NeedleintheBonetellstheastonishingstoriesofHolocaustsurvivorLouFrydmanandformerPolishresistancefighterJarekPiekalkiewicz.AsmereteenagersduringWorldWarII,thetwomendefieddauntingodds,losteverythingandnearlyeveryoneinthewar,andyetsummonedthecouragetostartnewlivesintheUnitedStates.CapturedbytheGermanarmyduringtheWarsawGhettouprising,Frydmansurvivedsixconcentrationcampsandthreedeathmarches.Bythewar’send,everyoneinhisextendedfamilyhadbeenkilledexceptforhisbrother.Piekalkiewiczstartedhisownundergroundarmyatagesixteen.Inaddition,oneofhisuncleswasthemainleaderandanothertheheadtreasurerforthePolishresistancebeforetheNazisdiscovered,tortured,andmurderedthem.Afterthewar,FrydmanandPiekalkiewiczbeganthelongprocessofhealing,takingdifferentpathsthroughtherefugeecampsofEurope,andthenthroughuniversity,marriage,andwork,eventuallyleadingthembothtoteachingpositionsattheUniversityofKansas,wheretheymetin1975.Recognizingthetraumaandcourageofeachother’sexperiences,theybecamebestfriends,formingalastingbond.NeedleintheBoneoffersinsightintotheHolocaustandthePolishresistancebyentwiningthestoriesofthesetwosurvivors.ByblendingextensiveinterviewswithFrydmanandPiekalkiewicz,historicalresearch,andtheauthor’sownresponsesandquestions,thisemotionallystirringbookprovidesauniqueperspectiveonstill-compellingissues,includingthemeaningoftheHolocaust,thenatureofgoodandevil,andhowpeoplepersevereinthefaceofunbearablepainandloss.
