Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story

Charles S. Weinblatt, a retired university administrator, is the author of an epic novel, Jacob's Courage: A Holocaust Love Story (Mazo Publishers, 2007; ISBN-978-965-7344-24-8). This book is sold through all major booksellers, and is distributed in The United States through Ingram.

Jacob's Courage chronicles the dazzling beauty of passionate love and enduring bravery in a lurid world where the innocent are brutally murdered (Amazon site). This is a tender coming of age story of two young adults living in Salzburg at the time when the Nazi war machine enters Austria. The historical novel presents accurate scenes and situations of Jews in ghettos and concentration camps, with particular attention to Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. Follow Jacob and Rachael from their comfortable Salzburg homes to a decrepit ghetto, from there to a prison camp where they became man and wife. Revel in their excitement as they escape and join the local partisans. Finally ride the fetid train with them to the terror of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Stung by the death of loved-ones, enslaved and starved, they have nothing to count on but faith, love and courage.

A Holocaust center director had this to say about Jacob's Courage: “In each setting, the vivid portrayals of the travails of the characters bring the experience of the Holocaust to life on a personal level. The people that populate the novel are not merely two-dimensional archetypes or clichés but fully formed humans with frailties and shortcomings in addition to positive qualities. The characters are faced with hard choices of life and death, betrayal and loyalty. The events of the novel are gut wrenching and heart rending. At the end of the read one feels both hope and admiration for the human spirit.”

One editor described the novel as, “Gone with the Wind for the Holocaust.” Jewish Book World had this to say, “Mixed among the detailed descriptions of the surreal atrocities inflicted upon the Jews of Europe is a tender coming of age tale.” The Association of Jewish Libraries wrote, “The reader sees events through the eyes of archetypal participants: a doctor forced to experiment on his own, a Sonderkommando, and a hero. The length of the book might deter some readers, but the work is well worth the effort.” An Amazon reader said, “The historic references appear to be well researched. Hats off to a fine effort from Mr. Weinblatt.” A reviewer commented that it is “well researched, well thought out and thought provoking.” Yet another editor said, “The author maintains a driving, relentless pace as Jacob and his beloved Rachael try to escape the madness of Nazi Germany while maintaining their humanity.”

Charles S. Weinblatt was an administrator at The University of Toledo, retiring in 2004. He created and led the Division of Organization Development, was a program manager in the University of Toledo's Human Resource Development Center and an education & training counselor for UAW-Chrysler. He was also a successful regional employment consultant, a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a psychiatric counselor. Weinblatt appeared dozens of times on Toledo television news stations as an expert on business and labor-management issues. He is also the author of Job Seeking Skills for Students (Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company, 1986: ISBN-0-8403-4445-7). Weinblatt received his Bachelor of Arts degree (Psychology) from The University of Toledo in 1974. His biography appears in the Marquis Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Education. More information is available here.

Weinblatt continues to write in retirement and is currently creating additional works of fiction. He lives in Ohio.