The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

This is the true account of Jan and Antonina Zabinski. They ran the Warsaw zoo at the outbreak of World War II. Through their efforts they were able to help save over 300 Jews during the war. Jan worked with the Polish underground, and they housed many refugees in their home, and on the zoo grounds.

I liked this book. My reading time the last few weeks has been quite disjointed, and most of my reading time has been late at night when I was tired. The book didn't grab me enough to keep me fascinated, but I found it very interesting. It reads almost like a novel. It does have quite a bit of natural history thrown in there too. I thought because of the title that it would be mostly about Antonina, but it was about Jan too, and a lot of others who worked together to save as many Jews as possible. At the end of the book there is a great chapter with follow-up on the people in the book.

I am always curious about the people who risked their lives and their families to save the Jews. What made them do it? They seem like ordinary people, but most people barely managed to survive themselves. Their love for humanity makes them extra-ordinary. This is the kind of person I hope I would have been, and hope I will be if ever put in the same situation.