The Good Doctor of Warsaw: A novel of hope in the dark, for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

By Elisabeth Gifford

'Powerful, harrowing, and ultimately uplifting.' Andrew Taylor
'A brave, moving and important book.' Katherine Clements
'Vivid [and] utterly inspiring.' Telegraph
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'You do not leave a sick child alone to face the dark and you do not leave a child at a time like this.'

Warsaw, 1940. The Jewish ghetto is under the Nazis' brutal control. Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children slowly starve within the walls.
But while all around is darkness, one man brings hope, caring for the ever-increasing number of destitute orphans in the face of unimaginable conditions.
And, torn apart as the noose tightens around the ghetto, how will one young couple's love survive the terrible tests of wartime?
Half a million people lived in the Warsaw ghetto. Less than one percent survived to tell their story. This novel is based on the true accounts of Misha and Sophia, and on the life of one of Poland's greatest men, Dr Janusz Korczak.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Corvus
• Release date: Feb 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781786492470

Elisabeth Gifford

Liz Gifford has written articles for the Times and Independent newspapers on education, and is currently completing an MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway University with Sir Andrew Motion.

Reviews for The Good Doctor of Warsaw

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When you look at the tragedies and inhumanities of WWII there are some true beacons of light and love that stand out for the help that they provided. This novel is based on the life of one of Poland's greatest heroes Dr. Janusz who worked to protect the children in his orphanage. He did his best to provide them with food, when there was no food, safety in the danger and love which he offered unconditionally to the children.Misha and Sophia met at college and immediately connected with each other. They were both compassionate and loving people who worked to take care of others. Misha worked at the orphanage when he wasn't in classes and Misha soon became interested in helping. After the Nazis invaded Warsaw, their lives changed. They could no longer attend university and had to follow the strict rules of the new regime. Soon the Jewish families were moved into a ghetto with terrible conditions. Misha and Sophia still worked with the children and tried to help Dr Janusz take care of them. As things got worse, they walked away to try to find a safer place to live. They are torn from each other and can only hope that they will find each other again after the war. Back in Warsaw, the doctor kept trying to protect the children and keep them from the concentration camp. He was a real glimmer of light in the darkness that was covering Poland at the time.This well researched novel is another chapter about that horrific war and some of the forgotten people who worked to help others. It's a look at the war through the eyes of people who were there and about people who put their lives in danger to help others. Even if you've read lots of WWII books, you need to read The Good Doctor to learn more about a real life hero.