{"title":"Jaci Byrne","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJaci Byrne\u003c\/strong\u003e offers gripping historical narratives that delve deeply into the World War II era, with a particular focus on personal stories and the harrowing experiences within concentration camps. Her work combines meticulous research with a compelling narrative style that brings history vividly to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect powerful accounts that explore themes of resilience, survival, and the enduring human spirit amidst the darkest periods of history. Byrne’s books illuminate untold stories, enriching understanding of past conflicts through emotive and thoughtfully crafted prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-music-maker-of-auschwitz-iv-by-jaci-byrne-9781922387820","title":"The Music Maker of Auschwitz IV","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inspirational true story of an Allied POW appointed Kapellmeister to the Nazis in Auschwitz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen called up to fight in yet another World War, Drum Major Jackson promised his beloved wife Mabel that he would return to lead his band and play for her once more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn May 1940, he was captured at Dunkirk and interned in several German forced labour camps throughout Poland. Two years later, he was transferred to Auschwitz IV, part of the notorious concentration camp complex, where it is not widely known that Allied POWs were held.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen his captors appointed Jackson their ‘Kapellmeister’ (man in charge of music), he seized the opportunity to provide entertainment for his fellow prisoners at rehearsals, and cover for escapees during concerts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFinally liberated in May 1945, malnourished and gravely ill, Jackson carried his secret war diary—an incredible exposé on five years of life and death in Nazi concentration camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Music Maker of Auschwitz IV\u003c\/em\u003e, based on Jackson’s diary, is written by his granddaughter. It is a thrilling testament to the resilience one man found in the darkest of times through his two greatest loves—music and the woman who waited for him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46656533004524,"sku":"9781922387820","price":35.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/12289323482872.jpg?v=1752479555"},{"product_id":"the-music-maker-of-auschwitz-by-jaci-byrne-9781923720312","title":"The Music Maker of Auschwitz","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is a gripping story of a strong but simple man who found himself in two world wars, with two great passions: one for music that helped him survive; one for his wife who helped him live.\u003c\/em\u003e — Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCaptured at Dunkirk in 1940, accomplished musician Drum Major Henry Barnes Jackson promised his wife he would return home to serenade her again. Instead, he was marched through a brutal system of Nazi prison camps where survival was never guaranteed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1942, Jackson was transferred to Auschwitz IV—part of the notorious concentration camp complex where Allied POWs were also imprisoned. There, he was ordered to become the camp’s Music Maker, leading performances for his captors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut what began as an act of control became an act of quiet defiance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough music, Jackson lifted the spirits of fellow prisoners, created moments of hope in unimaginable conditions, and even helped conceal escape attempts. All the while, he risked everything to keep a secret diary—recording the truth of life inside the camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen liberation finally came in 1945, Jackson emerged gravely ill but alive. Hidden among his belongings was the diary that would bear witness to five years of courage, suffering and survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by his granddaughter, \u003cem\u003eThe Music Maker of Auschwitz\u003c\/em\u003e is a powerful true story of resilience, love, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of darkness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eByrne transforms her grandfather’s war diary into a powerful testament to the extraordinary strength of mind.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat a story and what a moving book! … This is an outstanding book.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Windscreen Magazine, The Military Trust\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48084219232492,"sku":"9781923720312","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781923720312-the-music-maker-of-auschwitz.jpg?v=1785733432"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/jaci-byrne.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}