The Zookeeper’s Wife

A forgotten tale of wartime survival and resistance.

When Germany invaded Poland, Warsaw zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began fighting their own war against the Nazis. With most of their animals killed by bombs, the couple rescued Jews from the ghetto and gave them sanctuary in the empty animal enclosures.

Drawing on Antonina’s diary, Diane Ackerman recreates this extraordinary wartime story in a dazzling tale of subterfuge, courage and endurance. Written with passion and energy, The Zookeeper’s Wife is a testament to the courage and heroism that illuminated some of the darkest days of the twentieth century.