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Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Scritto da Mark Sullivan
Narrato da Will Damron
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Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man's incredible courage and resilience during one of history's darkest hours.
Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He's a normal Italian teenager-obsessed with music, food, and girls-but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.
In an attempt to protect him, Pino's parents force him to enlist as a German soldier-a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler's left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders.
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.
Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.
Azioni libro
Inizia ad ascoltareInformazioni sul libro
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Scritto da Mark Sullivan
Narrato da Will Damron
Descrizione
Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man's incredible courage and resilience during one of history's darkest hours.
Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He's a normal Italian teenager-obsessed with music, food, and girls-but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.
In an attempt to protect him, Pino's parents force him to enlist as a German soldier-a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler's left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich's most mysterious and powerful commanders.
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.
Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.
Informazioni sull'autore
Recensioni
Great read. Based on the true story of Pino Lella, a young Italian who is sent to the Alps by his parents to get him away from war-torn Milan and gets involved in leading Jewish refugees to safety in Switzerland. Later, back in Milan, he is recruited to become the driver for General Leyers, the second-most important Nazi officer in Italy, and then as a spy on his activities. This is a wonderful story of courage, deceit, intrigue and romance, one which also chronicles the less well-known suffering of Italians during the war and some of their heroic resistance activities. The characters are well-developed, the writing s good, and the plot propels you forward. It is all the more engrossing as it is essentially a true story.
Rating: 5I liked the book okay. I loved the historical deets. The writing, it was just ok. I can gobble these WWII resistance books up but this one was interesting for its different, less explored venue, but no so much for its writing.
Rating: 3Mostly based on facts, I enjoyed this new perspective of WWII from an Italian. I loved the scenes in the mountains and with the priests. The relationship with Anna seemed a bit contrived, but, since he was a teenager, believable. The twists at the end kept me reading late into the night. Definitely a book I can highly recommend.
Rating: 4Sometimes reading was overly dramatic. Good story --- but very long. Interesting history of the main subject in his later. years
Rating: 4Fascinating story, especially it is "based on fact." Can't help wondering how much was fact and how much was fiction. If it was mostly fact, Pino Lella led an extraordinary life.
Rating: 4A good story badly told. Pino Lella's adventures as an Italian teen during Nazi occupation are in turns exciting, unbelievable and entertaining. From escorting Jews through the Alps to Switzerland to spying for the resistance in a stint as a driver for a Nazi general, his story is a true one. But it's hard to tell what might have been embellished. Sullivan should have and could have developed the narrative in a different way, perhaps not in strict chronological order. It was accordion-like in pacing and read like a young adult novel. Ok, but only ok.
Rating: 3This is the first book I read completely on my Kindle Paperwhite and WOW did I pick an amazing book for it!!! This is the true story of Pino Lella, who risked his life as a spy (and in other ways!) during World War II. I don’t want to share too many details, but this brave man experienced so many terrible, heartbreaking, amazing things that are unimaginable. I’m so glad someone discovered, researched and shared this amazing story. Highly recommend!
Rating: 5Although this novel is historical fiction, it is based on the life of Pino Lella, an Italian WW2 freedom fighter. Pino wanted nothing more than to do what any Italian adolescent would do, such as assisting the family in their business, hanging out with friends, and going to movies and dances with dates. However, when the war intensified in Milan, Pino and his brother were sent to northern Italy when they assisted a Catholic priest and his underground railroad by transporting Jews into neutral Switzerland. When his family brought him back to Milan, he was encouraged to join the German army which would allow him to stay in Italy. When circumstances arose allowing him to become the driver for General Leyers, a German officer who took orders only from Hitler and was the 2nd most powerful man in Italy during WW2. Pino's uncle encouraged him to take the position so he could spy on the German and Italian armies. However, he could not tell family and friends of his true motive in becoming the General's driver. In the months ahead, he is despised by his family and friends and being shot at by the Allies. The only person that makes his current life bearable is his girlfriend who works as the maid for the General's mistress.I found Pino's exploits noteworthy for his skill and courage under fire, especially for someone in his late teens and early 20's. While reading this novel, coincidentally I found myself reading From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon. Beneath a Scarlet Sky displayed the Italian resistance while the latter provided me a perspective of the war from the Jewish perspective. Both books provided a realistic view of this war on Italy's citizens.
