Book review" Out of Colditz by David Lascelles

As a kid growing up in Scotland, I can remember both the movie “The Colditz Story,” and the television series simply called “Colditz.” Both were dramatic representations of what actually occurred to Allied Prisoners of War during World War 2. My impression was that the survivors of Colditz were national heroes and great escapers, so when I began reading David Lascelles’ book “Out of Colditz” I was intrigued by what happened to his father during the last year of World War.

I had never heard of the group of men called ‘The Prominente’ who were kept in isolation from the other prisoners because of their connections to the Royal family and European political leaders. It was interesting to note that they were largely being used as pawns to possibly negotiate surrender deals with the victorious Allied Forces.

Lascelles personal experiences with the German Commandant’s family as he researched material for his book were also fascinating. He gave us ‘the rest of the story,’ especially when he described several events which the Colditz Commandant used to gain some credible defense of not following Hitler’s orders to kill his prominent prisoners.

The book is well written and provides an ample history of some of the last days of the Second World War in Europe and the subsequent war-criminal trials. I would recommend it to anyone who is really interested in the Allied prisoners and the defeat of Germany in World War 2.

The book will be published by St. Martin’s Press in January 2027

Book Review: The Rothschilds by Harry Freedman

 

A fascinating and engaging look at the history of the Rothschilds, this book explores the family’s remarkable influence across several centuries in a way that draws the reader in.

The book is well written and easy to read. By focusing on each generation in separate chapters, the author helps the reader follow the family’s story clearly while still maintaining a strong sense of continuity.

Harry Freedman has clearly researched his subject with great care, and he brings the family’s most important episodes to life in a thoughtful and accessible way.

The book also offers a fair and balanced account of the challenges the Rothschilds faced, particularly the antisemitism that shaped so much of their experience. Their perseverance in the face of opposition is presented as part of the broader story of how they influenced European politics, including their role in opposing figures such as Napoleon and Hitler. The author also shows how their financial support helped emerging nations, especially in the nineteenth century, develop their identities and strengthen their ambitions.

I also appreciated the attention given to the Rothschilds’ support of the arts and sciences, which adds another rich dimension to this detailed family history. Overall, I found the book a pleasure to read, especially because Freedman combines careful research with compelling stories and well-chosen quotes.

I rated the book with five stars. The Book is due to be published in December 2026.