Title: Winter in Wartime
Author: Jan Terlouw
Genre: Young Adult, War
Format: Paperback, 220 pages
Published: Published
June 1st 2011 by Lemniscaat USA (first published 1972)
ISBN: 1935954024 (ISBN13: 9781935954026)
About the Author:
Jan Terlouw was born in Kamperveen, Oversijssel. He was the eldest
son in his family, he has two brothers and two sisters and grew up in the
Veluwe. After high school, Terlouw studied at Utrecht University were he
obtained an MSc degree in mathematics and physics and a
PhD degree in nuclear physics. After graduating, he worked as a physics
researcher in the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden. After working for
thirteen years, he became a politician, joining the Dutch House of
Representatives(the lower house of the Dutch legislature) as a member of
the Democraten 66 political party in 1967. Terlouw acted as party leader
from 1973-1982. He was minister of Economic Affairs from 1981 to 1982 and
Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland from 1991 to 1996, the year in which he
retired. He joined the Dutch Senate in 1999.
Terlouw also wrote 24 children's books, most notably Winter in
Wartime (Oorlogswinter, 1972) and How to Become King(Koning van Katoren,
1971), both of which won the Goudon Griffel and have been made into motion
pictures directed by Martin Koolhoven.
Terlouw is married to Alexandra van Hulst and has four children.
Synopsis:
This autobiographical novel provides a counterpoint to The Diary of Anne Frank, as
another Dutch teen becomes an unwilling hero in the twilight of World War II.
Michiel feels resentment towards his father, a mayor, seemingly
only interested in maintaining the status quo between the town and the German
Army. He worships his uncle Ben, an adventurer in contact with the local
resistance. During the winter, Michiel's loyalties are tested. When he
discovers an injured pilot in the woods, Michiel must find a way to keep the
wounded man alive, hidden from the increasingly desperate occupying force.
As Michiel mounts his own small resistance, he becomes aware of
the currents of Resistance that are swirling through the town. A German soldier
is killed and his death must be revenged so they take six townspeople,
threatening to shoot them if the murderer does not surrender. They compromise
and shoot only one--Michiel's father.
Winter in Wartime has been a
Dutch classic since it was first published in 1972. Author Jan Terlouw's
wartime experience provided the inspiration for the novel and the gritty
reality of living under an occupying army is realistic without being graphic.
The small insurrections are shown for the monumental acts of bravery they truly
are and the defiance of a people who refuse to give up their humanity makes
this story as timely today as it was then.
My Thoughts:
Winter in Wartime is a great book about the Nazi occupation of the
Netherlands. Set during the days of World War II, Winter in Wartime (previously
published in Dutch as Oorlogswinter in 1972) tells the story of 15-year-old
Michiel van Beusekom. After he discovers and helps an injured British soldier
named Jack, Michiel found himself accidentally involved in the underground
Dutch resistance. Winter in Wartime is a really fast and engaging read with
hard to forget characters. The way Terlouw made the readers feel what it was
like living in a Nazi occupied area was amazing. Terlouw has created a very
well-detailed, well-plotted, and well-written book that makes it very hard for
the children as well as adult to put this book down. This is definitely one of
the best books I’ve read this year! Winter in Wartime deserves its status as a
Dutch classic.
