Bright Candles: a novel of the Danish resistance

by Nathaniel Benchley

A sixteen-year-old boy grows into manhood during the German occupation of Denmark as his annoying little pranks turn into full-scale resistance efforts.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, World War II

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1974

About the author

Born in Newton, Massachusetts to a literary family, he was the son of Gertrude Darling and Robert Benchley (1889-1945), the noted American writer, humorist, critic, actor, and one of the founders of the Algonquin Round Table in New York City.

Nathaniel Benchley was the highly-respected author of many children's/juvenile books that provided learning for the youthful readers with stories of various animals or through the book's historical settings. Benchley dealt with diverse locales and topics such as "Bright Candles", which recounts the experiences of a 16-year-old Danish boy during the German occupation of his country in World War II; and "Small Wolf", a story about a Native American boy who meets white men on the island of Manhattan and learns that their ideas about land are different from those of his own peoples'.

Film director/producer, Norman Jewison made Benchley's 1961 novel The Off-Islanders into a motion picture titled The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming for which he received the nomination for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay. He was a close friend of actor Humphrey Bogart and wrote his biography in 1975.

Benchley's novel Welcome to Xanadu was made into the 1975 motion picture Sweet Hostage.

His elder son, Peter Benchley (1940-2006), was a writer best known for writing the novel Jaws and the screenplay of the 1975 Steven Spielberg film made from it. His younger son, Nat Benchley, is a writer and actor who has portrayed his grandfather, Robert Benchley, in a one-man, semi-biographical stage show, "Benchley Despite Himself". The show was a compilation of Robert Benchley's best monologues, short films, radio rantings and pithy pieces as recalled, edited, and acted by his grandson Nat, and combined with family reminiscences and friends' perspectives."

Nathaniel Benchley died in 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts and was interred in the family plot at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Nantucket.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My prior knowledge of the Danish resistance during WWII was zilch, but this well-written, engaging novel brought to life the slowly deteriorating conditions in Denmark during the German occupation.

I had to jump through some hoops to obtain a copy of this book, but having read it, I wish it were more readily available to teens and adults. There's much to recommend it - a story of friendship, family, wartime romance, liberty, and self-determination.

[Ryan Newfell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over ten years ago but it still sits with me - it was during this period that my interest in the Danish Resistance of World War 2 had peaked. This book has many great characters - it is a long read, but definitely worth it.
If you like this, check out Kris' War (formerly Code Name Kris), or Lisa's War. Both are Youth books, but are still great, quick reads.

JULY 2022: I just reread this book and must say, it is still a great read even for an adult.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've fairly sure I read this as a kid, when I devoured all WWII books I could find. I think it's where I get my heroic impression of the Danes. It's fairly dry, and the girl stuff is super-G rated, but it worked for me.

[Shelley Alongi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jens Hansen is 16 years old at the outbreak of World War II. During the next five years he along with high school friends and then college friends mount resistance against the Nazi occupying forces. The novel is part history and part action and the only reason I didn’t give it a five star rating is because it seems like a 16-year-old would not know all of the details that are recorded in this book. However, it is always possible that they know more than I give them credit for. It is however if you are looking for some history a great place to start if you’re interested at all in the resistance put together by Danish underground.

[Jana Al Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book “bright candles” revolves around the life of a sixteen-year-old Danish boy called Jens Hansen during the German occupation of his country in World War II. Two teenagers turn from pranks to sabotage in this tense story of people pushed to their limits by the Nazi regime in Denmark. During the next five years he’s along with high school friends and then college friends mount resistance against the Nazi occupying forces. The novel is part history and part action and that’s the only reason I gave it a three star rating. Overall the book was filled with action and it was thrilling to read.

[Charles Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of boy growing up in Nazi occupied Denmark as he joins the resistance movement, while doing his best to keep it a secret from his parents

This was an interesting read from a point of view I feel we don't see very often in World War 2 historical fiction novels, that is an eventual member of the Danish resistance. Its a theater of the war often overlooked in favor of the big battles in the east and west, so it was a refreshing change of pace. You can feel the characters paranoia as he does more and more for the resistance, as the danger of being caught or informed on grow. Along with his growing sense of paranoia you also watch the main character mature from boy to young adult which I think helped keep the story on its path

My one big gripe is that every now and then the story goes off track into a tangent about what else is happening in the world. I wouldn't be bothered by it so much if some of them didn't take up half of chapters or showed more often how those large events were having effects back in Denmark.

