Synopses & Reviews
Poland, 1941. Sixteen-year-old Harry Haft is sent to Auschwitz. When he is forced to fight against other inmates for the amusement of the SS officers, Haft shows extraordinary strength and courage, and a determination to survive. As the Soviet Army advances in April 1945, he makes a daring escape from the Nazis. After negotiating the turmoil of postwar Poland, Haft immigrates to the United States and establishes himself as a professional prizefighter, remaining undefeated until he faces heavyand#173;weight champion Rocky Marciano in 1949. In The Boxer, Reinhard Kleist reveals another side to the steely Harry Haft: a man struggling to escape the memories of the fiancand#233;e he left behind in Poland. This is a powerful and moving graphic novel about love and the will to survive.
Review
andldquo;Kleistandrsquo;s narrative is set in a perfect visual landscape. Itandrsquo;s safe to say this is an early candidate for graphic novel of the year honors.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Kleistandrsquo;s expressive, inky brushwork powerfully conveys Haftandrsquo;s harrowing story.andnbsp;Although Haft might not be as famous as Kleistandrsquo;s previous subjects, his tale of survival by any means is equally enthralling.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;A fast-paced work of graphic nonfiction offers an important lesson from a dark corner of history.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;The characters are drawn with the energetic nimbleness so admired in Will Eisnerandrsquo;s work. Sports fans and history readers, teen and up, will find this mesmerizing.andrdquo;
Synopsis
The image of Samia Yusuf Omar running for last place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will forever be imprinted in the minds of all who saw it: The lean Somalian, wearing knee-length leggings and a baggy T-shirt, came in seconds behind her competitors. What the cheering crowd couldn t know then was what it took to get there. An Olympic Dream follows Omar s second attempt to represent her country at the Olympics, this time in London. Reinhard Kleist pictures the athlete training in one of the most dangerous cities in the world; her passage through Sudan and into Libya; and her fateful attempt to reach Europe. By telling the story of one remarkable woman, Kleist gives voice to the thousands of migrants who risk their lives daily for a better future."
About the Author
Reinhard Kleist has written a number of critically acclaimed graphic novels, among them the award-winning biographies Havana: A Cuban Journey (2008), Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts, 2009), and Castro (2010). Kleist lives in Berlin, Germany.