Bestselling author and historian Wendy Holden explains what led her to write a novel inspired by the incredible true story of Fredy Hirsch, a young man who persuaded the Nazis to allow him to set up a Children's Block in the shadow of Auschwitz's hungry chimneys. Young, gay, German and Jewish, Fredy set aside his own needs and risked his life every day to offer thousands of children guidance, protection, and love. Inside those sacred four walls, decorated with characters from Walt Disney's Snow Whitened the Seven Dwarves, frightened, malnourished children forgot where they were and were encouraged to dance and sing, play games and continue their education. Published in 14 countries from January 2025, The Teacher of Auschwitz is available for pre-order now and on audiobook in the UK on Jan 9.

I write books. Lots of books. I tell people's stories.
And sometimes, I tell my own...

www.wendyholden.com

In July 2021, Wendy was invited to the postponed Ways with Words Literary Festival at Dartington Hall in Devon to speak about her friendship and working relationship with the 100-year-old war veteran Captain Tom, who raised almost £40m for the NHS during the pandemic lockdown. This is the 50-minute audio recording of the video of that event, minus the first few minutes due to a technical fault. We hope you like it.

I write books. Lots of books. I tell people's stories.
And sometimes, I tell my own...

www.wendyholden.com

This exclusive interview with the brilliant Phil Williams on the award winning Times Radio aired on March 31. In it, Wendy and Phil talk about Tom's legacy work - Life Lessons - published April 2 to follow on from his bestselling autobiography Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day. Tom sadly died of Covid two months earlier on February 2, aged 100. Life Lessons, written in his own words before he died, is his parting gift to the world.

I write books. Lots of books. I tell people's stories.
And sometimes, I tell my own...

www.wendyholden.com