A Place to Hide

By Ronald H. Balson

Book Overview

From the winner of the National Jewish Book Award, a novel of heroism and resistance during World War II

Theodore "Teddy" Hartigan is the scion of a wealthy Washington, D.C. family who place him into a comfortable job at the State Department and a placid diplomat's career. In 1938, as Hitler's inexorable rise continues, Teddy is re-assigned to the US Consulate in Amsterdam to replace fleeing staff.

Teddy's job is to process visa applications, and by 1939, refugees from Nazi-conquered Poland, Austria, and other countries are desperate to secure safe passage to America. As Hitler sweeps through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Holland, the screws tighten and law after virulent law is passed to threaten the lives, indeed the very existence of the Jewish people. When Teddy and his girlfriend Sara are introduced to an orphaned young girl named Katy, who has been abandoned on the grounds of a nursery school, they agree to adopt her. Teddy comes to realize that he holds the key to saving lives, whether five, fifty, or five hundred--and makes the dangerous and selfless decision to join with underground groups and use his position at the Consulate to rescue those with no other avenue of escape.

Powerful and dramatic, National Jewish Book Award winner Ronald H. Balson's A Place to Hide explores the deeply-moving actions of an ordinary man who resolves, under perilous circumstances, to make a difference.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250397154
• ISBN13: 9781250397157
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

4 stars

A PLACE TO HIDE by Ronald H. Balson This was a *very* detailed account of the events leading up to WWII, from the perspective of a US Consulate official. Theodore “Teddy” Hartigan’s story gives a glimpse into late-1930s Netherlands, when rules, edicts were slowly introduced then enforced that discriminated against the Jewish population. This book attempts to answer the question often asked regarding WWII — How could they let it happen? However, in doing so, some of the passages felt too textbook-y. It’s also hard to believe Teddy would be able to recount exact dates, details and conversations so clearly given the circumstances. Overall, a well researched and educational story of friendship and family, politics and morality, courage and resistance. Also, a reminder to not let history repeat itself. Rating: 4/5⭐️ Pub Date: September 17, 2024 **ARC courtesy of StMartinsPress & Goodreads giveaway.