“I write to make money; Art is writing (Untertauchen) for a Pulitzer...”
UNTERTAUCHEN
untertauchen (oon' -ter tau' -kin) German verb: (1) to dive, plunge; (2) submerge (as a submarine); (3) to disappear, get lost (intentionally), to go underground..
“I write to make money; Art is writing (Untertauchen) for a Pulitzer...”
untertauchen (oon' -ter tau' -kin) German verb: (1) to dive, plunge; (2) submerge (as a submarine); (3) to disappear, get lost (intentionally), to go underground..
Untertauchen is an historical novel, based on the true story of a German Jewish couple who outlived Hitler's Thousand-Year Reich.
When their summons for "resettlement" arrived in November 1942, they went underground, living a heartbeat away from capture for thirteen months.
The reader will be drawn into the maelstrom of their tortuous existence, from the time of their engagement as the Nazis came to power, until their escape from war-torn Berlin with falsified papers on Christmas Day, 1943.
Principle dates and events--the historical and those in their personal lives--are as they were.
Untertauchen is not written to be gory; but you will see the brutality of Nazi anti-Semitism at its worst – Jews in forced labor; children, the elderly, mothers and babes stuffed into cattle-cars for “resettlement” (in reality: deportation to concentration camps where gas chambers and crematoria flourished); a race forced to wear identifying yellow stars; mass extermination under the Thousand Year Reich.
It is suspenseful historical fiction. Yet every setting, nuance, incident, event and happening is based on a fact of Jewish life under Nazi rule, culminating in the Final Solution. But for this one couple who chose to go underground, it is a true story of indomitable will to survive in the face of unfettered hate.
If you felt the fear in The Dairy of Anne Frank, the compassion of The Hiding Place, or the effort displayed in Schindler's List, you will draw an ever-deeper understanding from Untertauchen.
Compelling story... well documented... (a) page turner. The reader will be drawn into and identify with the tortuos struggle of the main characters.
...one of the most interesting books I have ever read. You can feel the cold and see the blaze from the bombs. Can't stop reading it
Should be required reading in every high school
Untertauchen...is a masterclass in suspense...and strong character development. The book follows...themes of survival, resilience, fear, moral ambiguity... and evasion.
Arthur M. James injects tension into a story that comes not just from political and social currents, but forces within and outside the family.
"In Untertauchen...survival becomes a way of life. The novel expertly weaves together historical facts with powerfull storytelling. Includes a hint of romance, thriller elements, and an eye towards genre fiction. One must-read historical fiction thriller...that readers will not be able to put down." Read More...
"A story that builds with intensity with each new page. A tale of personal love and courage posited against...insuperable challenges. Hans and Anna will be remembered through the vision and vibrancy conveyed. (This) work should be studied and discussed across a wide range of appropriate settings. Untertauchen...is beautifully written and emotionally powerful story that will resonate with readers long after they turn the final page." Read More...
Arthur M. James – is a bilingual retired journalist and former TV news anchor and talk show host’.
Following his undergraduate degree in Journalism, he spent three years in Europe, at the University of Vienna in Austria and four semeters at the University of Heidelberg in Germany.
He now spends his time writing, reading and volunteering at a local senior center teaching woodcarving and wood-burning. He likes relaxing at his Lowery organ or Yamaha keyboard and oil painting. He also functions as an Alzhemier's caregiver.
He is currently doing research for another historical novel, set in South Carolina during the Civil War.