Poland famously became the starting point of WWII when Hitler invaded on September 1, 1939. Less well-known is the plight of nearly two million Poles who, swept up in an ethnic cleansing nightmare, were deported to Soviet gulags by the Stalin regime.

An amazing true story of survival, courage, and resilience, Endeavor: One Polish Family’s Journey from Siberia to Freedom tells the underreported story of the Polish deportees through the gripping saga of the Raczynski family, comprised of three adults and four children.

Their journey begins in Naliboki, Poland, from where they are transported in overcrowded cattle cars to suffer deplorable conditions in a Siberian work camp. Although released on July 30, 1941, their suffering is far from over. Not all of the family members will complete the twenty-thousand-mile voyage from Siberia through southern Russia, Central Asia, Iran, and India, across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States.

In writing Endeavor, author Hilary Shew corresponded with, interviewed, and met Thecla Pinkowski, one of Raczynski children who survived the journey. The result is a fascinating historical narrative based on Thecla’s personal account, notes, archived family interviews, and photos that will have you riveted to the pages.

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