{"title":"Margaret Taft","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the captivating world of Margaret Taft, an esteemed author known for her exceptional ability to weave narratives that bring history to life. Her works delve into the realms of \u003cem\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Military\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/em\u003e, captivating readers with well-researched and heartfelt storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMargaret Taft's profound understanding of historical events and her keen eye for detail are most vividly displayed in her celebrated books, such as \u003cem\u003eA Second Chance\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eLeo and Mina Fink\u003c\/em\u003e. In \u003cem\u003eA Second Chance\u003c\/em\u003e, Taft explores themes of resilience and hope during trying times, offering readers a compelling journey through past narratives that resonate with courage and tenacity. Meanwhile, \u003cem\u003eLeo and Mina Fink\u003c\/em\u003e is an evocative memoir that offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of its titular characters, painting a poignant picture of personal struggles and triumphs against the backdrop of significant historical events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDive into Margaret Taft's collection and experience stories that not only enlighten but also inspire, transporting you to different eras with a unique blend of factual precision and narrative grace. Whether you're a history enthusiast or someone who loves a good life story, her books promise to enrich your understanding and touch your heart in meaningful ways.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"leo-and-mina-fink-by-margaret-taft-9781922464866","title":"Leo and Mina Fink","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the darkest days of the Holocaust, Europe's Jews faced annihilation. In faraway Melbourne, immigrants \u003cem\u003eLeo and Mina Fink\u003c\/em\u003e rallied to rescue the survivors. It was a massive task. Undaunted, they battled bureaucrats, public opinion, and at times the Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell. Marshalling the might of local and international agencies, they spearheaded the urgent relief and resettlement of thousands of displaced Holocaust survivors desperate to leave a shattered Europe, a graveyard continent of dust and ashes. By 1954, 17,000 survivors called Australia home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the chaos of war, Leo and Mina remained at the forefront of community life. They initiated expansive welfare programmes, while personally helping countless individuals. Mina's devotion to a group of war orphans known as the 'Buchenwald boys' was testament to her relentless efforts, along with Leo's, to improve the lives of others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut survival of the Jewish world remained paramount. Leo pioneered the first Australian business venture in Israel, in a bid to underpin the young nation's fragile economy. Mina's global outreach and humanitarian vision transformed the National Council of Jewish Women into a proactive force with a clear feminist agenda. When Holocaust denial launched its assault on historical truth and memory, Mina championed the establishment of Melbourne's Holocaust Museum, pushing its mandate beyond remembrance to education, to combat all forms of racism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLeo and Mina Fink\u003c\/em\u003e's remarkable story is skilfully told through the turbulent, rapidly shifting times in which they lived. This is a compelling account of how and why two individuals set out to change the world for the greater good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46844358885612,"sku":"9781922464866","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13059783482872.jpg?v=1758838561"},{"product_id":"a-second-chance-by-andrew-markus-9781925495850","title":"A Second Chance","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted for the Victorian Community History Awards 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey came from an old world to a new land. The Yiddish speakers from Eastern Europe brought few material possessions but clung to a language and a culture that defined who they were, a way of life that had endured pogroms, persecution, and a genocide that pushed them to the brink of extinction. Melbourne gave them a second chance at life, an opportunity to rebuild a secular Yiddish world that sat at the core of their existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHardship had taught these Jews to be resilient, fiercely independent, and great institution builders. A community centre quickly became the beating heart of Yiddish Melbourne. The arts flourished, newspapers were launched, and schools were established. But these immigrants also brought their competing political ideals, hotly contested notions of what it meant to be a Jew and how to live life in this furthest corner of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTheir arrival in Melbourne was not always welcomed. The Australian authorities only grudgingly accepted them as immigrants, in restricted numbers and under the sponsorship of Jews already living here. Yiddish speakers, with their boisterous demeanour and high visibility, challenged the authority of the established Jewish community, which traced its origins to the first settlement and which believed that 'blending in' was the antidote to antisemitism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUsing the voices of the immigrants themselves and archival sources, the authors give a compelling account of how these Yiddish speakers came to shape, change, and define an entire community in \u003cem\u003eA Second Chance\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000543690988,"sku":"9781925495850","price":34.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15283833482873.jpg?v=1763283225"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/margaret-taft.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}