The Good Doctor of Warsaw

Elisabeth Gifford

Set in the ghettos of wartime Warsaw, this is a sweeping, poignant, and heartbreaking novel inspired by the true story of one doctor who was determined to protect two hundred Jewish orphans from extermination.

Deeply in love and about to marry, students Misha and Sophia flee a Warsaw under Nazi occupation for a chance at freedom. Forced to return to the Warsaw ghetto, they help Misha's mentor, Dr Janusz Korczak, care for the two hundred children in his orphanage. As Korczak struggles to uphold the rights of even the smallest child in the face of unimaginable conditions, he becomes a beacon of hope for the thousands who live behind the walls.

As the noose tightens around the ghetto, Misha and Sophia are torn from one another, forcing them to face their worst fears alone. They can only hope to find each other again one day . . .

Meanwhile, refusing to leave the children unprotected, Korczak must confront a terrible darkness.

Elisabeth Gifford grew up in a parsonage. She writes for The London Times and the Independent and has a Diploma in Creative Writing from Oxford University and a Masters in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway College. She lives in Kingston upon Thames in England.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"In this breathtakingly poignant novel . . . the many acts of bravery by people doing what they can in the face of great danger, shine a light on the best of humanity, even in the face of the most inhumane acts." Booklist

“I could scarcely put it down. Vivid and chilling but utterly inspiring." The Daily Telegraph

“Written with quiet, almost heroic, determination, Elisabeth Gifford's novel fictionalizes these events. The end is inevitable. It is painful to read about such wickedness and suffering.” The Daily Mail

“A story that should be told and retold. Gifford's version is readable and extremely powerful.” The Times

“With powerful themes of loss, hope, and what it means to be human, The Good Doctor of Warsaw is a brave, moving, and important book with a message we need now as much as ever.” Katherine Clements, author of A House of Ghosts

“Powerful, harrowing, and ultimately uplifting. Elisabeth Gifford has achieved an extraordinary blend of fact and fiction.” Andrew Taylor, author of The Ashes of London