Fergussons hated to part with her, they were happy to see her with her parents again. Alick, after all, did not have to part with her. Grateful for the islanders’ kindness, the girl’s parents took him with them, and sent him to school. He left the island, knowing on Whom to build his life.

A sweet, touching story.

Through the Fray

by G. A. Henty
Available from Amazon
****
This book deviates from the most frequent pattern of G. A. Henty’s books. Usually his heroes are in the midst of a historical time, are well acquainted with some of the leading figures of the day, emerge victorious from their conflicts, and come to be known and admired due to their courage, honesty, and wholesome character. This book is set in the Luddite Riots at the beginning of the industrial revolution in the early 1800s. However, even though Ned Sankey behaves with distinction in these affairs, the main battle of the book is with his own temper.

Left to the care of his ayahs in India during his early childhood, Ned was wont to give way to his passionate temper to get his way. He learned to control it under his father’s hand after the family relocated to England, but he still gave way under severe provocation. From the beginning of the book, Ned has the reader’s sympathies as he struggles to do what is right, and take his schoolmaster’s abuse quietly. We approve of his valor in a fair fight against an older boy, as well as his kindness to him afterwards. Ned’s anger erupts in a few incidents, one of which leads his mother, the town and the authorities to believe him guilty of a heinous crime, although he was entirely innocent. He was acquitted at his trial, but most believed it was only because there was not enough evidence to convict. In the end, the true criminal is exposed and Ned’s character is redeemed. Through this all, Ned learned the disastrous results of an uncontrolled temper, and we are told that he was always the master of himself ever after. I only wish that his father and counselors, when encouraging him to do right, had shown him the strength available in Christ, rather than appealing to his manhood.

I really enjoyed this book, certainly more than others by Henty, probably because the enemy to be conquered was not a foreign foe, but self, the enemy we are born to battle. Henty's skill in weaving a story is almost more apparent in this book, as he gives so much information on the Luddites and their conditions, information I'd never heard. He blends this so well - better than in some of his other works, in my opinion - with the drama in Ned's personal life. Perhaps because of this, there is never a dull moment in the book. I found no areas that seemed easier to skim, and there are no long passages of pure history dropped into the story. The history is always enjoyable, but in this book, it is blended so well, that the historical facts will be picked up effortlessly while enjoying the tale. Recommended!

Little King Davie

by Nellie Hellis
Available from Lamplighter Publishing and Amazon
*****
Eleven year old Davie Scott swept the London street crossings to help support his twice-widowed mother and twin siblings. Music has always thrilled his young soul, and he took every opportunity to listen outside churches and cathedrals to the beautiful singing inside. One day he was listening to the singing outside, and decided to wait until the musical preacher’s voice finished, so he could listen to the closing hymn. A man noticed him and invited him inside to be able to hear the preacher’s words. Davie had always thought that religion was for the rich people. Their wealth must help them to understand it. But this night, the preacher spoke very plainly, and Davie found his heart burning to know how he could be a king and priest to God.

After the sermon and closing hymn, Davie wanted to speak to the minister and ask about his words, but he was swept away by the crowd. He was walking down the sidewalk when he saw the preacher walking away, and crossed the street to speak to him. He was so focused on his mission that he failed to pay attention to the traffic and was run over by a carriage.

In the hospital, Davie was not recovering quickly, although his doctor gave him the most tender care. The doctor asked Davie one day if there was anything he would like, and Davie told him of his desire to speak to the preacher he heard that night, and ask him how to be a king and priest to God. His doctor found that the preacher was not from London, but a nurse who knew him told Mr. Kilmarnock of Davie’s request. He came at once, and spoke to Davie about the Lord on the critical night when Davie was expected to die. Davie understood that “it was for him, then, that Christ had died.

The story continues through Davie’s recovery, during which his clear singing and testimony cause him to be nicknamed “King Davie”. He returned home, which was more comfortable than before thanks to the help of the lady whose carriage had run over poor Davie. Through her influence, Davie was delighted to become a chorister, and was actually paid to sing! In the end, Davie’s trust in God became the means of his mother’s coming to know Christ, and Him crucified.

It's a sweet little story: great for children and refreshing for adults.