Nancy Wake, nicknamed 'the white mouse' for her ability to evade capture, tells her own story. As the Gestapo's most wanted person, and one of the most highly decorated servicewomen of the war, it's a story worth telling.
After living and working in Paris in the 1930's, Nancy married a wealthy Frenchman and settled in Marseilles. Her idyllic new life was ended by World War II and the invasion of France. Her life shattered, Nancy joined the French resistance and, later, began work with an escape-route network for allied soldiers. Eventually Nancy had to escape from France herself to avoid capture by the Gestapo.
In London she trained with the Special Operations Executive as a secret agent and saboteur before parachuting back into France. Nancy became a leading figure in the Maquis of the Auvergne district, in charge of finance and obtaining arms, and helped to forge the Maquis into a superb fighting force.
During her lifetime, Nancy Wake was hailed as a legend. Her autobiography recounts her extraordinary wartime experiences in her own words.
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Nancy Wake. What a woman.
This book was so amazing. Wake is such an extraordinary person, and I loved this book. She is so open and frank about her life and some of the tragedies she had to endure as a spy in WWII.
One of my favourite things about her, and I've told this story to so many people, is what she thought of the movie they made of her life. She took special exception to the scene showing her making eggs for the French soldiers She says it best: "There wasn't an egg to be had for love nor money, and even if there had been why would I be frying it when I had men to do that sort of thing?".
I respect her bluntness while telling this detailed life story. I could only hope to be as half as amazing as she is. - Karina (QBD)
Guest, 14/03/2018
