Yesterday I finished a book titled “Jacob the Liar”. The story was about a Jewish man who was forced into a Jewish ghetto in Germany during World War II. Jacob was told by a guard to go to the German ministry office. Up until then no Jew would ever come out of that building once they went in. Once Jacob was in there he ended up behind an opening door and could overhear a radio transmission. The radio said the Russians were attacking a town 200 miles from their location. Jacob was then told to go to a specific office. In that office was a German that asked why he was sent there. He was sent there by a guard who told him he was violating curfew. The Jews in these ghettos were forbidden to have watches, jewelry or much of anything for that matter. Jacob did not know what time it was when he entered the ministry building. Once he was in the office he found out from the attendant that the guard was just playing a joke on him and it was not yet curfew. The German told him to leave which was in itself an oddity.

This is how the story begins and Jacob knows no one will believe him about his trip to the German ministry. No one had ever come out of there. The news about the Russians was too much for him to contain and he ended up telling one man, Mischa. Of course Miska, tells someone who tells someone and the news is out. The Russians are close. Over the next few days Jacob substantiates his claim knowledge by saying he had a radio. Of course radios were forbidden and possession of one was a capital offense. This begins Jacobs run of lying. The people clamor for report each day and he perpetuates the lie to report the Russian progress. This news raises the hopes of the Jews in the ghetto and Jacob feels constrained to continue to maintain the people’s spirit.

This is an outstanding book. There have been so many books written about World War II and this is another that captures the heartbreaking cruelty that humans are capable of. It also captures the spirit of living on in spite of evil. Of course this book ends sadly but the author adds an imaginary ending that he wishes that happened.