The People on the Beach

"'A remarkable story.' -- The Times ‘An important and profound book on the nature of historical memory, and a fascinating exploration of Britain and the Jews. … A gripping story of human drama and historical seriousness.’ -- The Spectator 'Whitehouse’s book radiates human understanding, warmth and above all restraint. She understood what many fail to grasp: The story of the Holocaust survivors needs no embellishment.' -- Haaretz 'This is a story that needed telling and Rosie Waterhouse tells it with warmth, energy and empathy--the story of those who survived the greatest darkness, and dreamed of a new life in the light.' -- Jonathan Freedland, Guardian columnist 'A fascinating, poignant, exciting and revelatory story, told dramatically yet subtly and meticulously, and filled with colourful and unlikely characters. Part travel writing, part investigative journalism, here is a swathe of world history told through the lives, tragedies, suffering and survival of a boatload of Jewish survivors.' -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of 'Jerusalem' 'I could not put this book down. Moving, haunting and utterly fascinating, it tells a story of unlikely heroes who should be far better known: survivors, and those who helped them on their illegal journey to Palestine/Israel. Terrific.' -- Rabbi Dame Julia Neuberger DBE 'Despite knowledge of the Nazi genocide, Holocaust survivors faced a hostile world of immigration barriers. Uncovering the stories of those who found sanctuary ""illegally"", Whitehouse has written a thrilling detective story with ringing resonance for our times.' -- Joanna Newman MBE, Association of Commonwealth Universities, historian of refugees from Nazism ‘Whitehouse’s book will provide much-needed context to the circumstances in which Israel came into being and the ideology of those determined to create a country of their own.’"