The best books about individuals in the French Resistance

The main thing I loved about this book is that it was written in 1943 while the war was still raging in Europe. The publication of this book was an act of resistance in itself. It is a raw telling of the rebellion that became the French Resistance. 

I read this book over a year ago, but the opening scene is still a vivid memory. I never saw the 1969 movie based on the book, but the entire narrative created a movie in my mind.

Is Paris Burning? That was Hitler’s question to General Dietrich von Choltitz, the German commander charged with destroying Paris.

I find this to be possibly the most detailed and interesting behind-the-scenes account of the complex game of chess that was the liberation of Paris. I learned fascinating details of the last days of the German occupation in Paris and the various perspectives of key players on both sides.

The authors expertly weave the various points of view of the French Resistance and their opposing goals with the Allied forces, while the German commander juggles his sense of propriety which counters the wishes of Hitler.

I loved that this book is about the little acts of resistance performed by ordinary people. It is not about the Maquis blowing things up and hiding in the woods. Instead, it highlights how small acts of courage, such as delivering a library book to a Jew, could endanger one’s life.

I found the book easy to read, and I could relate to the perils of the characters trying to live a normal life and maintain dignity in Nazi-occupied Paris.

I picked this book up on my brother's recommendation. His men’s book club read it, and he said they all liked it. If a bunch of men enjoyed a book about a female spy, well, I took that as high praise.

Because I am a student of WW2  in Europe, I was already familiar with Virginia Hall. Until I read this book, I had no idea of the extent of her bravery and sacrifice. I seldom find myself so engrossed in a biography.

I had a plethora of books about Nancy Wake to choose from, including her 1985 autobiography The White Mouse. I decided on Lawhorn’s fictionalization of her exploits partly because of Lawhorn’s large catalog of critically acclaimed historical fiction.

This telling of her story was a welcomed break from the stack of nonfiction WW2 books I had read. I found myself engrossed in the story rather than the history. At the same time, I was confident the story was factually accurate.