This week, we feature the untold story of a Polish resistance fighter and an insightful anthology exploring America’s Jewish connection.

American History

‘War Without Mercy: Liberty or Death in the American Revolution’

By Mark Edward Lender and James Kirby Martin

Today, many believe the American Revolution was fought generally following European rules of lawful warfare. The regular armies of both sides fought that way. Yet this represented roughly 7 percent of the fighting. The rest was done by irregulars: civilian partisans, unorganized militias, Native Americans, even out-and-out bandits. This book documents that war. It shows how violent warfare gets when unconstrained by limits, becoming war to the knife, where survival is all. It shows why civil war should be avoided.

Osprey Publishing, 2025, 288 pages

Espionage

‘Agent Zo: The Untold Story of a Fearless World War II Resistance Fighter’

By Clare Mulley

Poland, the nation that had just reclaimed its identity after World War I, was split in half by the invading forces of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. This is the story of the Polish Resistance centered around a brilliant young woman whose incredible daring proved an invaluable asset to the fight against the Nazis. While the French Resistance often garners much fanfare among resistance organizations, Mulley demonstrates the disturbing brutality the Polish faced. An intriguing read.

Pegasus Books, 2024, 416 pages

Nonfiction

‘Jewish Roots of American Liberty: The Impact of  Hebraic Ideas on the American Story’

By Wilfred McClay and Stuart Halpern

Here are 21 essays by Halpern, McClay, and others focusing on the impact of Hebraic ideas on America. In addition to commentary on the correspondences of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt with Jewish organizations are articles addressing topics like the biblical influences on Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and on authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne. Other essays examine the influence of figures like Daniel, Esther, and Samson on generations of Americans. A fine and timely anthology.

Encounter Books, 2025, 304 pages

Mystery

‘When Hell Struck Twelve: A Billy Boyle World War II Mystery’

By James R. Benn

Billy Boyle was a police detective, an Irish Boston cop, related to a then-obscure brigadier general, Dwight Eisenhower. When the United States entered World War II, Boyle landed a post on Uncle Ike’s staff, going to Europe when Eisenhower took command there. Eisenhower uses Boyle for potentially politically or militarily sensitive criminal investigations. In this book, which takes place in August 1944, Boyle and his team are sent to track down “Atlantik,” a French traitor within the French Maquis.

Soho Crime, 2020, 384 pages

Classics

‘World War One Short Stories’

Edited by Bob Blaisdell

This collection of 18 stories takes us from Mary Sinclair’s “Red Tape” and the British public’s initial enthusiasm for war against the Kaiser into the postwar era and a father’s grief for his dead son. Included are works by authors like Isaak Babel, Rudyard Kipling, and Ford Madox Ford. Somerset Maugham’s spy Ashenden appears here, and, as the editor notes, one of the more powerful pieces is American Mary Borden’s “Blind” about a nurse near the front lines. A worthy memorial to a savage war.

Dover Publications, 2013, 176 pages

For Kids

‘Thanksgiving Is …’

By Gail Gibbons

A delightful holiday treat, “Thanksgiving Is …” gives an overview of Thanksgiving—from ancient traditions around the world, to America’s first pilgrims and their Thanksgiving feast with the natives who helped them, to familiar, modern celebrations of family gatherings and balloon parades. A perfect read-aloud in preparation for Thanksgiving.

Holiday House, 2004, 32 pages

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