In 1942, Lisbon, Portugal, gathered many exiles waiting to go to the United States. Late one night, two strangers met at the pier. One person is wandering around because he has no boat tickets, and the other person is willing to give away his two tickets on the condition that the other person will listen to him until dawn, and the story unfolds.
The person who sent the ticket was the German Joseph Schwarz. Because he opposed the Nazi regime, he was reported by his brother-in-law who was a Gestapo and was sent to a concentration camp. He later escaped from Germany, but took the risk to return to China to visit his wife Helen. Helen decided to leave Germany with Joseph. They traveled to Switzerland, France, and Spain, separated and reunited several times, escaped various pursuits and imprisonments, and finally arrived in Lisbon, but at the last moment they were unable to board the ship to the "Promised Land"... Joseph and Helen's escape is an "epic composed of horror, comedy, escape, bureaucracy, despair and love."
Reader comments
The plot of this book is truly gripping! The protagonist Joseph bravely fights against the Nazis, and escapes with his wife Helen after many hardships. Their persistence and love are touching. This reminds me of "Schindler's List", both stories showing humanity in the context of war. Joseph and Helen in the book are like lights in the darkness. Their experiences make me appreciate my current life even more. I think this book is worth reading and recommend it to you!
The plot of this book is truly gripping! The protagonist Joseph bravely fights against the Nazis, and escapes with his wife Helen after many hardships. Their persistence and love are touching. This reminds me of "Schindler's List", both stories showing humanity in the context of war. Joseph and Helen in the book are like lights in the darkness. Their experiences make me appreciate my current life even more. I think this book is worth reading and recommend it to you!