Book Summary and Reviews of Les Parisiennes by Anne Sebba

Reader Reviews

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Sharon W. (Columbia, SC)

Enlightening Read
So many men were sucked into the war machine, but the French women who were left behind fought bravely and intelligently in their own way. I learned a lot.

Gwen_C

The Parisiennes
Regarding World War II literature I would say Anne Sebba's Les Parisiennes is to nonfiction as Kristin Hannah's Nightingale is to fiction; i.e. outstanding! The meticulously researched stories plunge you into another world and time, yet there are unsettling shadows of our current global unrest. I had to sift slowly through it, learning, reflecting and frankly, being totally amazed at the author's ability to compile this volume of women vs. war.

Dorothy_H

A look at survival of Paris women WWII
I found the book to be easy to read and follow the true stories of the women that lived and died during the occupation. The women did what they needed to do to care and feed themselves and loved ones. Some sided with the Germans and paid the price after the war but they survived a terrible time.

A look into the past that makes one think: What would I do ?

Ginny H. (Troutdale, OR)

Les Parisiennes
As a person born during WWII I've always been fascinated with the struggles that Germany perpetrated onto their foes. I've read many books about the Nazi overtaking of Paris and particularly enjoyed this book because I am a woman. This book centers on the choices the women of the time had to make in order to survive and it's fascinating.

Janice C. (Hayward, CA)

Les Parisiennes
I find it fascinating how brave women are when it comes to protecting their family.

Sarah W. (Frenchtown, MT)

Paris Interrupted
This book creates a flowing narrative of what it was like to be a Parisian woman immediately prior to, during, and just after World War II. We learn of many individuals stories, how they coped, what they lost, and how the proceeded with life after war, or didn't. The author clearly did her research, and presented a cohesive view of Paris society in all its layers, and encouraged the reader to contemplate the difficult choices faced by so many in such dire circumstances surrounding the Nazi occupation. However, I was hoping for a little more of a concentrated focus on fewer participants in the events described. Rather we are treated to a long, sometimes disjointed-feeling list of individuals and their experiences, although she was able to tie these short stories to a larger subject at hand--for example the experience of Jewish concentration camp survivors returning to their Paris homes. Altogether it was a good read, and very educational. I feel I've been to Paris in the 1940's and learned much about the various choices people were forced to make for survival of self, family, and country.

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