Thousands of academic refugees helped by Esther Simpson remember her significant actions. But who was she and why has she been forgotten by history? This is the story of Esther Simpson, a remarkable woman largely forgotten by history, but whose sacrifices left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of the modern world.

Esther Simpson - Tess to her friends - dedicated her life to the resettlement of academic refugees, whom she considered family. By the end of her life, Tess had on her "registry" dozens of award-winning academics, including 16 Nobel Prize winners, 18 knights, 74 members of the Royal Society, and 34 members of the British Academy.

From her humble beginnings in Leeds with Russian immigrant parents, Simpson took on clerical roles that led her to London, Vienna, and eventually Geneva. When the Nazis came to power, she found her calling and joined the Academic Assistance Council for a salary that was one-third of what she had previously earned. Her work for more than five decades seeking refuges for thousands of displaced academics had a profound impact on many sciences, including physics, philosophy, architecture, art history, and molecular biology.

For a woman who maintained regular correspondence with her "refugee sons" and could count among her friends Albert Einstein and Ludwig Wittgenstein, it is astonishing that we know so little about her private life. This book is a study of a forgotten figure: who she was, her influence on the world, and the historical context that shaped her achievements.

Pages: 448, Year of Publication: 0919, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm