Cider - Shop now
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$14.39 with 40 percent savings
Digital List Price: $23.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Audiobook Price: $18.89

Save: $5.90 (31%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Justus Rosenberg
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Art of Resistance: My Four Years in the French Underground Kindle Edition

by Justus Rosenberg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 393 ratings
“Thrillingly tells the story of an Eastern European Jew’s flight from the Holocaust and the years he spent fighting in the French underground.” —USA Today

An American Library in Paris Book Award “Coups de Coeur” Selection

In 1937, after witnessing a violent Nazi mob in his hometown of Danzig, a majority German city on the Baltic Sea, sixteen-year-old Justus Rosenberg was sent by his Jewish parents to Paris to finish his education in safety. Three years later, the Nazis came again, as France fell to the Germans. Alone and in danger, Justus fled Paris, heading south. A chance meeting led him to Varian Fry, an American journalist in Marseille who led a clandestine network helping thousands of men and women—including many legendary artists and intellectuals, among them Hannah Arendt, Marc Chagall, Andre Breton, and Max Ernst—escape the Nazis. With his intimate understanding of French and German culture, and fluency in several languages, including English, Justus became an invaluable member of Fry’s operation as a spy and scout.

After the Vichy government expelled Fry from France, Justus worked in Grenoble, recruiting young men and women for the Underground Army. For the next four years, he would be an essential component of the Resistance, relying on his wits and skills to survive several close calls with death. Once, he found himself in a Nazi internment camp, with his next stop Auschwitz—and yet Justus found an ingenious way to escape. He spent two years gathering intelligence, surveying German installations and troop movements on the Mediterranean. Then, after the allied invasion at Normandy in 1944, Justus became a guerrilla fighter, participating in and leading commando raids to disrupt the German retreat across France.

At the end of the Second World War, Justus emigrated to America, and built a new life. After decades teaching literature at Bard College, he now adds his own story to the library of great coming-of-age memoirs, a “gripping” chronicle of his youth in Nazi-occupied Europe, when he risked everything to stand against evil (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    296 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Custom House
  4. Publication date
    January 28, 2020
  5. File size
    28.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Thrillingly tells the story of an Eastern European Jew’s flight from the Holocaust and the years he spent fighting in the French underground.” — USA Today

"The very existence of The Art of Resistance is its most remarkable feature. But the story, too, is a good one, recounted with astonishing lucidity. It’s a picaresque tale of a teenager who survives assorted perils by dint of luck, courage and his intellectual gifts, encountering various famous people along the way." — Forward

"Rosenberg is a natural raconteur, with a pleasing conversational style. ... What shines through his engaging book is his evident desire to be helpful and responsible and his acute consciousness of how extraordinarily lucky he was." — The Times (London)

“Gripping. … Fearless. … Recalls imprisonments, escapes from confinement, and successful missions against the Nazis. … A welcome addition to the World War II memoir shelf.” — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review

“Rosenberg, professor emeritus of literature at Bard College, recounts his remarkable journey from young Polish-Jewish student to daring French underground freedom fighter in this powerful debut memoir. … Rosenberg, a modest narrator, nevertheless writes thrillingly of his life—of participating in reconnaissance and guerrilla attacks; joining the 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion as interpreter and scout; and serving as supply officer for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration—all while dodging injury, imprisonment, and death. Rosenberg’s memoir has all the suspense of a tense spy thriller.” — Publishers Weekly

“Rosenberg provides a thrilling account of gut-wrenching wartime experiences. … Highly recommended.” — Library Journal, STARRED Review

About the Author

JUSTUS ROSENBERG (1921-2021) was born in Danzig (present-day Gdansk, Poland), in 1921. Graduating from the Sorbonne, in Paris, he worked with the French underground for four years and then served in the United States Army. For his wartime service, Rosenberg received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. For seventy years, he taught at American universities; most recently as professor emeritus of languages and literature at Bard College, where he was on faculty for fifty years. He is the cofounder of the Justus & Karin Rosenberg Foundation, which works to combat anti-Semitism. In 2017 the French ambassador to the United States personally made Rosenberg a Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur, among France’s highest decorations, for his heroism during World War II.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0721K1Y6S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Custom House (January 28, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 28, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 28.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 393 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Justus Rosenberg

Justus Rosenberg

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
393 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book reads like a novel and is well written. Moreover, they appreciate its informative content, with one customer highlighting how it offers insights into the life of a young Jewish boy. Additionally, the story quality receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a fascinating recounting of experiences.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and exciting, noting that it reads like a novel.

"What an amazing story, and from a unique perspective. A great read, i strongly recommend reading this if you are inspired by real people from this..." Read more

"...It was like a spy story but in real life. A fantastic read." Read more

"...time still alive to provide such vivid accounts and that makes the book worth reading." Read more

"...She told me that "it reads like a thriller."..." Read more

10 customers mention "Intelligence"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and intelligent, with one review highlighting how it explores the life of a young Jewish boy during the war, while another notes its excellent first-person perspective.

"What an amazing story, and from a unique perspective...." Read more

"...traditional history than this book is, and has more information on various parts of the country...." Read more

"...The memoir is so beautifully written and evocative that it reads much like a novel. As students we knew nothing of his experiences in World War II...." Read more

"The book warrants five stars, as it's engrossing, evocative and informative. However, I revert to the..." Read more

10 customers mention "Story quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this memoir, describing it as wonderful and uplifting, with one customer highlighting its engaging epilogue.

"What an amazing story, and from a unique perspective...." Read more

"...Though this is not a great literary work, Rosenberg provides an exciting testimony of both the sacrifices and rewards of war service...." Read more

"...The adventures make for lively reading and the memoir certainly needed to be published, but there are a few points that might help the prospective..." Read more

"...turned out to be an extraordinarily well-written and fascinating recounting of his experiences leading up to and through WWII...." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting how the words create vivid images in their mind, while another finds it clearer than real life.

"This was a beautifully written memoir that I shared with a friend. She told me that "it reads like a thriller."..." Read more

"...The memoir is so beautifully written and evocative that it reads much like a novel. As students we knew nothing of his experiences in World War II...." Read more

"...The book gives a good description what life was like with the uprise of Nazism and occupation of France." Read more

"Well written, but there is much more to his story than 4 years in the underground. WWII beginning to end from a very different point of view" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Brett C Bernard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, Thank you Dr. Rosenberg
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    What an amazing story, and from a unique perspective. A great read, i strongly recommend reading this if you are inspired by real people from this heroic generation.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The book was highly educational not only of the Resistance but of the other aspects of the war. It was like a spy story but in real life. A fantastic read.
    Helpful
     Report
  • amachinist
    4.0 out of 5 stars Living a Life of Purpose
    Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The author of this memoir is 99 years old. What a life he has lived! The narrative has three main sections: his childhood in Danzig, the immediate pre-war and war period in France and the post war period in France, Germany and the USA. Justus Rosenberg was sent to Paris by his parents just before the outbreak of WWII to earn a degree from the Sorbonne. With the outbreak of war, he wanted to join the French army, but could not because he was not a French citizen. He worked to help artists and other intellectuals escape while working for Varian Fry. Next, he worked with the French underground resistance movement. Because he spoke German, French, Polish, Russian and English, Rosenberg was recruited to assist the US Army 636 Tank Destruction Battalion. After the war, he worked with the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration to help resettle some of the over 12 million displaced refugees in Western Europe. He also played a role in denazifying Germans, some of whom were later tried in Nuremberg. Along the way, he earned a masters degree from the Sorbonne. Not all of his family survived the war and the reader learns about this too. Rosenberg was finally able to emigrate to the United States and worked as a college professor until his late seventies. The reader will be amazed at how he was honored for his work during the war by two countries.

    Though this is not a great literary work, Rosenberg provides an exciting testimony of both the sacrifices and rewards of war service. He is one of the few survivors of that time still alive to provide such vivid accounts and that makes the book worth reading.
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dianne Leonard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rosenberg's memoir gives a voice to fighters against fascism
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was a beautifully written memoir that I shared with a friend. She told me that "it reads like a thriller." My cousins were involved in the French Resistance in the city of Nancy, an area that had gone back and forth between France and Germany for centuries and, after 1940, was directly annexed by Germany. It was difficult to get these survivors to speak of their wartime experiences, though one spoke of blowing up train tracks and was awarded the Croix de Guerre, along with many rank-and-file Resistance members, before he died. They were a few years younger than Justus Rosenberg (in fact, the oldest survivor just died in February 2021 at the age of 95), but Rosenberg gives a voice to all those who resisted fascism in France as my cousins did. I bought a second copy of The Art of Resistance to send to my family members in France. Most are trilingual (French, German, and English) and will certainly enjoy it. Another book on the French Resistance, "Fighters in the Shadows" was just released. It is more traditional history than this book is, and has more information on various parts of the country. It also speaks at length about immigrants like Justus Rosenberg, who played such crucial roles in the Resistance. Both this book and "Fighters in the Shadows" are highly recommended.
    8 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Bardian 68
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Evocative
    Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    As someone who had the distinct honor of being a student of Justus at Bard College in the 1960's I may be somewhat biased. The memoir is so beautifully written and evocative that it reads much like a novel. As students we knew nothing of his experiences in World War II. We got a sense of his brilliance and vast knowledge and I acknowledge that my love of learning and curiosity of the world around me was deeply influenced by his constantly questioning mind. This came rushing back while reading his memoir. At one point he writes of his love of exploring Paris as a yoiung student. His description of being a "flaneur" made me feel as if I was standing by his side and exploring Paris with him. More significantly he explored the deeper meaning of being a "flaneur" and much like 50+ years ago it electrified my mind. It's a book that is difficult to put down and explores a remarkable young mind willing to experience life even in the most horrific of moments. Thank you Justus!
    19 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • AF100
    5.0 out of 5 stars Historically written by a wonderful man.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I've read this three times over the last three years.
    I've give it five stars just for the journey.
    This should be part of the European schools curriculum.
    Beautiful write.
    Report
  • CHris
    4.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Amazing real life adventure story of a brave and resourceful man. Thrown about by the cataclysmic upheavals of war he survives and fights back against the horrors of the Nazis. Very readable and gripping.
    Report
  • DvoraT
    2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting story, mediocre writing, why does he hate Varian Fry?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Having come across Varian Fry in my reading some months ago, I've taken him up as a special interest. Fry was one of the great unsung heroes of the Second World War. He came to France in 1940, shortly after the Germans occupied France. He came representing the Emergency Rescue Committee that was based in New York. He had some money and a list of two hundred names of artists and writers who were selected because of their grave danger from the Nazis. He arrived in Marseille with no background in rescue work and no idea how to start.

    From that beginning, Fry established a working organization that, by the time he left a little more than a year later (being expelled by the Vichy French with no help from the American State Department that also wanted him gone) his ERC had rescued close to 2000 people. Surely he is a person worth reading about.

    Rosenberg has taught languages and literature at several American universities, but his own writing is mediocre: there is a sameness to it throughout -- like the clip-clopping of a horse slowly pulling a wagon. Still, what he talks about is interesting. His growing up in Danzig, coming to France, flanerie, etc. But when he came to talk about his time working for Varian Fry, I was shocked. He never once mentions Fry without insulting or demeaning him. This is true within the main part of the book as well as the epilogue where he really lets loose.

    Rosenberg was a small player in Fry's ERC. He was hired by Fry to work as an office boy and was never part of the inner circle, never worked with the files mostly worked as a messenger, and thus he had no idea of what was really going on or how and what Fry had organized, nor, apparently the risks Fry was taking. He explains the trip Fry made escorting Franz Werfel and his wife Alma Mahler-Werfel, Henrich Mann and his wife, and Golo Mann, Thomas Mann's son (and Heinrich Mann's nephew) to the border and says he made the trip himself in order to show off to the office in New York. What was Fry's actual concern in making this strange trip? he asks. Maybe he should have read one of the other books on the subject in order to find the answer to that question. The whole episode is a travesty and can only be excused by the fact that Rosenberg's is a memoir and not a history.

    In Fry's memoir written in 1945 (I could only find the abridged version) Rosenberg is never mentioned, as far as I recall.

    In Villa Air-Bel by Rosemary Sullivan, Sullivan gives not a biography of Fry but a history of the villa where Fry and several of his collaborators and clients lived, in a suburb of Marseille. Sullivan, in her 415-page book, mentions Rosenberg briefly three times, saying that Miriam Davenport met Rosenberg in Toulouse; that she sometimes took him with her when she met with her friend Mary Jane Gold in cafes in Marseille; and that Fry hired him as an office boy.

    In the 352-page biography A Quiet American: The Secret War of Varian Fry by Andy Marino (1999), Rosenberg is mentioned twice. Once he is said to be "adopted" by Miriam Davenport and Mary Jane Gold and became office boy; and later that he grew up into a fearless Resistance warrior.

    In the 273-page biography A Hero of Our Own by Sheila Isenberg (2001), Rosenberg is mentioned twice: first that he was a friend of Miriam's, was in Marseille, and was trying to emigrate, and that Fry appointed him office boy; and second, that he was at the Villa Air-Bel that first weekend when members of the group moved in.

    When reading Rosenberg's memoir, his hatred of Fry jumps out at you. I'm not a Fry scholar, but from my reading of the four other books, I think that all of Rosenberg's accusations and innuendos are incorrect, except that he remained mostly unrecognized. There is no one else mentioned who inspires such dislike. Why such dislike? I can only guess.

    Perhaps it is that for all that Rosenberg turned out to work in the Resistance (and won a high honor for it), his first impulse was to escape -- to emigrate. When Paris was invaded, he headed for Bayonne (which he says is on the Mediterranean coast -- surely a slip that his editor missed) hoping to find a ship out, although he says so that he could join the Polish army in London. It is mentioned again in a letter he reproduces that he receives from Miriam after the war where she says that Fry had told her there was nothing they could do to help Rosenberg escape when she pressed him. Anyone reading any of these books would know that Fry suffered greatly for not being able to help more people. But his commitment, as set out by the ERC, was to help artists and writers who, because of their work, were in special danger from the Nazis. There were other organizations who took on other groups, such as labor leaders, politicians, or the The Joint to help Jews.

    At the end of Rosenberg's book, he gives some information on many of the people who appear in his memoir, Fry included. Among other nasty things, he says that after the war Fry wrote a self-congratulatory memoir of his time in France. I beg to differ. Although I only managed to find the abridged edition, I saw nothing self-congratulatory in it. It seemed to me a straightforward telling of his story -- the good and the bad. Now Rosenberg's memoir on the other hand ... You'll find plenty of ego there.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report