The Boys in the Light

An Extraordinary World War II Story of Survival, Faith, and Brotherhood

By: Nina Willner

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Nina Willner

“This beautifully braided story...reveals the best and worst of humanity. A magnificent work of narrative nonfiction, true to the past and essential for the present.”—Mitchell Zuckoff, New York Times bestselling author of Lost in Shangri-La and 13 Hours

An epic true story of the triumph of good over evil.
The Boys in the Light follows the parallel journeys of Company D and Eddie Willner, the author’s father, as they are caught up on two sides of World War II.

At sixteen, Eddie Willner was among the millions of European Jews rounded up by Hitler’s Nazis. He was forced into slave labor alongside his father and his best friend, Mike, and spent the next three years of his life surviving the death camps, including Auschwitz. Meanwhile, in the United States, boys only a few years older than Eddie were joining the army and heading toward their own precarious futures. Once farmers, factory workers, and coal miners, they were suddenly untested soldiers, thrust into the brutal conflicts of WWII.

A company of 3rd Armored Division tankers, led by 23-year-old Elmer Hovland, quickly became battle-hardened and weary, constantly questioning whether the war was worth it. They got their answer when two emaciated boys stepped out of the woods with their tattooed arms raised.

The Boys in the Light is a testament to survival against all odds, the strength of the bonds forged during war and the resilience of the human spirit. This extraordinary true story is a must-read for fans of Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, and Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile.

The level of real life detail that went into researching events of this story.

The story was easy to follow from the battlefield to the concentration camps. Having it be a true story that of the Author’s Father made everything seem so real. I had trouble keeping my composure when telling my wife what it was about. I could feel both the pain and excitement of the characters involved.

I have been listening to book for years and have never reviewed a book. After this listen I felt compelled.

Absolutely extraordinary.

A story of tragedy and courage and brotherhood in the most desperate circumstances in the middle of a brutal war. A gift of remembrance for us all that is miraculous to have ever been told. Just the very best.

Amazing story of survival and human resilience and dignity.

Emotional and gripping story of defeating evil and the strength of goodness and hope for the future.

How one man could bring such hatred to a country.

Unbelievable and after reading that it could happen again every young person should read this

Great WW2 story; wonderful example of narrative nonfiction; excellent narration.

I am always looking for non-fiction in the WW2 era written in an engaging or narrative fashion. This was recommended to me more than once. It did not disappoint! I am yet again amazed at man’s inhumanity to man as evidenced in the Nazi work camps, the suffering of the Jews, and the bravery of the Americans who gave their lives to intervene.