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East West Street
- Narrated by: Philippe Sands, David Rintoul
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
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East West Street
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Summary
WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NONFICTION.
"A monumental achievement: profoundly personal, told with love, anger and great precision." (John le Carré)
"A triumph of astonishing research...no novel could possibly match such an important work of truth." (Antony Beevor)
"Magnificent...I was moved to anger and to pity. In places I gasped, in places I wept. I wanted to reach the end. I couldn't wait to reach the end. And then when I got there I didn't want to be at the end." ( The Times)"Magnificent...I was moved to anger and to pity. In places I gasped, in places I wept. I wanted to reach the end. I couldn't wait to reach the end. And then when I got there I didn't want to be at the end." ( The Times)
When human rights lawyer Philippe Sands received an invitation to deliver a lecture in the Western Ukrainian city of Lviv, he began to uncover a series of extraordinary historical coincidences. It set him on a quest that would take him halfway around the world in an exploration of the origins of international law and the pursuit of his own secret family history, beginning and ending with the last day of the Nuremberg Trials.
In this part historical detective story, part family history, part legal thriller, Philippe Sands guides us between past and present as several interconnected stories unfold in parallel. The first is the hidden story of two Nuremberg prosecutors who discover, only at the end of the trials, that the man they are prosecuting may be responsible for the murders of their entire families in Nazi-occupied Poland, in and around Lviv. The two prosecutors, Hersch Lauterpacht and Rafael Lemkin, are remarkable men whose efforts led to the inclusion of the terms crimes against humanity and genocide in the judgment at Nuremberg. The defendant, Hans Frank, Hitler's personal lawyer and governor-general of Nazi-occupied Poland, turns out to be an equally compelling character.
The lives of these three men lead Sands to a more personal story as he traces the events that overwhelmed his mother's family in Lviv and Vienna during the Second World War. At the heart of this book is an equally personal quest to understand the roots of international law and the concepts that have dominated Sands' work as a lawyer. Eventually he finds unexpected answers to his questions about his family in this powerful meditation on the way memory, crime and guilt leave scars across generations and the haunting gaps left by the secrets of others.
2016, Baille Gifford Prize for Non-fiction, Winner
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
What listeners say about East West Street
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sue
- 31-12-17
Outstanding insight, meticulous and moving
Other than historians and international lawyers you will not have heard of the lawyer Hersch Lauterpacht yet he is a very important figure in Philippe Sands' magnificent book.
East West Street is different and distinct in many meaningful ways, telling the fascinating story of the beginning of international human rights, but rather do so as dry legal history it focuses on two of the most significant individuals.
The author weaves the stories of Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin into Sands' own personal family story, which all tie into the 'city of lions' (Lviv/Lwow/Lemberg) in the first few decades of the 20th century. Both men and Sand's own family lived here, a place where East and West meet, hence the book's title.
It culminates into their assistance with the Nuremburg trials of ten senior Nazi figures, with Lauterpacht preparing the first drafts of the opening and closing speeches of the chief prosecution. Crucially he crafted the wording of Article 6 of the Nuremberg Charter, enshrining crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression into international law. Lemkin, in the same vein, constructed the concept of genocide, even coining the term.
And Sands discusses his detective work to find answers to numerous questions about his family. In the end his journey reveals tragedy, but a tragedy lightened by knowing the truth.
This is an outstanding book by a barrister, filmmaker and writer. It reeks of intellectual strength, and truly superb.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Phil Eldridge
- 17-05-21
Amazing!
Everything about this is amazing. An incredible story, well told, with the little known history behind two well-known terms expertly described.
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- Anonymous User
- 28-04-21
Excellent
This was an incredible book. Extremely dynamic story and perfect if you are interested in history and international law.
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- Ann
- 04-07-22
Incredible book - engrossing and deeply moving
Excellent book, very thought provoking. Couldn't put it down, the Leon storyline was absolutely gripping.
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- Ade Owen
- 18-03-17
Outstanding
How Philippe Sands put this book together is beyond belief, the amount of research - historical documentation and family history - knits together like an, enormous, sometimes horrific and melancholic word quilt. Beautifully read tremendously moving it is a work of great importance.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Marky
- 08-05-21
It needs an editor
I found this book utterly compelling and unlike others enjoyed the two narrator style. When Philippe Sands was telling the story of his own family the emotion was very obvious. David Rintoul telling the overall story was just as compelling.
However, the verbosity of the story was at times distracting and utterly irritating. It screamed ‘look and me and how much research’ I’ve done. It didn’t move the story on and probably was a reason people may not have finished this book.
Whether it’s the author or the publisher someone needs to edit this book. The story and the arguments needs to be told and heard but not as they are.
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- Sophie
- 17-08-20
A must - listen
Gripping, from start to finish. I will recommend it to everyone I know. Grateful to have listened to this.
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- Meir Stolear
- 02-03-23
Fantastic book
This is a great piece of research work. Getting a better understanding of the evolution of intentional law on genocide and crime agents against humanity. Every school in the world should teach this book.
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- Lucy W
- 13-07-22
Fascinating and detailed
I didn't expect it to be gripping, but it was. the history of the development of an idea, or ideas, born out of the horrors of the holocaust and even the turmoil that came before that in Europe. This unfolds alongside the authors own discoveries about his family and their story, all set against the backdrop of the ancient city of Lviv. Its not at all dry, and although there are absolutely wretched moments in the book, the author applies a forensic analysis to the facts that never strays into the melodrama or despair. There is no need to, as the facts speak for themselves. Definitely recommend.
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- theone901
- 25-11-18
Outstanding and poignant
A well researched personal journey into the judicial underpinning of the nuremberg trials. Poignant and essential listening for anyone interested in this period of history.
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1 person found this helpful