I received an ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers, in return for an unbiased review. It was an interesting look at Haska's life, and there's no doubt that being multi lingual helped over his life - but I felt a little as if there was maybe a bit more down to luck or less than above board activities (such as when his wife joins him). Apologies for the delay in reading and reviewing this.

This was an interesting and insightful book! As someone who speaks multiple languages and is raising bilingual children, I found it especially intriguing.

Thank you to Smith Publicity for my copy! All opinions are my own.
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​​According to the publisher, “Orphaned in Poland at the age of thirteen, Tadeusz "Tad” Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship. Discover how Tad’s knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.”
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​​While I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of this, even if I hadn’t, the title of this book alone would have caught my attention! As I have mentioned a few times, I speak French and Italian, so any book focused on the importance of language and linguistics is immediately going on my To Be Read list. As someone who has studied multiple languages, the fact that Tadeusz spoke nine languages fluently is truly mind-boggling, and shows what a talented and intelligent man he was.
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​​This book tells the story of Tadeusz’s life, from childhood, to WWII, to the Russian occupation of Poland, his life as a refugee, and finally, his happily ever after in America. In each season of life, Tadeusz found himself in some sort of pickle that he only managed to emerge unscathed from due to his skill in various languages. In my own experience, the biggest test that my language skills were ever put to was writing tedious college papers; I can’t imagine not only the skills, but the trust in one’s skills, that it would take to be able to talk your way out of literal life-and-death situations in your second or third language.
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​​How Languages Saved Me is written from Tadeusz’s first person point of view, though it is important to note that he sadly passed away before he could complete his autobiography. His granddaughter, Stephanie Naumann, continued where he left off, and she did so seamlessly. The entire book reads as if you are sitting in Tadeusz’s living room, listening to him reminisce about the many adventures he had once upon a time.
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​​This technique was both a plus and minus for me. While the story telling was so free flowing that you could picture Tadeusz there, genially speaking with you, I felt that many details were relayed too casually. At times, Tadeusz would mention something that, from my own perspective, seemed like a huge event in his life, like the time he was almost kidnapped by the Russian secret police, that would not be elaborated on at all. There were several instances where I desperately wanted to know more, but were glossed over as if they were not that significant.
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​​Overall, I highly recommend this book. Tadeusz lived a very interesting life, and I’m happy that I got to know him, albeit only through his book, and I learned much more about the Polish WWII and post-War experience than I have ever been exposed to in the past. If this story doesn’t seem like it’s your particular cup of tea, I still encourage you to seek out other nonfiction accounts such as this one. I think it can be easy to slack off on learning about WWII history because it is so widely fictionalized in the media, but we do not often give individual experiences the attention they are due. As time goes on, there are fewer and fewer witnesses left to share their experiences with us. As George Santayana said, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it,” and we are so very privileged to have the opportunity to learn from people like Tadeusz.
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What a unique and fascinated story!
The survival of the character during WWII using languages was extraordinary for his existence during that time.
The plot was so interesting that if they made this book alive it will speak volumes!

Really interesting account of survival in Poland during World War II. The narrator, Tadeusz Haska, defied the odds and survived the war by using his wits and gift for languages. This story would also make a cool movie!

It seems that there will never be an end to Holocaust tales of escape and survival against the odds. Here is another remarkable story of courage, determination and, of course, luck. It’s a compelling and moving account of Tadeusz Haska’s experiences fleeing the Nazis, completed by his granddaughter after his death. Born in Poland in 1919, he managed to survive in large part due to his mastery of many languages, which meant there were times when he was of more use to the enemy alive rather than dead. It’s a miraculous story and one that fully deserves to be told and remembered.

Tadeusz Haska was born in Mikolajki, Poland in 1919,shortly after WWI ended. He and his brother Antoni were the sons of dairy farmers who made and sold cheeses. "My parents were religious...I received a good moral education from them." The family placed a high value on education, moving several times to better their sons' educational opportunities. Unfortunately, by the age of 12 years, "...we had no mother and father...we had the principle they instilled in us that education is the most important thing in our lives. so, we applied ourselves and, by teaching [rich kids] we also helped ourselves." Tad was the recipient of a scholarship that covered tuition and room and board at Poznan University, but, after one year of university, WW II started. Attempts to join the Polish army failed. Trains en route to Warsaw were bombed and he was unable to reach the recruitment center.