Rating: 4We are taken to Italy, the last several years of World War II. Pino Lella, a teenager, at first helps Jews escape into Switzerland from a Catholic school in the mountains, run by a priest' Father Re. Then his family convinces him to enlist in the German army to avoid being sent to the Eastern Front: the fate of Italian draftees. He becomes the driver for a high-ranking German officer, General Leyer, and spies for the Italians who support the Allies. The writing itself was nothing to write home about and the story was filled with too many happy coincidences and hair's breadth escapes. However, most of it was based on the truth, heard from Lello's own lips. All in all, an exciting story in spite of any blemishes and written about a part of WWII about which we hear little.
Rating: 3I thoroughly enjoyed this LONG novel based on the life of Giuseppe "Pimo" Lella and his WW II saga in Italy. I really had never read much about Italy's role in World War II, and this book gave an fascinating story of how the country was split between the partisans and Hitler's puppet, Mussolini. I especially appreciated the Afterward section included by the author that detailed what happened to the many characters in the story. Although Pimo was an heroic character, and the war ended with the defeat of Hitler and his machine, Pimo's sacrifices during that time impacted his entire life. And everything that he did, the people he encountered, and the choices he made affected his life long after the war was but a bad memory. I appreciate Mark Sullivan's work and dedication to this story. A must read!
Rating: 5Incredible. This story will stay with me for a long, long time!
Rating: 5Excellent book demonstrating how difficult it is to be brave. So many Nazi who were involved in unspeakable crimes seem to have escaped with money, their lives and no regrets. Sad that the girlfriends and maids did not get the same chance.
Rating: 4I began with the book in print but changed to listening which worked perfectly for this previously untold story of a young man's experiences in Italy during WWII. I enjoyed the writing generally and was startled to realize how little I knew about that part of the war.
Most recently written books about that time are unable to evoke the horrors as well as this author does. Am glad to see a popular current book that does so well at reminding readers about events that should not be forgotten
I downrated the book because of the purple prose used by the author whenever talking about the hero's beloved Anna. It was both startling and distracting to go from a description of random killings designed to subdue the population to a young man's obsession about a woman who was more vaguely described than most other characters in the book. Annoying when the author did so well at describing family members and the Germans.
Rating: 4Most recently written books about that time are unable to evoke the horrors as well as this author does. Am glad to see a popular current book that does so well at reminding readers about events that should not be forgotten
I downrated the book because of the purple prose used by the author whenever talking about the hero's beloved Anna. It was both startling and distracting to go from a description of random killings designed to subdue the population to a young man's obsession about a woman who was more vaguely described than most other characters in the book. Annoying when the author did so well at describing family members and the Germans.
Based on a real story, this book is about an Italian boy, Pino Lella, who lives in Milan with his parents and younger brother during World War II. His father sends him to a camp run by a priest in the Italian Alps. There he is given the task of helping Jews cross the Alps into Switzerland. Just before he turns 18 his father calls him back and tells him to enlist in the German Army. His reasons are that if Pino ended up in the Italian army he would be nothing more than cannon fodder but if he voluntarily joins the German army he can choose where he serves, and he chooses the Organization Todt. This branch is responsible for clearing roads, requisitioning stores for the Nazis, and building, usually with the aid of conscripted Italians who become little more than slaves. Pino was injured in a bombing and while he was recovering he helped a driver repair the car which happened to belong to General Hans Leyers, the head of the Todt. When the general learned of his engineering skills and ability to speak French, he fires the other guy and takes on Pino on the spot. Pino spends the rest of the war in this position, able to report on sensitive military movements.I felt the anguish Pino suffered being unable to tell his friends and neighbors why he was dressed in a German uniform with a Nazi armband. I also enjoyed the cliche story of young love with the bombs falling all around. Since the girl in question was the maid of the General's girlfriend, he always carried a small amount of doubt that she was on their side. This was a thrilling book ending with a car drive to rival any chase scene in the movies.For those of you who are interested, this book is perfectly appropriate for teens and they are a perfect audience for it.
Rating: 5Wow. I'm just not even sure exactly what to say about this book. It's the incredible story of Pino Lella in the last two years of WWII. Mark Sullivan starts the book by stating the majority of the story is true but that he did have to fictionalize some of it due to gaps in the story that could not be corroborated or remembered. It is a longer book but I didn't feel like it was dragging by at any point. It flows very nicely and keeps you wanting more. It's a different perspective on some of the things that happened during WWII especially in Italy which I don't think has been given much recognition. I highly recommend if you enjoy books set in this time period. You will be amazed at what Pino experiences in just two short years.
Rating: 5A great story from the war...