Overall, a good read, one I recommend to anyone with any interest in WW2

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book from a library over forty years ago, and thought it was fantastic. I finally tracked down another copy, and it's still fantastic.

It was written to raise money for Amnesty International, and it's a tale of a teenage Danish boy and his experiences in the Danish resistance during the Second World War, and is full of the heroism of ordinary people who, in difficult times, act in extraordinary ways.

[Michele]

Jens Hansen, 16, becomes involved with the Danish resistance when the Nazis occupy Denmark. Engaging story although sometimes it just sets factual incidents which take away from the plot. That being said, it presents a good picture of the strong resolve of the Danish people during WWII.

Historical Fiction. Read many years ago as a children's librarian.

[Karen Lawsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a young adult and have reread several times, each time developing a deeper understanding of Denmark’s time as a “peacefully” occupied country. The quote from John Steinbeck affected me strongly; perhaps relating to Russia’s renewed aggression towards Ukraine. Recommend highly; if teens are reading it, thoughtful discussion with adults might be good idea.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the sixth grade Mr. Mitchell read this entire book to us, out loud. It had graphic depictions of Nazis torturing freedom fighters. It described how one young man's pranks against the Nazis turned serious. The book depicted trusted adults, like a scout leader, betraying his scouts. It's not just a novel, it's a warning and an instruction manual.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to learn more about living in an occupied country during WW2, this is a decent choice. Three-fourths of the book is a first-person narrative. The remaining fourth, sprinkled throughout the story, reads like a textbook, which was not as enjoyable to me.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a novel, I found it very interesting in a historical sense in recounting aspects of the German occupation of Denmark, and the changing views of the population as the war progressed.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, well written story. All the emotions felt.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, "Bright Candles", is a historical fiction about the Danish resistance. So the main characters are fiction but what happened during that place is history. During this time, the Germans have invaded Denmark.The Government tells the people that they wont put up a fight and just let the Germans come and take over everything. Some Danish people aren't okay with this and two of them are Jens and Ole. At first, they did little pranks to the Germans like painting cruel graffiti on their hotels or putting sugar inside their cars but soon their pranks become more crazy and serious such as burning buildings, blowing up German cars and factories.

I recommend this book to those who are interested in the struggle people had gone through because of the Germans. I was intrigued with this book because I enjoy reading books about the Holocaust and others.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In April,1940,the Danish government capitulated to Nazi Germany and Denmark became occupied by German soldiers. Sixteen year old Jens Hansen and his friend began to harass the Germans. Eventually, they joined the Danish resistance. What began as harassment of the German soldiers escalated into covert operations which eventually resulted in catastrophic results for many Danes. Five years later, the occupation ended. The history of those years of occupation is seen through Jens’ eyes. The characters are fictional but the history recounted is true as the citizens remember it. It was an exciting time but also a frightful time.

[Damon Barnhurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denmark, may be a forgotten player in the fight against Hitler and the Natzi movement, as neutral as the the country may have seemed, had some great thwarting activity against the unwelcomed ideas of Hitler. Denmark refused to fight Germany openly as the Natzis occupied their country, but many interesting schemes where devised by common people to irritate the Natzis and make it so they didn't want to be there.

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 7th grade and loved the story. I still remember it many years later as an exciting story of a teeager who fights against the Nazis in Denmark.

[Ajcc]

F 813.54 BEN

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very interesting. There wasn't much of a story.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic look at life in Denmark during WWII and the Danish resistance that the people put up against the German

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book when I was in grade school.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in Junior High and I have never forgotten it.
I re-read it recently and I still loved it.

[Molly Giddens · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart swells with a love for the Danish people during WWII.

[Srishtee · Rating 4 out of 5]

walks the line between historical and fiction quite gracefully