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The Cost of Courage
"The result is a mix of history, biography and memoir which reads like a nerve-racking thriller." —The Guardian (US)This heroic true story of the three youngest children of a bourgeois Catholic family who worked together in the French Resistance is told by an American writer who has known and admired the family for five decades In the autumn of 1943, André Boulloche became de Gaulle’s military delegate in Paris, coordinating all the Resistance movements in the nine northern regions of France only to be betrayed by one of his associates, arrested, wounded by the Gestapo, and taken prisoner. His sisters carried on the fight without him until the end of the war. André survived three concentration camps and later became a prominent French politician who devoted the rest of his life to reconciliation of France and Germany. His parents and oldest brother were arrested and shipped off on the last train from Paris to Germany before the liberation, and died in the camps. Since then, silence has been the Boulloches’s answer to dealing with the unbearable. This is the first time the family has cooperated with an author to recount their extraordinary ordeal.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 18, 2017
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway (yay!) It is non-fiction book about Occupied France, although the central focus is the Boulloche family, who three children were members of the French resistance, who actively opposed the German occupation and Vichy government. I would have preferred more details about the family's activities and less history, but I think their modesty kept much of their contributions secret. In fact, Kaiser's perseverance in gaining the family's trust was extraordinary by all accounts. I was less interested in the Normandy invasion and the key role the resistance played in distracting the Germans and disrupting the flow of trains and tanks to battle the Allies.
September 9, 2016
"Courage is more exhilarating than fear an in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time." Eleanor Roosevelt.
This is the story of the Boulloche family, an highly educated uppermiddle class French family who had a deep sense of patriotism. The Father Jacques was the Director of Highways, his wife Helene and their eldest Robert an Inspector and Minister of Finance and the three younger children Andre 24 when the war broke out, Jacqueline who was 20 and their younger sister Christiane who was 16 at the start of the war. Andre became involved and very active in the Resistance soon after France was occupied. He was not an ideologue as many of those in the Resistance were, he had a deep ingrained feeling of regard for his country and a need to take action against his country's enemy and occupiers, Nazi Germany.
The parents and the eldest son Robert felt that the best way to serve France was to do their jobs and while they did quietly assist others and were aware at some level of what the younger children were doing their was never any real family discussion of it.
The life of anyone in the Resistance was generally very short as there were many who to curry favors with their occupiers were only to glad to report any suspects to the Nazis. Few lasted longer than 6 months. Andre with others coordinated Resistance activities, and recuited his younger sisters to run guns, transport radio equipment, and collect reports from various Resistance members that could be relayed to Britain. Andre survived a very long time for people in his position but was eventually betrayed in 1944 and was shot and arrested by the Gestapo. As was typical of Nazi policy his parents and eldest brother were also arrested, his mother tortured and all of them were sent to various concentration camps. None betrayed the youngest sisters who continued to work in the Resistance through the final liberation of France.
It is an amazing family story and Andre, Jacqueline and Christiane would continue in life to serve their country and the citizens of France through their activism.
We often imagine how we might behave if our country was truly at risk, would we risk life and family to serve? It seems that effective courage is a quiet thing, there is no bluster to it as some might believe because of the books and films that make spies and Resistance fighters look like rugged uber macho figures. The most successful were ordinary and inconspicuous men and women who quietly and methodically went about the job of resistance. These people are much like the military soldiers who often do the most astounding things under fire, it is the quiet men who often exhibit the most courage and are willing to risk the most.
Very moving story of a family whose moral courage was ingrained in their beliefs.
This is the story of the Boulloche family, an highly educated uppermiddle class French family who had a deep sense of patriotism. The Father Jacques was the Director of Highways, his wife Helene and their eldest Robert an Inspector and Minister of Finance and the three younger children Andre 24 when the war broke out, Jacqueline who was 20 and their younger sister Christiane who was 16 at the start of the war. Andre became involved and very active in the Resistance soon after France was occupied. He was not an ideologue as many of those in the Resistance were, he had a deep ingrained feeling of regard for his country and a need to take action against his country's enemy and occupiers, Nazi Germany.
The parents and the eldest son Robert felt that the best way to serve France was to do their jobs and while they did quietly assist others and were aware at some level of what the younger children were doing their was never any real family discussion of it.
