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Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project Second Edition, Kindle Edition

by Jack Mayer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,969 ratings
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During World War II, Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker, organized a rescue network of fellow social workers to save 2,500 Jewish children from certain death in the Warsaw ghetto. Incredibly, after the war her heroism, like that of many others, was suppressed by communist Poland and remained virtually unknown for 60 years.

Unknown, that is, until three high school girls from an economically depressed, rural school district in southeast Kansas stumbled upon a tantalizing reference to Sendler’s rescues, which they fashioned into a history project, a play they called Life in a Jar. Their innocent drama was first seen in Kansas, then the Midwest, then New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, and finally Poland, where they elevated Irena Sendler to a national hero, championing her legacy of tolerance and respect for all people.

Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project is a Holocaust history and more. It is the inspirational story of Protestant students from Kansas, each carrying her own painful burden, each called in her own complex way to the history of a Catholic woman who knocked on Jewish doors in the Warsaw ghetto and, in Sendler’s own words, “tried to talk the mothers out of their children.” Inspired by Irena Sendler, they are living examples of the power of one person to change the world and models for young people everywhere.

Sixty percent (60%) of the royalties of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project are donated to the Irena Sendler/Life in a Jar Foundation. The foundation promotes Irena Sendler’s legacy and encourages educators and students to emulate the project by focusing on unsung heroes in history to teach respect and understanding among all people, regardless of race, religion, or creed.
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  1. Edition
    Second Edition
  2. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  3. Publication date
    March 28, 2011
  4. Language
    English
  5. File size
    1585 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Mayer recounts the inspiring story of Irena Sendler, the Catholic Polish social worker who organized a rescue network to hide 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust, and frames it with a present-day story of three Protestant teens in Kansas creating a National History Project play about her life. Sendler's own life history is dramatic and inspiring; she was brutally tortured by the Nazis in the infamous Pawiak prison, and her extraordinary good work during the war was suppressed by communist Poland and remained virtually unknown for 60 years. Narrator Patrick Lawlor does an excellent job conveying the suspense and tension in Sendler's life. Lawlor's voice lends the right emotion and inflection to each character. He realistically re-creates the distinguishing inflections of each generation as the American teens travel to Poland to interview survivors and meet Irena Sendler herself. VERDICT This work's emphasis on survival and rescue will appeal to both adult and teen listeners.-Ellen Frank Bayer, Flushing High School, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"The story will take your breath away ... and haunt and inspire you, as well.
. . . you don't want to put down the book." - 2014 Ben Franklin Digital Award

"Mayer's superb novelization of her exploits elevates social work to the intensity of a spy thriller. . . A gripping real-life tale of extraordinary courage that had an enduring impact."- Kirkus Review

"Meticulously researched, this story has been told with grace and passion."- Jay Parini, author of The Last Station"A beautiful story, beautifully told . . at last." - The US Review of Books "While Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project is based on a true story, it reads like a novel. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in history, as well as teachers of all subjects . . . - ForeWord Clarion Review

"Every high school student and teacher should read this book. We all should."
- Michele Forman - National Teacher of the Year 2001

"Jack Mayer masterfully weaves these two separate but intimately connected stories into one larger saga . . . It will inspire all who read it, especially the young."
- Francis R. Nicosia - Univ. of Vermont"The monument to Irena Sendler was raised neither in Poland nor in Israel, but in the hearts and deeds of young Americans. Jack Mayer's inspiring book brings to life the true story of high school students in Uniontown, Kansas and a Polish Holocaust rescuer. The teens conceived the theatrical performance called Life in a Jar. Their message was simple: one who goes against evil and rescues goodness, changes the world."
- Professor Jacek Leociak, Polish Academy of Sciences
author of The Warsaw Ghetto: A Guide to the Perished City
(with Barbara Engelking)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005NING14
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Long Trail Press; Second Edition (March 28, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 28, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1585 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 398 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,969 ratings

About the author

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Jack Mayer

Jack Mayer

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Jack Mayer is a pediatrician and a writer. He began practicing pediatrics in 1976 in Enosburg Falls, Vermont, a small town in eastern Franklin County on the Canadian border. His was the first pediatric practice in that half of the county. He was a country doctor there for ten years, often bartering medical care for eggs, firewood, and knitted afghans. From 1987 - 1991 Dr. Mayer was a National Cancer Institute Fellow at Columbia University School of Public Health in New York City, researching the molecular biology of childhood cancer. Most of his scientific writing was done during those four years. He was also an academic pediatrician at Columbia University's Presbyterian Medical Center.

Dr. Mayer returned to Vermont in 1991 and established Rainbow Pediatrics in Middlebury, Vermont where he continues to practice primary care pediatrics. He is an Instructor in Pediatrics at the University of Vermont School of Medicine and an advisor for pre-medical students at Middlebury College.