"I was like a rabbit, jumping from one hole in the ground to another, trying not to be noticed by anyone, constantly changing my place of residence...if your education was high, you were the first...to be eliminated...I had to remove my glasses to disguise my education...'aha, you are a student, teacher, or doctor; come with me. There would be a truck waiting..."

Diligent studying and love of linguistics saved Tad. He already knew Polish, French and Latin. Staying at a farm estate in the countryside , he became the farmer's official translator. The news of the day, in German controlled Poland was translated with the help of a German dictionary. At a farm in East Prussia, Tad conversed in French to explain job instructions to French POWs. Escaping to Sweden, he was able to qualify for a Swedish passport, pose as a Swedish seaman and smuggle his wife from Poland to Sweden.

"How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival" by Tadeusz Haska is a memoir, started in the 1990's and completed after his death by his granddaughter, Stefanie Naumann drawing upon audio and video recordings of interviews with her grandfather, his journals, and correspondence with her grandmother, Jadwiga. Tad's recollections provide his eyewitness account of life during World War II.

Thank you Sarah Miniaci at Smith Publicity, Koehler Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "How Languages Saved Me".

This is a very interesting memoir about a Polish man who is very intelligent and resilient who skillfully survives WWII. The book chronicles the emphasis his family placed on education, and the great lengths the children went to ensure they would continue to learn despite hardships. Once the war started, Tad realized that his once coveted education was now causing him problems, like accusations of being a spy and causing fear of uprisings. This started years of living in hiding, moving from place to place, using and learning new languages to cover his true identity. Tad even managed to obtain false documents, join the Swedish Navy, and smuggle his wife out of Poland. The story seems too incredible to be true, but Tad tells it in such a matter of fact way as if it was just another day in the life of chaos, and he was doing what needed to be done. (However, I do think that the storytelling could use a bit of drama and flair added, just for excitement- maybe some adjectives or adverbs added.)

Wow! This is an amazing true story of a man who was both very determined and very lucky to survive WWII and then escape afterwards to the U.S., at which point it becomes a great immigrant story. The photographs bring the family members alive in my imagination, and I am very glad that Tad wrote his memoirs and that his granddaughter completed them.

An absolutely delightful first-person memoir of a Pole's survival during WW II, his escape from Communist Poland, and his life in the US beginning in the 50s. Left unfinished at Haska's death, it was completed by Naumann, his granddaughter.

This is a story of how one young man managed to stay alive in Poland during WW2, escape the Nazis, and manage to build a wonderful life despite all that he went thru as a young man. Today's youth (even those in my generation) would benefit from reading Tad's story. His granddaughter wrote this book using stories that he told her, a memoir he started and never finished as well as recordings her grandfather had made. What a tribute to this amazing man! 4⭐

Thank you #Netgalley for this ebook and the chance to review it.

"I did not know a carefree childhood or happy years of youth; I only knew hunger and cold. I fought for a piece of bread and to attend university." ~ Tadeusz Haska

Growing up in Poland, Tadeusz's parents taught him and his brother, Antoni, from a young age that everything but their education could be taken from them. Determined to make his parents proud and get the education they wished for him and his brother, Tadeusz studied vigorously. However, at the beginning of WWII, life as a university student was no longer a possibility. If Tadeusz had not fled from the life he was living when he did, he would've ended up in one of the camps like thousands of other scholars. On the run from the Germans, and later the Soviets, Tadeusz's journey expands thousands of miles across Europe and later to America.

How Languages Saved Me is a small book that details the trek Tadeusz took from 1939-1986. Written in the first person, this book makes you feel as if Tadeusz is sitting in front of you, recounting all the experiences he went through and the love he found along the way!

