Book Summary and Reviews of Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman

Book Summary

Two women in Nazi-occupied Paris created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen. With one in a German prison camp, the other wrote a book about it—a memoir that was built on lies. Now the bestselling author of Eighty Days shares their incredible, never-before-told full story.

Etta Shiber and Kitty Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they rescue untold numbers of British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines—some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints in the trunk of their car.

Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After eighteen months in prison, Etta, a New Yorker of Jewish descent, is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend Kitty's bravery, Etta publishes a memoir about their work. Paris-Underground becomes a publishing sensation and Etta a celebrity. Meanwhile Kitty spends the rest of the war in solitary confinement in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her – and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records, personal testimonies, and Etta Shiber's own never-before-seen wartime letters. Together they reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta's bestselling memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women's remarkable courage, Paris Undercover is also a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal, and personal redemption.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. First, a show of hands: Who among you already knew the history of the Nazi occupation of Paris before reading this book? How, if at all, did Paris Undercover affect or alter your understanding of this dark chapter in world history?
2. Author Matthew Goodman puts a human face on World War II by bringing the character of Etta Shiber to life. Talk about the storytelling techniques he used to create action and suspense—and to keep you turning the pages. How did Goodman transform Etta's real-life experiences into a work of nonfiction that reads like a novel?
3. Take a moment to discuss your reading preferences and expectations. Would you rather read a true, first-person account of a particular event or era versus a fictional ...