A biography of Walraven van Hall, a central figure in the Dutch resistance to German occupation during World War II.

Born in 1906, Walraven van Hall enjoyed a “sunny childhood”—the sixth of 10 siblings, he was raised by a family as wealthy as it was loving. His life and the lives of his Dutch countrymen, however, were threatened by the sudden Nazi invasion in 1940. A banker and a broker, Van Hall became an active member of the Dutch Union, a political party that welcomed moderates who were neither revolutionary communists nor conservatives slow to commit to any plan of action against the German occupation. The party’s official stance against underground resistance gave it cover to fight the Nazis. As author Schaap puts it in this marvelous blend of scholarly rigor and gripping drama: “The Dutch Union was a precursor of, and catalyst for, a fortified Resistance.” Van Hall’s war efforts began modestly, raising funds for the families of seamen who lost their income when they refused to sail for the Nazis. Within a year, though, he was managing massive funds to support the resistance and to help find safe lodging for Jews. Appropriating all this money required extraordinary secrecy and ingenuity. At one point, desperate for cash, Van Hall orchestrated a sophisticated heist of the Dutch State Bank. The author powerfully portrays Van Hall’s indefatigable efforts, which exacted a terrible toll on his physical and mental health and eventually led to his arrest and execution. The Dutch Resistance was the best funded of its kind in Europe, and Schaap lucidly explains its complex inner machinations. Also, this is an emotionally wrenching tale conveyed in moving prose. Just before his execution, Van Hall hid a note to his family in his underwear, assuming it would be sent back to them: “Oh dearest, what a good time we had together these 13 years. I know, thank God, you are surrounded by loving family and friends. It has cost me a lot of struggle, but I am willing to accept the worst.” The translation by Marlin is graceful, and his introduction to the volume edifying. This is an important contribution to the scholarship on the underground resistance to the Nazis.

An extraordinary tale, cinematic and historically painstaking.

A debut history book focuses on the various coats of arms associated with Oxford University.

Oxford boasts a history as culturally rich as it is long; the first recorded teaching there dates back to the 11th century. Even though the English university received its official royal charter from King Henry III in 1248, its original coat of arms wasn’t created until 1400. Now, there are 38 different colleges recognized under the banner of Oxford—13 of them only since World War II. Even the most recent additions have their heraldic symbols, not just for the sake of traditional continuity, but also for the identification of their athletic teams. Marlin meticulously covers each college, discussing its unique history, the meaning of its coat of arms, and its specific educational mission. Each coat of arms is loaded with nearly esoteric symbolic meanings, and the author expertly interprets—to borrow an apt coinage from Richard Lofthouse’s preface—the “peculiar language of heraldry.” Adding to the demystification of ancient forms is a useful glossary of heraldic terms. All of the coats of arms here are handsomely illustrated by debut heraldic artist Lumbley; there is a smattering of uncredited color photographs as well. The author’s descriptions are composed in unfailingly clear language, and the entire work is as rationally organized as it is informative. This idiosyncratic slice of history actually opens an intriguing portal into the whole of British history since the heraldic symbols signify what should be praised as well as what should be condemned. Of course, such an uncommon vantage point is unlikely to command a broad readership; the entire book truly is devoted to the coats of arms and the colleges to which they belong. But for those in search of a confident guide to these meaningful hieroglyphics, it would be difficult to find one superior to Marlin’s effort.

An astute exploration of Oxford’s coats of arms.