If you enjoy hearing someone narrate their life's story, you're going to love How Languages Saved Me. I thought it was incredible to read how Tadeusz found himself in various situations and how his life changed due to the events that occurred during WWII. Through all the hardships and near-death experiences, Tadeusz's story showed me the true meaning of perseverance. No matter what difficulties we're going through, we should never give up the fight to reach the life we are called to lead! We all have a destiny, and when trials come our way, it's our duty to decide if they're going to make or break us!

~ Thanks NetGalley, and the publisher, for providing me with the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ~

Review for How Languages Saved Me by Tadeusz Haska and Stefanie Naumann
This book is written BY Stefanie using the memoirs and photos of Tadeusz. Due to this fact it is written very much as if a relative is telling you the story which I quite enjoyed. However on reading several other memoirs I wouldn't rate this to be one of my favourite although it was a good read. The photos added to the memoir makes the story come alive and it was definitely a good idea to include these. The story itself was quite heartwarming at times but at others quite shocking that this man managed to evade capture so many times, well done to him and it goes to show how education can help in life. I feel that the author included everything needed to show what Tadeusz went through and at many times I must say I did feel more for his wife. I would recommend this to fans of memoirs. Although not an option I would give this book 3.5/5 stars if possible. Any other fans of this book?

Tadeusz Haska was born in Poland in 1919, he remembers events from the time he was 6 months old, he and his brother had parents until he was 13. Tadeusz survived WWII by learning German and he became a refugee who smuggled his wife into Sweden by boat - having become a sailor in order to rescue her! His life story is almost unbelievable - it would be a fascinating movie!

Tadeusz Haska's granddaughter, Stefanie Naumann, compiled the stories that she heard him tell, various audio and video interviews with her grandfather, his journals along with the memoir that he started writing in the early 1990's but never finished. She wrote this tribute to be her grandfather's legacy.

"My knowledge of languages helped keep me alive during and after the war, and I was fortunate to make a career out of my passion for linguistics."

It is heartwarming to read.

I read this EARC courtesy of Koehler Books and Net Galley. pub date 09/24/19

The innocence of childhood, which was lost all too soon – even before the War began. What a story of courage, strength in adversity, & determination, along with a series of miracles which spared his life over & over.
I have read a lot of wartime biographies, but none like this: I’m so glad the author was persuaded to record his story. Without such testaments, we have no idea what people have gone through even in comparatively recent history. I definitely recommend this book as being well worth reading.

If you read one book this year, How Languages Saved Me should be the book. An amazing true story of survival in the darkest of times, WWII. An account started by the man who lived through the ordeal and finished posthumous by his granddaughter.

I chose to read this book because, being a linguist and a translator, I was intrigued by the title and the synopsis.
It’s a wonderful, suspenseful and moving story of surviving first the Nazis and then the secret Soviet police, and how languages (the protagonist spoke 9 languages!) open up new worlds and possibilities. Every language can help you create a new life.

Highly recommended.

** Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review **
Es una historia interesante y conmovedora. Me sorprendió como estaba organizado el libro, pero supongo que lo que puede parecer omisión de edición, fue buscado, para conservar autenticidad. La historia ademas es super interesante, es una historia de perseverancia, de lucha, de aprovechar los recursos que se tienen para salir adelante, una historia de supervivencia.

An incredible story! After reading so many WWII novels, this story seemed so unbelievable that he could evade capture for so long and escape authorities several times! Overall it was a fairly positive story, which is nice for a change. I’m glad his family was able to preserve his story in this way. His linguistic ability is amazing and I could see how that paired with his street smarts enabled him to survive as he did!

My 3-star rating is mainly because of the formatting and organization of the book. I guess I don’t know their goal in publishing so maybe it was exactly what they wanted. But it read exactly how I imagine if my own grandpa were telling me his life story. A bit of jumping around and a lot of non-essential details. It was very matter-of-fact. They didn’t seem to have pared down or edited any of the material, which boasts of authenticity but lacks the excitement and suspense of a good story. The title was great and the story is truly incredible. I could see it being turned into more of a historical fiction novel that may appeal to a wider audience. This formatting and set-up felt more like a research paper.

The pictures brought the story to life- good decision to include those.

Again, incredible story and has a lot of potential!