Throughout his career, Dr. Mayer has written short stories, poems, and essays about his years in pediatric practice and hiking The Long Trail in Vermont. He was a participant at Middlebury College's Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in 2003 and 2005 for fiction, and in 2008 for poetry. LIFE IN A JAR: The Irena Sendler Project is his first non-fiction book. His historical fiction BEFORE THE COURT OF HEAVEN (2015) based on a true story of the redemption of a young fascist assassin, is inspired by the history of how Germany's Weimar democracy became the Third Reich - a cautionary tale, a thriller, and a tender love story.

Dr. Mayer's love of hiking and of wilderness has inspired his new book, POEMS FROM THE WILDERNESS (Proverse, 2020), poems composed while hiking alone on Vermont's wilderness trails - The Long Trail and The Appalachian Trail. Celebrations of wilderness and contemplations of physics, spirit, and music inspired by the unique experience of being alone in the wild.

He lives in Middlebury, Vermont.

BOOK AWARDS:

LIFE IN A JAR: The Irena Sendler Project

2015 Mom's Choice Award - Gold Medal - Young Adult

2015 First Horizon Award - Eric Hoffer Award

2014 Readers' Favorite Book Award - Gold Medal - Education

2014 Benjamin Franklin Digital Award - Silver Honoree

2014 Shelf Unbound Notable Book

2012 IndieReader Discovery Award

2011 Kansas Notable Book Award

2011 daVinci Eye Award - Eric Hoffer Award

Translations:

Polish, Chinese, Russian - 2013

Mongolian - 2019

Sri Lanka - pending

YouTube book trailer (4:17):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bQAI0jKC7Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

BEFORE THE COURT OF HEAVEN:

2018 Finalist – Grand Prize (Eric Hoffer Award) – Fiction

2017 Independent Press Award – Winner – Historical Fiction

2017 Independent Press Award – Winner – General Fiction

2016 IndieReader Discovery Award – 1st Place - Fiction

2015 Nautilus Book Award Winner – Fiction – Silver medal

2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Award – Gold Medal – Fiction – Social Issues

2016 Finalist – Grand Prize (Eric Hoffer Award) – Fiction

2016 Honorable Mention (Eric Hoffer Award) – Commercial Fiction

2016 Finalist - First Horizon Award (Eric Hoffer Award) – Fiction

2015 Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist – Historical Fiction

2015 Mom’s Choice Award - Gold Medal – Historical Fiction

2015 Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - Best Novel Fall 2015

2015 Beverly Hills Book Awards – Finalist – “Faction” - fiction based on true stories.

2016 Editor’s Choice Award - Top Shelf Magazine

A Best Indie Book of 2015 – IndieReader (5-stars)

2015 - Shelf Unbound – Notable Indie – 2015 Best Indie Books

2016 - Shelf Unbound - Notable Indie - 2016 Best Indie Books

YouTube book trailer: (1:31):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDCug9v6Y3g

Vermont Public Radio interview:

https://www.vpr.org/post/middlebury-author-his-mission-share-burdens-holocaust#stream/0

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
2,969 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nonechosen
5.0 out of 5 stars Very happy customer!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
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This book arrived ahead of scheduled delivery in perfect condition. I am very pleased and would buy from this seller again without hesitation!
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BHC
5.0 out of 5 stars Life in a Jar
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2020
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I have been almost obsessed with reading books about the Holocaust over the past year or so and have read many good ones. This book was captivating. I could not put it down. I remembered Irena’s story from the Hallmark movie several years ago so when I saw her name mentioned for this book I had to read it. I had no idea that three young girls from Kansas and their teacher were responsible for bringing her story to life. The effects that her story had on the lives of these young people, their teacher and their families was no less than amazing. How something so extraordinary could come from a teacher encouraging three young girls to dig deeper and find the whole story based on a simple paragraph they read about a young Catholic social worker who was said to have saved 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto.

As a mother and grandmother, I cannot fathom the heartache that the parents and other family members must have felt when handing their precious children over to a stranger, trusting them to keep their promise to protect their babies and reunite them after the war if at all possible.

