The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story - Softcover

Taylor, Peter Lane; Nicola, Christos

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1580132618 ISBN 13: 9781580132619

Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing ®, 2007

Synopsis

According to legend, a group of Jewish families survived the Holocaust by hiding out for months in the 77 miles of caves in Ukraine known as Priest's Grotto. Cavers Taylor and Nicola chronicle their trip to explore the caves and uncover the story of the survivors.

About this title

About the Author:

Peter Lane Taylor is an award-winning writer, photographer, and filmmaker specializing in science, adventure, and exploration, whose work has taken him to some of the rarest and most extreme locations on Earth. His articles have appeared in National Geographic, Ranger Rick, and Outside, while his films have been shown on The Learning Channel and PBS. Taylor is a co-founder of Frontier Media Ventures (www.frontiermediaventures.com), a media firm specializing in science and adventure.

Christos Nicola, born in the United Kingdom, has devoted more than 30 years to the study and exploration of caves in the former Soviet Union, as well as in the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas. He is the founder of the non-profit Ukrainian American Youth Caver Exchange Foundation, a student exchange program dedicated to fostering relationships between young American and Ukrainian caving enthusiasts.

Christos Nicola, born in the United Kingdom, has devoted more than 30 years to the study and exploration of caves in the former Soviet Union, as well as in the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas. He is the founder of the non-profit Ukrainian American Youth Caver Exchange Foundation, a student exchange program dedicated to fostering relationships between young American and Ukrainian caving enthusiasts.

Peter Lane Taylor is an award-winning writer, photographer, and filmmaker specializing in science, adventure, and exploration, whose work has taken him to some of the rarest and most extreme locations on Earth. His articles have appeared in National Geographic, Ranger Rick, and Outside, while his films have been shown on The Learning Channel and PBS. Taylor is a co-founder of Frontier Media Ventures (www.frontiermediaventures.com), a media firm specializing in science and adventure.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up—During World War II, as the Nazis closed in, several Jewish families disappeared into the underground labyrinths of Western Ukraine. They stayed hidden for nearly a year, facing danger of discovery, malnutrition, and the disorientation of sensory deprivation. At the end of the war, they emerged triumphant due to ingenuity and family loyalty. Now Taylor, an American writer, filmmaker, and caving enthusiast, follows Nicola's lead to document this saga of survival. The men's own explorations of the Ukrainian caves provide a firsthand account and Taylor's striking photographs bring the story to life. The addition of survivor interviews, historical and contemporary photos, and quotes from survivor Esther Stermer's published memoir, We Fight to Survive, results in an extremely thorough account of events. This overwhelming thoroughness is the book's strength and weakness. On the one hand, it is a researcher's dream of excellent documentation; on the other hand, the detailed descriptions, lists of names, and exacting chronologies weigh down the story and make it somewhat difficult for its remarkable nature to shine through. Sophisticated vocabulary may also prove a challenge for young readers. Despite these drawbacks, the uniqueness of the setting and the power of the historical and modern stories being told will attract both browsers and report writers.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL
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About this edition

• Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing ®
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1580132618
• ISBN 13: 9781580132619
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64