Mektoub: A Young Woman's War Journal

by Nicole Solignac O'Connor

A young woman enlists in the French Army and helps liberate North Africa and Europe from Axis occupation during World War II.

180 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mektoub: A Young Woman's War Journal is the author's account of her experiences during World War II. This story is unique and significant for a variety of reasons. The first and foremost is that this autobiography illustrates the female contribution to the war effort. During the war, the author was first a student and then served as an interpreter with the French Expeditionary Corps. A war story with a female perspective is unique enough but an account of daily life as a woman in the military at that time is unheard of. Moreover, the author's experiences led her from her home in Tunisia to Algiers where she had intended to become a student to her military assignments in France and Italy. This aspect of the book allows the reader a privileged view into the war efforts in these arenas which aren't often written about.

I was both honoured and entertained by this story. At every point in the account, I felt like I was right beside Nicole feeling her confusion, her pride, her pain, her apprehension, and her happiness. Though the book read extremely smoothly like any good fictional story, I also gained great insight into aspects of the war that I hadn't really considered and how women fit into these portions of history.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is in my church congregation. It's an amazing story of a French woman from Tunisia who travels alone to Algiers for college just as World War II comes to North Africa. It's a story of her experiences in Algiers and as she eventually joins the French Army and travels throughout Africa and Europe during the war. I read this wtih a book group and Nicole came to our group the night we discussed it. She brought pictures, maps, books, etc. with her. It was really fascinating. The book was written as a history for her grandsons, but they decided to publish it. It's not professionally edited, but is well written and easy to read. A quick enjoyable read about an amazing woman.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Nicole O'Connor when she was in her 80s - we were in the same church congregation. I'm glad that her grandsons insisted she write her experiences during World War II. We always hear about the US military landing at Normandy, but never about the military movements in Northern Africa and going to Italy. I don't think I even knew the Allies bombed Algiers and went from there to Italy. But Nicole did, because she was there.

This is one of the reasons I do not read WWII fiction - because there are enough interesting real stories about that era that I don't need to read pretend ones.

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I'm sure my enjoyment was enhanced by the fact that I know the author, a very sweet woman. In 1942, Nicole, then 19, moved from Tunisia to Algeria for school. The Allied invasion of Algieria began that night. The book is a firsthand account of Nicole's experiences in North Africa and Europe for the remainder of the war, including her military service and a very lovely love story.