Most surprising to me in the book was learning that Irena always felt that she did not do enough. This petite woman who risked her life and the lives of her family, her friends and colleagues and their families as well, always felt she should have done more. After enduring excruciating physical and mental torture and facing the threat of death every day, many times wishing death would come so the pain would end, who never gave up the name of a single co-conspirator, who miraculously escaped a firing squad at literally the last minute, still felt she had not done enough. This hero who was not recognized until nearly 50 years later for her work in saving so many, still felt guilt that she was unable to save more. And when her story finally came to light, she insisted that all of the people who helped in the “network” to save the children be recognized as well. The love and kindness she showed to these young Americans and their teacher in the last years of her life and the beautiful affect it had on their lives was nothing short of miraculous. What an amazing life she had. Her love will live on for many generations to come.
12 people found this helpful
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Publius
4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story of a true humble Hero
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2016
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I loved this book despite some shortfalls. The middle portion of the book that details Irena's story is gripping, raw and very informative. However, I agree with other reviewers that said that a big portion of the book is taken up by the people in Kansas who were interested in Irena Sendler's story and did a great job at bringing it to light, but a lot of their personal lives is detailed in the book and I feel that information is irrelevant to the story being told here. I enjoyed the last section of the book when they go to Warsaw and relive all the historical places that were at the center of Irena's story. But I have to say that Irena seemed such a humble person compared to a certain self aggrandizement that I detected in the Kansas people, it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Irene saved over 2,500 children and she was humble to the end, there was no need for the Americans to say "they rescued the rescuer". I wish there had been more information about what happened to the rescued children after the war, but I can understand with Communism and Soviet oppression that information may have been difficult or near impossible to come by. Great book, I recommend it highly if you can overlook the style in some sections.
21 people found this helpful
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Sandra J. Murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars Irena Sendler is a patron saint!
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
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Irena hid Jewish children in WWII from the Germans. One of the best books I ever read, and will never forget her bravery. She is admired along with Schindler. Great purchase.
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LaCinda Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing true story
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2023
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WW2 setting and a social worker assists jewish and other nationalities that are living in horrid conditions. Probably the best book I read in 2022.
2 people found this helpful
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Jeanne GA
5.0 out of 5 stars So Interesting!
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2022
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The true story of the three high schoolers who discovered a “hidden” hero of the Holocaust in Poland. Very well researched. I know this is true as I am a history buff and the Holocaust is one I’ve studied for years. To endanger ones life for 2500 Jewish Children, over time, right under the nose of Nazi guards was quite an endeavor. Irena is truly a hero! Most amazing, along with Irenas beyond imagination rescues, is the three young women who did hours, days, weeks, months of research to find the unsung heroine and write her story. This book was excellent!
5 people found this helpful
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L. Schultz
5.0 out of 5 stars Holocaust info
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2023
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Very very interesting! Truth is always stranger than fiction…a gripping story that makes you feel good about people reacting to a terrible time in history. Can’t say enough good things about all the people involved. Humanity can win in the end!
One person found this helpful
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magnolia Mae
5.0 out of 5 stars life affirming
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2015
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I could not put this book down. I bought it in the afternoon and began reading. After going to sleep I awoke at 3:30 and had to finish it. I always think truth is an amazing commodity. The truths spoken in this book remind me to be aware how easily we can change as a people for good or evil. I would like to think I would have show courage but wonder if I might not have been one to turn a blind eye. Old I have the courage of the mothers placing their children in the care of others. I think I could have. I worked for several years with birth mothers who placed for adoption. I saw the process of their love for their babies, how they wanted more for them than they could give them. It is the same. They too save the lives of their infants. They too love them enough to sacrifice their own feelings. That experience made this so real in my mind and emotions. We need heroes many remain unsung. This book sings loudly. May God bless Christian and Jewish goodness and May God bless Mothers
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Benoit Audet
5.0 out of 5 stars I didnt know this story
Reviewed in Canada on September 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
The story is about a women Who saved children from a certain death by hiding them. They were in the Warsaw ghetto and each time she save a child she Will put his name in a jar and hide it in her garden at home. She is a real hero !
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Rose K.
5.0 out of 5 stars mr C and Cast and Irena and other
Reviewed in Australia on October 28, 2023
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Wow. What an amazing and inspiring story. It’s been very difficult to put this book down and attend my daily duties. Such inspiration and encouragement for living a life of humility, honesty, compassion, kindness, and doing the right thing in the face of adversity, opposition, death. Standing for truth. Thank you for sharing your story and the story of Irena Sendler.
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james-film-factory
5.0 out of 5 stars 埋もれていた歴史を掘り起こしたアメリカの生徒たち
Reviewed in Japan on February 6, 2019
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日本では高校の教科書にも取り上げられているイレーナ・センドラー。ナチス占領下のワルシャワでユダヤ人ゲットーから2,500人の子どもたちを救った彼女の人生を発掘して世界に知らしめたのは、カンザスの高校生たち。その顛末をまとめたノンフィクションです。これらの高校生の活動がLife in a Jarとして日本の英語の教科書にも取り上げられました。
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Gerardo her
5.0 out of 5 stars Me encanto la historia!
Reviewed in Mexico on September 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excelente historia de una persona que hizo lo correcto sin esperar nada a cambio, la recomiendo mucho. Existen muchas páginas donde se puede obtener información
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calamity80
5.0 out of 5 stars A lire absolument
Reviewed in France on October 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
Un livre en anglais. Dommage qu'il n'y ai pas de traduction en français.
Je l'ai dévoré et j'ai aimé le mélange entre l'histoire et le côté recherches mené par les filles.
Passionnant et bien adapté aux personnes souhaitant découvrir ce que faisait un juste ou à ceux qui souhaite découvrir la façon d'apprendre par soi-même développée dans ce projet US.
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