The life of anyone in the Resistance was generally very short as there were many who to curry favors with their occupiers were only to glad to report any suspects to the Nazis. Few lasted longer than 6 months. Andre with others coordinated Resistance activities, and recuited his younger sisters to run guns, transport radio equipment, and collect reports from various Resistance members that could be relayed to Britain. Andre survived a very long time for people in his position but was eventually betrayed in 1944 and was shot and arrested by the Gestapo. As was typical of Nazi policy his parents and eldest brother were also arrested, his mother tortured and all of them were sent to various concentration camps. None betrayed the youngest sisters who continued to work in the Resistance through the final liberation of France.
It is an amazing family story and Andre, Jacqueline and Christiane would continue in life to serve their country and the citizens of France through their activism.
We often imagine how we might behave if our country was truly at risk, would we risk life and family to serve? It seems that effective courage is a quiet thing, there is no bluster to it as some might believe because of the books and films that make spies and Resistance fighters look like rugged uber macho figures. The most successful were ordinary and inconspicuous men and women who quietly and methodically went about the job of resistance. These people are much like the military soldiers who often do the most astounding things under fire, it is the quiet men who often exhibit the most courage and are willing to risk the most.
Very moving story of a family whose moral courage was ingrained in their beliefs.
March 12, 2018
3.5 or a little more.
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
At the end of his book, Charles Kaiser writes that the average American doesn’t know anything, if much, about the French Resistance. He’s most likely correct. The Cost of Courage details the struggles that the Boulloche family went though during the Second World War when France was taken over by Germany. Three of the Boulloches, Christiane, Jaqueline, and Andre- join the Resistance while their parents and elder brother do not. The emphasis is on the family during the war, though the second part deals with the surviving family members’ lives after the war.
There is one crucial element to Kaiser’s style that will no doubt put some people off. He writes in present tense. This might have been done to make the story seem more real or to have a stronger connection with the reader. It doesn’t work for me, and this is a matter of personal taste.
In some ways, Kaiser’s book is similar to Corrie Ten Bloom’s Hiding Place, though it lacks a religious underpinning and the Boulloches resisted more due to patriotism and a sense of justice. It is the idea of justice and morality that connects the Boulloches to the more devout ten Blooms.
The story of the Boulloches is interwoven with a more general history of the war. In some ways this is understandable, it places the events in a wider context, but at the same time it distracts from the central story and feels, at times, like so much filler. Perhaps this could have been alleviated somewhat by a closer focus on France during the War instead of Germany and France. While Kaiser is correct in that history does tend to gloss over French and German resistance to Hitler (few Americans, for instance, can recognize the White Rose, despite the fact that the group does get some attention in the United States Holocaust Museum), trying to correct both those issues in one short book doesn’t work simply because of space. In many ways, keeping the focus on the French Resistance would have been better.
Kaiser no doubt will also receive some criticism for his lack of dealing directly with Holocaust, but it is unclear how much of the genocide he could have brought in considering that the Boulloches seemed to be motivated by French patriotism and were not Jewish. Kaiser does mention that Christiane disliked a Jewish teacher losing her job due to the regulations, but he also makes it clear that this was not the impetus for her to join the Resistance. Additionally, the treatment of the Jews by the French during the Occupation also does not have a role here because of what the Boulloches did. While a more detailed overview might not been amiss, Kaiser does refer to the book Vichy France and the Jews, making it clear that it is the place to go to track down more information. The only way he could have been clearer would have been to say – go buy it now. (Though I have to wonder why a David Irving book is in the source listing).
In short, while this book could have more depth, Kaiser’s writing style is enjoyable enough (regardless of the verb issue) that it should spark a wider interest in the reader in regards to France under Occupation.
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
At the end of his book, Charles Kaiser writes that the average American doesn’t know anything, if much, about the French Resistance. He’s most likely correct. The Cost of Courage details the struggles that the Boulloche family went though during the Second World War when France was taken over by Germany. Three of the Boulloches, Christiane, Jaqueline, and Andre- join the Resistance while their parents and elder brother do not. The emphasis is on the family during the war, though the second part deals with the surviving family members’ lives after the war.
There is one crucial element to Kaiser’s style that will no doubt put some people off. He writes in present tense. This might have been done to make the story seem more real or to have a stronger connection with the reader. It doesn’t work for me, and this is a matter of personal taste.
