{"title":"Mario Escobar","description":"\u003cp\u003eMario Escobar's novels skilfully blend \u003cem\u003ehistorical fiction\u003c\/em\u003e with poignant tales of love, courage, and resilience. Set against rich backdrops from wartime Europe to untold corners of history, his stories invite readers to explore forgotten moments and the enduring strength of the human spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExpect narratives that weave romance and gripping drama into meticulously researched settings, bringing to life characters who navigate both personal and historical challenges. Escobar’s work is a compelling journey through the past, illuminated by compassion and insight.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bookseller-in-madrid-by-mario-escobar-9781400353972","title":"Bookseller In Madrid","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow can the words of the past help heal the horror of the present?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor as long as she can remember, Barbara Spiel has always found solace in books. Born in Germany and having come of age in a tumultuous era, she flees her home country as the Nazis rise to power in the early 1930s. Her destination is Madrid. There, she's determined to realise her long-held dream of opening a bookshop and creating a safe haven for young idealists and independent thinkers to come together to transform the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet Spain isn't immune from its own troubles. The winds of change are blowing through both city and countryside, and it's impossible to predict what will happen. When the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War puts Barbara and everyone around her in peril—including the Spanish Socialist parliamentarian she's fallen deeply in love with—the terror and hatred seem all too familiar. It's like Germany all over again, only with its own cast of extremist characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHounded simultaneously by Stalinist checas, Francoist Fascists, and the German Gestapo, Barbara fights to keep her bookstore the safe haven that she's always imagined it would be. But with war brewing both inside Spain and outside its borders throughout the entirety of Europe—and beyond—Barbara isn't sure who exactly she can trust, or if people really are who they claim to be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA story told with tremendous heart and astonishing historical accuracy, \u003cem\u003eBookseller In Madrid\u003c\/em\u003e is ultimately a story about dreams—dreaming with courage when nothing seems to make sense, and dreaming with hope when words printed on a page are all you can hold on to.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46438875594988,"sku":"9781400353972","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781400353972.jpg?v=1747202914"},{"product_id":"the-teacher-of-warsaw-by-mario-escobar-9781400238323","title":"The Teacher of Warsaw","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"I want everyone I know to read this book.\" --Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Things We Cannot Say\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor fans of \u003cem\u003eThe Warsaw Orphan\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Tattooist of Auschwitz\u003c\/em\u003e. The start of WWII changed everything in Poland irrevocably—except for one man's capacity to love.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeptember 1, 1939\u003c\/em\u003e: Sixty-year-old Janusz Korczak and the students and teachers at his Dom Sierot Jewish orphanage are outside enjoying a beautiful day in Warsaw. Hours later, their lives are altered forever when the Nazis invade. Suddenly treated as an outcast in his own city, Janusz—a respected leader known for his heroism and teaching—is determined to do whatever it takes to protect the children from the horrors to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen over four hundred thousand Jewish people are rounded up and forced to live in the 1.3-square-mile walled compound of the Warsaw ghetto, Janusz and his friends take drastic measures to shield the children from disease and starvation. With dignity and courage, the teachers and students of Dom Sierot create their own tiny army of love and bravely prepare to march toward the future—whatever it may hold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnforgettable, devastating, and inspired by a real-life hero of the Holocaust, \u003cem\u003eThe Teacher of Warsaw\u003c\/em\u003e reminds the world that one single person can incite meaning, hope, and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor fans of \u003cem\u003eThe Goddess of Warsaw\u003c\/em\u003e, this gripping WWII novel offers a unique perspective on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. With its powerful storytelling and poignant characters, \u003cem\u003eThe Teacher of Warsaw\u003c\/em\u003e is a perfect book club pick. Delve deeper into the history and themes of the novel with the included timeline, author notes, and discussion questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd don't miss Mario's other books: \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuschwitz Lullaby, Children of the Stars, Remember Me, The Librarian of Saint-Malo\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Forgotten Names\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A beautifully written, deeply emotional story of hope, love, and courage in the face of unspeakable horrors. That such self-sacrifice, dedication and goodness existed restores faith in humankind. Escobar's heart-rending yet uplifting tale is made all the more poignant by its authenticity. Bravo!\" --Tea Cooper, award-winning and bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Cartographer's Secret\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46511502885100,"sku":"9781400238323","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14751293482686.jpg?v=1748824112"},{"product_id":"the-librarian-of-saint-malo-by-mario-escobar-9780785239949","title":"The Librarian of Saint-Malo","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eAuschwitz Lullaby\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Teacher of Warsaw\u003c\/em\u003e, Mario Escobar's \u003cem\u003eThe Librarian of Saint-Malo\u003c\/em\u003e is described as a \"powerful portrait of a woman fighting to preserve knowledge in a crumbling world\" (Publishers Weekly). Based on a true story, it follows an inspiring librarian who risked everything to save her community and their history. Perfect for fans of \u003cem\u003eThe Keeper of Hidden Books\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLibraries are being ransacked. France is torn apart by war. A French librarian is determined to resist. Told through smuggled letters to an author, an ordinary librarian describes the brutal Nazi occupation of her small coastal village and the extraordinary measures she takes to fight back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSaint-Malo, France: August 1939. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood sweethearts, but just after they marry, Antoine is drafted to fight against Germany. As World War II rages, Jocelyn uses her position as a librarian in her town of Saint-Malo to comfort and encourage her community with books. Jocelyn begins to write secret letters smuggled to a famous Parisian author, telling her story in the hope that it will someday reach the outside world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrance falls and the Nazis occupy Jocelyn's town, turning it into a fortress. The townspeople try passive resistance, but the German commander ruthlessly begins to destroy part of the city's libraries. Books deemed unsuitable by the Nazis are burnt or stolen, and priceless knowledge is lost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRisking arrest and even her life, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the books while desperately waiting to receive news from her husband Antoine, now a prisoner in a German camp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJocelyn's mission unfolds in her letters: to protect the people of Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. Mario Escobar brings to life the occupied city in sweeping and romantic prose, re-creating the history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46533226856684,"sku":"9780785239949","price":29.