From back cover:
In "Here to Stay" bestselling author John Hersey tells of episodes in the past half-century in which Man has courageously risen above desperate situations and shown his determination to survive despite threats of the nuclear age. He first tells the story of an old woman marooned on a rooftop amidst floods caused by a hurricane. He ends with is famous "Hiroshoma", the story of the survivors of the first atomic bombing, written from personal investigation in horrifying detail and compassionate indignation.
Between these two moving pieces, we read of John Kennedy's heroism in rescuing the crew of his PT boat; a Jew's sufferings in Auschwitz; a crippled G.I.'s difficulties in adjusting to civilian life; the rehabilitation of a soldier paralyzed with fright; the adventures of two Poles who survived persecution; and a thrilling account of an escape from Hungary in 1956.
All John Hersey's books have a serious purpose, from "A Bell for Adano" to "The War Lover". This book is a stirring reminder of our inherent ability to meet the challenges of extinction which now face the world.
"This is a strong and moving book. 'Here to Stay' is a fair statement both to the human will to survive and of the precariousness of human prospects for survival. The characters in Mr. Hersey's book renew our sense of the inextinguishable vitality of life and hope; at the same time, his episodes - and especially his conclusion - renew a sense of 'the big IF' underlying the human condition in this second half of the 20th century." - Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., The New York Times Book Review
In "Here to Stay" bestselling author John Hersey tells of episodes in the past half-century in which Man has courageously risen above desperate situations and shown his determination to survive despite threats of the nuclear age. He first tells the story of an old woman marooned on a rooftop amidst floods caused by a hurricane. He ends with is famous "Hiroshoma", the story of the survivors of the first atomic bombing, written from personal investigation in horrifying detail and compassionate indignation.
Between these two moving pieces, we read of John Kennedy's heroism in rescuing the crew of his PT boat; a Jew's sufferings in Auschwitz; a crippled G.I.'s difficulties in adjusting to civilian life; the rehabilitation of a soldier paralyzed with fright; the adventures of two Poles who survived persecution; and a thrilling account of an escape from Hungary in 1956.
All John Hersey's books have a serious purpose, from "A Bell for Adano" to "The War Lover". This book is a stirring reminder of our inherent ability to meet the challenges of extinction which now face the world.
"This is a strong and moving book. 'Here to Stay' is a fair statement both to the human will to survive and of the precariousness of human prospects for survival. The characters in Mr. Hersey's book renew our sense of the inextinguishable vitality of life and hope; at the same time, his episodes - and especially his conclusion - renew a sense of 'the big IF' underlying the human condition in this second half of the 20th century." - Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., The New York Times Book Review