In some ways, Kaiser’s book is similar to Corrie Ten Bloom’s Hiding Place, though it lacks a religious underpinning and the Boulloches resisted more due to patriotism and a sense of justice. It is the idea of justice and morality that connects the Boulloches to the more devout ten Blooms.
The story of the Boulloches is interwoven with a more general history of the war. In some ways this is understandable, it places the events in a wider context, but at the same time it distracts from the central story and feels, at times, like so much filler. Perhaps this could have been alleviated somewhat by a closer focus on France during the War instead of Germany and France. While Kaiser is correct in that history does tend to gloss over French and German resistance to Hitler (few Americans, for instance, can recognize the White Rose, despite the fact that the group does get some attention in the United States Holocaust Museum), trying to correct both those issues in one short book doesn’t work simply because of space. In many ways, keeping the focus on the French Resistance would have been better.
Kaiser no doubt will also receive some criticism for his lack of dealing directly with Holocaust, but it is unclear how much of the genocide he could have brought in considering that the Boulloches seemed to be motivated by French patriotism and were not Jewish. Kaiser does mention that Christiane disliked a Jewish teacher losing her job due to the regulations, but he also makes it clear that this was not the impetus for her to join the Resistance. Additionally, the treatment of the Jews by the French during the Occupation also does not have a role here because of what the Boulloches did. While a more detailed overview might not been amiss, Kaiser does refer to the book Vichy France and the Jews, making it clear that it is the place to go to track down more information. The only way he could have been clearer would have been to say – go buy it now. (Though I have to wonder why a David Irving book is in the source listing).
In short, while this book could have more depth, Kaiser’s writing style is enjoyable enough (regardless of the verb issue) that it should spark a wider interest in the reader in regards to France under Occupation.
October 6, 2015
This is the exciting story of Jacques and Helene Boulloche and their four children Robert, Andre, Christiane and Jacqueline. Kaiser’s uncle was billeted with the Boulloche family in Paris when he was in the U.S. Army in 1944.
The story starts in 1939, and follows the Boulloche family, who were prosperous Parisians, throughout WWII. The book covers each of the family member’s roles in the French Resistance throughout the War. The book reads like an action packed thriller as it follows each member of the family in risking death to impede the Nazi war effort. The French Resistance played a vital role in the War. Theirs is the “Courage” in Kaiser’s title; the greatest cost fell on the family members. The parents and eldest son Robert were arrested and deported on the last train to Germany near the end of the war and were sent on to the camps. The rest of the family continued to fight on.
The book is beautifully written, meticulously researched and reads like a thriller. Interviews included Francois Delattre, the former French Ambassador to the United States and current French Ambassador to the United Nations. He is the great nephew of Andre Boulloche. The book is a mixture of history, biography and memoir. The author manages to bring the French Resistance to life. When I finished the book I asked myself “Could I ever be that courageous?” I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The author narrates his own book.
The story starts in 1939, and follows the Boulloche family, who were prosperous Parisians, throughout WWII. The book covers each of the family member’s roles in the French Resistance throughout the War. The book reads like an action packed thriller as it follows each member of the family in risking death to impede the Nazi war effort. The French Resistance played a vital role in the War. Theirs is the “Courage” in Kaiser’s title; the greatest cost fell on the family members. The parents and eldest son Robert were arrested and deported on the last train to Germany near the end of the war and were sent on to the camps. The rest of the family continued to fight on.
The book is beautifully written, meticulously researched and reads like a thriller. Interviews included Francois Delattre, the former French Ambassador to the United States and current French Ambassador to the United Nations. He is the great nephew of Andre Boulloche. The book is a mixture of history, biography and memoir. The author manages to bring the French Resistance to life. When I finished the book I asked myself “Could I ever be that courageous?” I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The author narrates his own book.
September 8, 2015
I really wanted to like this book. And I still think it is an exciting story that I want to read about, but the writing style of this telling was undigestible.
There was almost zero narrative flow. I felt like the author was starting a new chapter with every paragraph, and sometimes even in the middle of a paragraph. I read two chapters, and gave up.
A better writer should take up the reins of this tale and try again.
There was almost zero narrative flow. I felt like the author was starting a new chapter with every paragraph, and sometimes even in the middle of a paragraph. I read two chapters, and gave up.
A better writer should take up the reins of this tale and try again.