Rating: 5This is an excellent book. The author has somewhat fictionalized a true story of WWII in Italy focusing on Milan. The characters are vibrant, the book is fast paced, and the story is passionate. I have read a lot of WWII history but was lacking in knowledge of the Italian resistance and the role of the Organization Todt - it is truly a chilling tale.
Rating: 4There are no words to describe how much I loved this beautifully written book! What a story! This is based on a true life, and even if only half of this is true, WHAT A LIFE! I can totally believe that most of this is truth! Read (or listen. It's a wonderful audiobook) this soon! You won't regret it!
Rating: 5A very engrossing tale and a serious telling of the heroic participants standing up to the Nazi regime in Italy, a WWII location history seems to have forgotten. Pino Lella was a very interesting protagonist. Some have wondered if his experiences were embellished but knowing the pervasiveness of the German war machine it's hard not to believe if not personally experienced, he may have been remembering experiences of others he knew. An extraordinary teenager determined to do what was right in the face of personal peril. I did enjoy the novel and appreciated learning of the Italian war history. What I tired of was the simple writing and somewhat cliche dialogue. The story itself deserved a more serious approach on the part of the author but all in all a serious historical saga.The section at the end titled, Aftermath, was greatly appreciated to explain what happened to some of the people so important to Pino's experience.
Rating: 4This historical fiction novel was based on a true story; that of Pino Lella, a young 16 year old as the book begins and a 23 year old wizened man as the book ends. The Italian side of WWII isn't something that novelists or historians usually focus on when writing about WWII, so this was very refreshing.Once the bombing of Milan begins, Pino is sent to a boy's school in the Alps where he eventually helps smuggle Jews across the border to Switzerland. He is called home by his parents though when the Nazi's come looking for him for compulsory service. By luck he lands as a driver for Nazi General Hans Leyers, Hitler's right hand man. Pino soon becomes a spy for the resistance and even meets Mussolini. The story in this book featured many real life people and it was excellently researched. I would recommend this book although I have 2 small problems with it: 1) I'm unsure why the title 2) The writing was somewhat elementary. However, the story for me was so good that I can overlook these 2 flaws.
Rating: 5An excellent novel based on a true story that takes place in Northern Italy during World War II. The main character is a young Italian boy just old enough to be drafted by the Nazi'z and sent to Russia where he will most likely die. His father who has made connections so he would be assigned to a local contingent of Nazi military, convinces him to enlist in the German army. His compatriots consider him a traitor, not knowing he has become a spy for the partisans. The story relates the horrors of war for those who are occupied, some romance and some heroism of those to worked to save lives and resist the Facists. I especially appreciate the author telling the reader what happened to all the characters after the war.
Rating: 5Set in Italy during the German occupation/alliance, Pino joins an Underground Railroad to help Jews cross over the Alps. Forced to enlist by his parents who hope to protect him by mak No him, Pino becomes the personal driver of Hitler's left hand man in Italy. (Based on real person.)
Rating: 3This is a fantastic book about a little known hero from World War II. The author was able to spend time talking to this hero, who is still alive today, and did extensive research on the history during this time. The result is a page turner thriller that will keep you reading to find out how the story ends.Pino Lella is a typical teenager in Milan in the early 1940s. He in interested in girls and music and girls. He pays little attention to the Nazi occupation until the Allies start to bomb the city on a daily basis. His parents decide to send him to a boys school in the mountains that he has been to before, to keep him safe. He is anything but safe when he starts leading downed Allied pilots and people escaping from Italy to safety over a treacherous mountain route to Switzerland. He is called home by his parents who insist that he join the German Army - they felt it was safer to be in the German Army than the Italian Army and despite his misgivings, he follows his parents orders. Once again, he puts himself in danger and works for the resistance while he is a member of the German Army. This is wonderful novel about a brave man during the war and its also the coming of age story of his life from being an innocent teenager to a young man who is searching for love and a peaceful life.
Rating: 5Really interesting story! Some of the dialogue was a little clunky, especially with the love story.
Rating: 4
I just lost a piece of my heart, no regrets. Beautifully written nonfiction❤
Rating: 5
Amazing! I bawled at work while on the assembly line. Couldn't stop listening, such a remarkable story.
Rating: 5Well worth the time it takes to listen. I enjoyed it.
Rating: 5This book had me hooked right from the beginning. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5
A great story well written by a great story teller.
Rating: 5Beautiful story. Tragic with love and the endurance of one boy who became a man while saving the lives of Italian Jews.
Rating: 5