Fern Lebo

Fern Lebo is the internationally published author of several books, including The Boy in the Back, the acclaimed Holocaust memoir based on the life story of Jan Blumenstein, who survived Auschwitz and Mauthausen by mastering the art of disappearing.

Powerful and deeply moving, the book preserves the lived experience of a young Jewish boy whose life stands as both a testament to human resilience and a warning against historical amnesia. At sixteen, Jan was deported to Auschwitz. At ninety-six, he broke his silence, deciding after October 7 that his story needed to be told as a warning against rising antisemitism.

As Jan's friend and writing voice, Fern listened, coaxed, and shaped his long-buried memories, transforming them into a compelling narrative of survival, courage, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

A lifelong writer and storyteller, Fern has also written children’s poetry for schoolbooks around the world, and a range of works from cookbooks and poetry, to fitness books, magazine articles and business writing. At the same time, she founded a successful communications company specializing in the art and science of persuasive presentations, and worked with Fortune 500 companies until her retirement.

Following October 7, Fern spent eighteen months interviewing Jan to bring The Boy in the Back to the page. It is her seventh—and, she believes, her most important—book. She is also the author of My Soul’s Delight, a collection of love poems dedicated to her husband, and co-author of The Talent Revolution, a groundbreaking business book.

When she is not writing or speaking about The Boy in the Back, she can usually be found potting, painting, or playing the piano.