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15555563482467.jpg?v=1749377663"},{"product_id":"the-forgotten-names-by-mario-escobar-9781400248414","title":"The Forgotten Names","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor fans of \u003cem\u003eThe Book of Lost Names\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Way We Hide\u003c\/em\u003e!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn August 1942, French parents were faced with a horrible choice: watch their children die, or abandon them forever. Fifty years later, it becomes one woman's mission to match the abandoned names with the people they belong to.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFive years after the highly publicized trial of Klaus Barbie, the \"Butcher of Lyon,\" law student Valérie Portheret began her doctoral research into the 108 children who disappeared from Vénissieux fifty years earlier, children who somehow managed to escape deportation and certain death in the German concentration camps. She soon discovers that their rescue was no unexplainable miracle. It was the result of a coordinated effort by clergy, civilians, the French Resistance, and members of other humanitarian organizations who risked their lives as part of a committee dedicated to saving those most vulnerable innocents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTheirs was a heroic act without precedent in Nazi-occupied Europe, made possible due to a loophole in the Nazi agenda to deport all Jewish immigrants from the country: a legally recognised exemption for unaccompanied minors. Therefore, to save their children, the Jewish mothers of Vénissieux were asked to make the ultimate sacrifice of abandoning them forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTold in dual timelines, \u003cem\u003eThe Forgotten Names\u003c\/em\u003e is a reimagined account of the true stories of the French men and women who have since been named Righteous Among the Nations, the children they rescued, the stifled cries of shattered mothers, and a law student, whose twenty-five-year journey allowed those children to reclaim their heritage and remember their forgotten names. With its gripping narrative and thought-provoking themes, \u003cem\u003eThe Forgotten Names\u003c\/em\u003e is a must-read for history enthusiasts and book clubs alike. Dive deeper into the novel with included discussion questions, a historical timeline, and insightful author notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso by author: \u003cem\u003eAuschwitz Lullaby\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eChildren of the Stars\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eRemember Me\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Librarian of Saint-Malo\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Teacher of Warsaw\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Swiss Nurse\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46553414631660,"sku":"9781400248414","price":29.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14852203482686.jpg?v=1750071828"},{"product_id":"the-swiss-nurse-by-mario-escobar-9781400236053","title":"The Swiss Nurse","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Within the harrowing landscape of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II, Escobar shines a light on hope and humanity. Descriptions and prose, both startling and lyrical, bring you into the scene and into the lives of both Elisabeth and Isabel as they strive to survive, thrive, and care for others in this gripping tale of destruction, war, and the endless potential within the human heart to endure, sacrifice, and rejoice.\" --Katherine Reay, author of \u003cem\u003eThe London House\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eA Shadow in Moscow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBased on the true story of an astonishingly brave woman who saved hundreds of mothers and their children during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eElisabeth Eidenbenz left Switzerland in 1937 to aid children orphaned during the Spanish Civil War. Now, her work has led her to France, where she's determined to provide expectant mothers and their unborn children a refuge amid one of the worst humanitarian crises of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDesperate to escape the invasion of Franco's Fascist troops, Isabel Dueñas becomes one of many Spanish patriots fleeing their country. She leaves behind her husband as he fights for democracy, and she seeks asylum in a refugee camp across the border in France. Without adequate shelter, clean drinking water, or medical care, Isabel's future looks bleak—until she meets Elisabeth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Germany invades Poland, an avalanche of humanity sweeps into France. In the cascade of crises that follow, Isabel and Elisabeth learn the cost and the unexpected joy of sacrifice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the true stories of refugees and the woman who risked everything to save them, \u003cem\u003eThe Swiss Nurse\u003c\/em\u003e shares a message of love and strength amid one of history's often overlooked conflicts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect for book clubs, this gripping tale delves into the little-known stories of refugees and the extraordinary woman who risked everything to save them. Explore the historical timeline, author notes, and discussion questions included in the book for a deeper understanding of this captivating story.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46555997634796,"sku":"9781400236053","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14728593482686.jpg?v=1750130529"},{"product_id":"library-of-forbidden-books-by-mario-escobar-9781400361687","title":"Library Of Forbidden Books","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn a world of burning books, one woman will risk everything to keep stories alive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBerlin, 1933\u003c\/em\u003e. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge—they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of \"forbidden\" works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetermined to resist the encroaching tyranny, Helene and her colleagues embark on a perilous mission of secretly collecting and hiding the very books slated for destruction. It's a dangerous act of defiance in a city where every neighbour could be an informant and the Gestapo are a constant, looming threat. Her quiet rebellion is especially complicated by the fact that Helene is half-Jewish, and Rudolf Kummer, a ruthless Nazi official, seemingly has a personal vendetta against her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs the stakes escalate and friends and neighbours begin to disappear, Helene must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice. Her fight is not just for the pages she saves, but for the very soul of her country and the freedom to think.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBased on the heroic true stories of librarians who fought back, \u003cem\u003eLibrary of Forbidden Books\u003c\/em\u003e is a gripping tale of courage, the profound power of literature as resistance, and one woman's struggle to preserve humanity in the face of absolute evil.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47665518248172,"sku":"9781400361687","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781400361687-library-of-forbidden-books.jpg?v=1779748493"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/mario-escobar.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}