January 27, 2025
WWII! Of course we studied it in high school. Everybody has read The Diary of Anne Frank and the current generation has read The Book Thief. When I was twenty one I read the entire Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and over the years I have watched various movies from Bridge on the River Kwai to The Great Escape to The Guns of Navarrone. I even had the privilege of hearing the 80 year old Elie Wiesel at the Chautauqua Institute speak about his experiences in German concentration camps during the war. I reread my purchased autographed copy of Night between his two talks (so I could save a good seat).
I grew up in a Brooklyn neighborhood where some of my friend's parents had visible tattooed numbers on their arms as evidence of their war experiences. My father was a mine sweeper in the Pacific and survived two sinking ships, pulling one to shore and earning a medal for saving the Captain's life. (My dad died less than twenty years later from a weak heart - the after effects of malaria and chain smoking). So even though, in a way, I grew up surrounded by the war, in reality, my knowledge is limited. When I began reading The Cost of Courage by former New York Times reporter Charles Kaiser, it was like reading a science fiction novel full of fantasy. Although I knew about the French Resistance, I didn't know the particulars as retold by the author. Here is the down and dirty side of the French occupation by the Germans, not a story coached in politically correct descriptions, but an honest accounting of what happened from the eyes of the people involved. Just as my father rarely spoke of the war (and never to me), these folks were tight lipped as well. The horrors they experienced remained a taboo subject. Luckily Kaiser was able to convince them to share their memories as members of the Maquis, a tale which will all-to-soon be lost resulting in a world ignorant of the nitty gritty details of that era - a time which needs to be chronicled if only to allow us to understand how our past is effecting the future.
Nobody else could have written this book. Charles' Uncle Henry Kaiser was an American Lieutenant who was invited to stay at the Boulloche home in Paris in 1944 after the Liberation of Paris and the return of Charles de Gaulle. Over the year he remained, Henry head the stories of Christiane, Jacqueline, and Andre and their experiences as a part of the French Resistance, which he later conveyed with a dramatic flair to his young nephew. Charles Kaiser first visited the Boulloche family in 1962 when he was eleven and over the years was able to frequent their gatherings. He considered the Boulloches his "French cousins" and became an "adopted" member of their extended family. Charles noticed that the past adventures relayed by his uncle were never mentioned. It is not surprising that after the senseless death of their parents (Jacques and Helene, and their older brother Robert) and the end of the war, the surviving three siblings married and started life anew, leaving the horrors of the war behind.
Finally, nearing the end of the century, Charles was able to convince Christiane, the only surviving sibling, that if her tale was not told the history would be lost to future generations. It would simply disappear if she failed to record it. For her it was a sense of obligation, so, at the age of 71, she began the emotionally difficult task of transcribing her experiences in a forty five page manuscript for her children and grand kids to read. Charles used this memoir, completed in 1999, as a starting point. He spent two and a half years in France researching and interviewing key players in the drama. This is a book which was fifty years in the making, beginning with the "stories" as retold by his uncle on up through to 2015 when this tome was finally published.
Charles, a journalist, relates the specifics of the European War from the rise of Hitler and the reactions of England and France to the German invasion of France to the Battle of Normandy where the allies began defeating the Germans to the final retaking of Paris continuing up until the end of the war. Within this historical background is the story of the French Resistance and the role the Bollouche siblings played in bringing down the Nazis. This book takes a straightforward unapologetic view of the reactions of the French citizens, especially the Parisians, to the German occupation. If this topic intrigues you there is also the 1969 documentary - The Sorrow and the Pity - which explores European life during this era. Despite the revealed depictions fraught with tragedy (all man made), there are also moments of success and ultimate victory. Kaiser rounds out this book with details about the postwar lives of the Boulloches and includes a list of characters, acknowledgements, notes, a bibliography, and an index along with an afterward and preface. The included photographs were a nice touch.
