A View Across the Rooftops

By: Suzanne Kelman

Narrated by: Alan Medcroft

Would you risk your life to save just one person?

An incredible story of love, hope, and friendship; and a testament to humanity and courage in history’s darkest days.

1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Professor Josef Held has never recovered from the loss of his beloved wife - and has no intention of ever letting anyone new into his quiet, safe world. It is a world where the clock ticks steadily in his mathematics classroom, where every equation has a solution. Every day he walks the same route home, past his neighbour Mrs Epstein’s, to a home inhabited only by him and a cat he refuses to even name.

But then the Nazis come for the Jews - and Mrs Epstein is killed. And Josef, in an impulsive act of courage, offers his student Michael Blum a place to hide.

Michael is everything Josef is not: spontaneous, poetic, and unafraid to love. Even though his passionate relationship with a Dutch girl called Elke strictly is forbidden by the Nazis - for he is Jewish, and she is not.

Desperate to give Michael and Elke’s love a chance to survive, Josef gives Michael refuge in his attic: an act of bravery and resistance that will change both of their lives. But as the dark days of war continue, with danger and betrayal at every turn, no-one can be trusted, and no one is safe.

If Michael is going to get back to the woman he loves, it is down to Josef - to find the hero inside himself, and do whatever it takes to keep Michael alive.

A heartbreakingly beautiful story about love, trust, and courage against the odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Lilac Girls, and The Nightingale.

©2019 Suzanne Kelman (P)2019 Bookouture

phenomenal book

This is one of the best books I have read or listened to. It was well paced and laid out. The characters were so real. I enjoyed the narration although some of his accents weren't super great. He had a pleasant voice in general.

My Amsterdam

First time author for me.

Set in Amsterdam in World War II it tells the tale of several people from different walks of life and how the war affected them. The author does a great job of making you feel empathy for the characters, at least the good people, and weaves a tale that you enjoy the journey of how they got through the war, at least those that did.

This is a great, story.

Enjoyable but stretched out

I liked how the characters grew from their experiences. I did find some things stretched out a little too much.
I was in Amsterdam a year ago, and visited the Anne Frank house and museum, so I was interested in learning the history at the time of the Nazi occupation in WWII. The story did a good job of explaining how the Dutch looked at the situation in the beginning and changed over time to become more involved in the resistance. It also covered how those who sided with the nazi party for personal gain were eventually discarded and seen as traitors by the Dutch.

best book I have ever read/listened to!!!!!

best book I have ever read/listened to!!!!! This is a must read. I loved it!

A must read

Wonderful and intense, this books pulls you into the lives of the Dutch people during the German invasion. I simply couldn't put this down.

Wonderful story

I love this book! First book by this author. Will definitely read more from her. Narrator was perfectas well!!

Favorite

One of my favorite books in a very long time! Author and narrator were wonderful!

I loved it!

This was a very good book. It is a war time story which naturally has sad parts, but it is not overly depressing where you'll avoid listening to it because it just makes you feel depressed. I felt for most of the characters, even those that didn't make the best choices.

Wonderful

Very well written and meaningful book. I truly loved the narrations. Sometimes audible book readers annoy me but this was perfectly read. What a poignant, sad, beautiful story.

I’ve read every Holocaust book ever written I thought but I think I saved the best for last

I spent my childhood in Hebrew school and Sunday school trying to feel what my grandparents and even parents of my friends had experienced. But as I read more and more “fictional “ accounts in these books I can feel such different experiences from country to country and not only for my people but all people as this was worldwide
This book was more about emotions than incidents and a truly deep definition of the destruction of all people ..just read it and fall into the joy within the horrific times