Book Review From Rick’s Library: Saints and Liars

⏱️ 10 min read                            

What happens when a train station becomes a place of fear instead of departure? 

In June 1941, the Marseille train station is packed, the air thick with fear. Among the crowd—dozens of children, their eyes darting, searching for safety that may never come. Their parents? Gone. Rounded up, imprisoned, or worse. And yet, in the shadows, a handful of Americans—defying the Nazis, bending every rule—are plotting a daring escape. 

Their mission? Smuggle these children out before it’s too late. Who were these unsung heroes? And how did they pull off one of the most audacious rescues of World War II? This is the story of courage in the face of tyranny, and it comes from the book titled ‘Saints and Liars’ by Deborah Dwork.  

Welcome to That's Life, I Swear. This podcast is about life's happenings in this world, that conjure up such words as intriguing, frightening, life-changing, inspiring, and more. I'm Rick Barron, your host. 

That said, here’s the rest of this story 

Abstract of the book   

In Saints and Liars, historian Deborah Dwork pulls back the veil on a chilling chapter of World War II history, revealing the high-stakes world of American humanitarians who risked everything to save Jewish refugees and political dissidents from the tightening grip of the Nazis. 

Before the U.S. had officially entered the war, these individuals—missionaries, aid workers, and ordinary citizens—embarked on covert operations across Europe, navigating dangerous terrain, hostile regimes, and bureaucratic red tape to smuggle the persecuted to safety. It’s revealed in the book that some the successful rescues were sometimes just a question of luck and timing. 

Debórah, director of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity at the City University of New York Graduate Center, recounts the experiences of rescue workers in five pivotal cities as conditions on the ground became increasingly desperate. 

These volunteers were driven by kindness for others, by religious duty or sheer moral outrage. But the deeper they walked into the Nazi-occupied territories, the more dangerous their missions became. Espionage accusations, Gestapo surveillance, and logistical nightmares were constant threats. Some succeeded in orchestrating daring escapes, while others were betrayed, caught, or forced to make impossible decisions about whom they could save and whom they had to leave behind. 

Deborah shares in the book interesting histories of various locations that the volunteers covered, focusing on five cities, from 1939 to 1943: Prague in 1939, Vilna (now Vilnius) in 1940, Shanghai in 1941, Marseille in 1942, and finally, Lisbon in 1943. 

Her meticulous research and vivid storytelling place the reader right in the heart of this moral battleground, forcing us to ask: What would we have done in their place? Saints and Liars is a terrifying yet inspiring testament to the courage of those who chose to defy evil, even when the cost was unbearably high, even to point of death itself. 

About the author 

Debórah Dwork is one of the foremost scholars in Holocaust history, renowned for her pioneering work in documenting the personal experiences of victims and survivors. She is the Director of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity at the Graduate Center—City University of New York.

Her previous works, including Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe and Auschwitz (co-authored with Robert Jan van Pelt), have reshaped Holocaust studies by emphasizing firsthand testimonies and the lived experiences of those who endured Nazi persecution. 

As the founding director of the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University, Deborah has dedicated her career to uncovering the human stories behind history’s darkest moments. Her rigorous scholarship, combined with a deeply empathetic approach to storytelling, makes Saints and Liars another vital contribution to our understanding of moral courage in times of genocide. 

What drew my interest in reading this book?  

Saints and Liars stands apart from other World War II histories because it doesn’t focus on military strategy or political leaders; instead, it dives in right away on the unsung heroes—ordinary Americans who took extraordinary risks to fight against injustice. The story will appeal to readers interested in:
 
 -Humanitarian courage: The book profiles individuals who, despite the immense danger, acted on their conscience when most of the world stood by.
 
 -Moral dilemmas: Deborah masterfully explores the difficult choices these aid workers faced- who to save, who to leave behind, and how to outmaneuver ruthless Nazi forces.
 
 -Real-life espionage and resistance: The book reads like a thriller, detailing clandestine operations, forged documents, and perilous escapes that feel straight out of a spy novel—but with real-life stakes.
 
 -A fresh perspective on WWII: While many books focus on battles and political leaders, Saints and Liars shines a light on noncombatants who waged their own kind of war against Nazi brutality.
 
 For anyone interested in resistance movements, Holocaust studies, or the ethics of intervention, Saints and Liars is a gripping and essential read. 

During an interview, Deborah was asked why she titled the book, ‘Saints and Liars’. She stated: I called it Saints and Liars because that’s what these people were. They did amazing things, in a non-religious sense. They did miraculous things. They saved people either by helping them to move on, get to sea, find a safe harbor, or by feeding, clothing and sheltering them. 

And at the same time, nearly all of them lied. They broke rules and played fast and loose with the truth in order to accomplish their goals. 

What can we learn from this book? What's the take away?  

The lessons of Saints and Liars resonate far beyond World War II. The book forces readers to confront essential questions about personal responsibility in times of crisis. Key takeaways include:
 
 -The power of individual action: Even in the face of overwhelming evil, a single person’s courage can make a life-or-death difference.
 
 -Moral ambiguity in resistance work: The aid workers weren’t saints—they made mistakes, broke laws, and sometimes had to compromise their values for the greater good. Their humanity makes their sacrifices even more powerful.
 
 -The consequences of inaction: Bureaucratic delays and government reluctance cost lives. The book serves as a stark reminder of what happens when the world turns a blind eye to atrocities.
 
 -Echoes in modern humanitarian crises: From Syria to Ukraine, refugees today still face persecution and displacement. Saints and Liars challenges us to ask: Are we doing enough?
       
 Through riveting storytelling and rigorous scholarship, Saints and Liars is more than just a history book—it’s a moral call to arms, urging us to recognize the moments when we, too, might be called to stand against injustice.
 
 Deborah Dwork’s Saints and Liars is a masterclass in historical storytelling, blending heart-pounding suspense with profound ethical questions. It’s an unflinching look at those who risked everything to save lives and the price they paid for their heroism. A must-read for history buffs, ethical thinkers, and anyone who believes in the enduring power of human decency in the face of unimaginable horror. 

Well, there you go. That’s life, I swear. 

For further information covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, for show notes and the episode transcript. 

As always, I thank you for the privilege of you listening and your interest. 

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