The author writes the story as if we are there and life is unfolding as we read. This telling in the present tense might be jarring for folks who would rather read about the past and not feel as if they were reliving events as they happened. It is, however, an effective tool to immerse the reader into the story to get a touch of the gut wrenching horror felt by the participants. In any case, while fascinating and well written, this is not an easy book to get through simply because there is just too much to take in. Just as when I read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, I concede that even if I reread it a second time, I still would not be able to retain all the information. Yet, I perceive its essence and that is good enough for me. God bless Christiane, Jacqueline, and Andre (and their cohorts) for their fearless work on behalf of the French nation as well as the rest of the world. Thank you! Four stars.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Other Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
I grew up in a Brooklyn neighborhood where some of my friend's parents had visible tattooed numbers on their arms as evidence of their war experiences. My father was a mine sweeper in the Pacific and survived two sinking ships, pulling one to shore and earning a medal for saving the Captain's life. (My dad died less than twenty years later from a weak heart - the after effects of malaria and chain smoking). So even though, in a way, I grew up surrounded by the war, in reality, my knowledge is limited. When I began reading The Cost of Courage by former New York Times reporter Charles Kaiser, it was like reading a science fiction novel full of fantasy. Although I knew about the French Resistance, I didn't know the particulars as retold by the author. Here is the down and dirty side of the French occupation by the Germans, not a story coached in politically correct descriptions, but an honest accounting of what happened from the eyes of the people involved. Just as my father rarely spoke of the war (and never to me), these folks were tight lipped as well. The horrors they experienced remained a taboo subject. Luckily Kaiser was able to convince them to share their memories as members of the Maquis, a tale which will all-to-soon be lost resulting in a world ignorant of the nitty gritty details of that era - a time which needs to be chronicled if only to allow us to understand how our past is effecting the future.
Nobody else could have written this book. Charles' Uncle Henry Kaiser was an American Lieutenant who was invited to stay at the Boulloche home in Paris in 1944 after the Liberation of Paris and the return of Charles de Gaulle. Over the year he remained, Henry head the stories of Christiane, Jacqueline, and Andre and their experiences as a part of the French Resistance, which he later conveyed with a dramatic flair to his young nephew. Charles Kaiser first visited the Boulloche family in 1962 when he was eleven and over the years was able to frequent their gatherings. He considered the Boulloches his "French cousins" and became an "adopted" member of their extended family. Charles noticed that the past adventures relayed by his uncle were never mentioned. It is not surprising that after the senseless death of their parents (Jacques and Helene, and their older brother Robert) and the end of the war, the surviving three siblings married and started life anew, leaving the horrors of the war behind.
Finally, nearing the end of the century, Charles was able to convince Christiane, the only surviving sibling, that if her tale was not told the history would be lost to future generations. It would simply disappear if she failed to record it. For her it was a sense of obligation, so, at the age of 71, she began the emotionally difficult task of transcribing her experiences in a forty five page manuscript for her children and grand kids to read. Charles used this memoir, completed in 1999, as a starting point. He spent two and a half years in France researching and interviewing key players in the drama. This is a book which was fifty years in the making, beginning with the "stories" as retold by his uncle on up through to 2015 when this tome was finally published.
Charles, a journalist, relates the specifics of the European War from the rise of Hitler and the reactions of England and France to the German invasion of France to the Battle of Normandy where the allies began defeating the Germans to the final retaking of Paris continuing up until the end of the war. Within this historical background is the story of the French Resistance and the role the Bollouche siblings played in bringing down the Nazis. This book takes a straightforward unapologetic view of the reactions of the French citizens, especially the Parisians, to the German occupation. If this topic intrigues you there is also the 1969 documentary - The Sorrow and the Pity - which explores European life during this era. Despite the revealed depictions fraught with tragedy (all man made), there are also moments of success and ultimate victory. Kaiser rounds out this book with details about the postwar lives of the Boulloches and includes a list of characters, acknowledgements, notes, a bibliography, and an index along with an afterward and preface. The included photographs were a nice touch.
The author writes the story as if we are there and life is unfolding as we read. This telling in the present tense might be jarring for folks who would rather read about the past and not feel as if they were reliving events as they happened. It is, however, an effective tool to immerse the reader into the story to get a touch of the gut wrenching horror felt by the participants. In any case, while fascinating and well written, this is not an easy book to get through simply because there is just too much to take in. Just as when I read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, I concede that even if I reread it a second time, I still would not be able to retain all the information. Yet, I perceive its essence and that is good enough for me. God bless Christiane, Jacqueline, and Andre (and their cohorts) for their fearless work on behalf of the French nation as well as the rest of the world. Thank you! Four stars.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Other Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
April 8, 2017
2.5 stars. I guess I should have looked into this book a bit more before reading it. I was expecting an historical fiction but this turned out to be a biography. Oops. Nothing against bios, I just wasn't expecting it.
I was hoping for more elements of the Resistance but that part was seriously lacking. I also didn't like the use of the present tense in this setting.
I did feel for the family, how could you not?
I was hoping for more elements of the Resistance but that part was seriously lacking. I also didn't like the use of the present tense in this setting.
I did feel for the family, how could you not?
November 29, 2017
I broke my rule against audiobooks read by the author when I bought this book. It's a good rule. But despite the spotty narration, this is a solid book about the French Resistance, what they did and how they survived - or, more often, didn't. The focus is on the members of a single Parisian family, some of whom joined the Resistance, while others did not. Accordingly, scope is somewhat limited by structure, but it's definitely a worthwhile read if the subject interests you.
October 25, 2019
I've read LOTS of books about World War II era, and that period in France in particular. So this book didn't have new information for me, but it did relate the history through the lens of one family's activities and experience, which is always interesting. The author used lots of primary and secondary sources to round out his reporting.
March 1, 2017
Really fascinating. It's non fiction so it didn't read super fast but I enjoyed learning more about the French resistance during WWII. (My first real exposure ways The Nifgtingale which I absolutely loved).
April 15, 2024
French resistance
I had no idea the extent of the fight to free France. Enlightening read, although so much detail made it a little tedious.
I had no idea the extent of the fight to free France. Enlightening read, although so much detail made it a little tedious.
December 2, 2015
I am always curious to learn how history is portrayed in other countries. For instance, my husband once asked a French friend how the American Revolution is taught in France. His response was "you could not have done it without us." At first we thought his answer to be humorous, but Layfayette, Rochambeau ,as well as the financial backing, were instrumental in the victory and therefore our friend's response was not totally incorrect. The French also give great credence to the role of the French Resisitance in World War II. American history touches on the positive aspects of this movement, but I am not sure we have documented their level of assistance. I am very happy that Charles Kaiser told the true story of Boulloche family and their part in the history of World War II. For these brave siblings and many others like them suffered at the hands of the Nazis, yet never gave up the fight.
February 9, 2017
Fascinating book spoiled by condescending attitude
This is a fascinating book which tells the incredible true story of the resistance fighters of France during WWII. A mini history of WWII provides the context for the story. Given the recent excellent fiction books about this time period (All the Light You Cannot See, The Nightingale, etc) this book presents the bigger picture in which to understand the French during this time period. I would have given it 5 stars, but in the Afterword the author states that American citizens at home never had to risk anything the way the French did. Read his description of the bloody water on the Normandy beaches and the bodies that littered the beach. Note the number of American lives lost. And then tell me the Americans never had to risk anything the way the French did.
This is a fascinating book which tells the incredible true story of the resistance fighters of France during WWII. A mini history of WWII provides the context for the story. Given the recent excellent fiction books about this time period (All the Light You Cannot See, The Nightingale, etc) this book presents the bigger picture in which to understand the French during this time period. I would have given it 5 stars, but in the Afterword the author states that American citizens at home never had to risk anything the way the French did. Read his description of the bloody water on the Normandy beaches and the bodies that littered the beach. Note the number of American lives lost. And then tell me the Americans never had to risk anything the way the French did.
October 11, 2016
In the autumn of 1943, André Boulloche became de Gaulle’s military delegate in Paris, coordinating all the Resistance movements in the northern regions of France only to be betrayed by one of his associates, arrested, wounded by the Gestapo, and taken prisoner. His sisters carried on the fight without him until the end of the war. André survived three concentration camps and later became a French politician who devoted the rest of his life to reconciliation of France and Germany. His parents and oldest brother were arrested and shipped off on the last train from Paris to Germany before the liberation, and died in the camps. This is the first time the family has cooperated with an author to recount their extraordinary ordeal. A marvelous story of courage, bravery and how the resistance helped to defeat Germany. History buffs will love this true story.
October 13, 2015
This is a true account of three siblings and their private struggle against the Nazi's during World War 2. They were members of the French Resistance and courageously fought for their country's honor. One of them was captured by the Nazi's and survived being held in three different concentration camps.
I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I rarely read Non-Fiction and was pleasantly surprised at how interesting and informative it was. I learned what many Parisians went through when the Germans occupied their city and how terrifying it was for them.
I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. I rarely read Non-Fiction and was pleasantly surprised at how interesting and informative it was. I learned what many Parisians went through when the Germans occupied their city and how terrifying it was for them.
July 11, 2015
VERDICT: Reality can certainly be more gripping than fiction, as Kaiser shows in this masterful presentation of the German Occupation of France during WWII. Some French boys and girls in their twenties dared everything to resist and fight back against their invaders. A page of history that English speaking readers can finally know more about.
my full review is here:
http://wordsandpeace.com/2015/07/11/b...
my full review is here:
http://wordsandpeace.com/2015/07/11/b...
October 10, 2015
A true story of a Parisian family who gave their all in the French Resistance during World War II. Charles Kaiser’s writing is direct, straight-forward and spare…and captures the drama perfectly. It also fits the story line and the character of the family perfectly. They did not perceive they were doing anything extraordinary, just doing their duty as French citizens. Compelling reading that makes one reflect on their likely behavior in similar circumstances.
May 7, 2025
Felt I was misled in what to expect and was disappointed. I felt there should have been more focus on the resistance activities of the Boulloches, especially since Christiane's story is now available.
April 18, 2015
compelling, mesmerizing and informative
May 4, 2015
Interesting and well written.
August 19, 2015
A riveting, harrowing true story of heroic defiance.
December 1, 2017
This is a short book that tells the incredible story of 3 of the Boulloche's children who become resistance fighters in Paris, France during WWII. The eldest brother of the family is in his early 30's, and does not participate, but the remaining siblings, a brother in his mid 20's, a sister in her early 20's and another sister, just 18 years old, work collaboratively to fight the Germans. The children keep their work secret from their parents who eventually find out. The "cost" of their individual courage and heroism is heartbreaking. After the war, they are married, have children, but refuse to talk about what they did because of that "cost". Silence was their answer to the unbearable. Eventually a family friend, Charles Kaiser, who knew part of the story, convinces the youngest sister to tell the story. This is the first time the family cooperated with an author to recount their extraordinary ordeal. It is an incredible story of courage, conviction, and ultimately, heartbreak.
May 11, 2018
This is a good factual book about occupied France during World War 11, the French Resistance groups and how members of one family decided they would do whatever they could to oppose the Germans whatever the cost and it did cost them imprisonment, concentration camps, torture and death. It is not written as a romantic adventure, as portrayed in some films, and you realise the fear of people living every day in an occupied country. This is probably the reason so many did not resist and collaborated, even if it was just by meekly doing what the Germans ordered without question. There is a lot of information in this book that is generally unknown, such as 50,000 resistance fighters being deported to Germany, which makes you realise how many in total there must have been fighting surreptitiously against the occupiers. Nevertheless this only amounted to a very small percentage of the population, although interestingly after the war de Gaulle tried to paint a different picture of France's resistance to the Germans.
October 11, 2024
A remarkable tale, very well presented. Actually two tales: one of some amazing individuals and one of the war they found themselves in. Kaiser more than does justice to both: true stories of the Resistance, and the true story of the war in France.
I had read it years back, then picked it up recently, at first not realizing I had read it before. Soon, I realized I had, but I had no desire to put it down as it was just as captivating this time.
My aunt Jeanne Picou Klein was a member of the Resistance, so I was filled with thoughts of her as I think of those days and times. I love and miss you Jeanne!
I had read it years back, then picked it up recently, at first not realizing I had read it before. Soon, I realized I had, but I had no desire to put it down as it was just as captivating this time.
My aunt Jeanne Picou Klein was a member of the Resistance, so I was filled with thoughts of her as I think of those days and times. I love and miss you Jeanne!
December 9, 2019
The book itself was not terrible. But my review is about Charles Kaiser himself. I got the “privilege” of meeting the so called “author” himself. And frankly I was less than impressed. He has a horrible personality and ended up insulting my intelligence when I just asked him a simple question about his book. I have never met such a crappy person in my life honestly. The book I would give a 3, but his personality I give a 0. I will not be reading any more of his books and I will never recommend them to a friend. Unfortunate waste of time.
March 23, 2023
I loved it! World War 2 has always been my favorite period of history to learn about and it is just SO COOL to read about the French resistance. Growing up we never hear about the incredible actions the French took against the nazis during the Vichy occupation, so this book was eye opening. We also got to meet with the author and ask him questions during class which is an experience I’ll never forget.
OH! And this book is in English so non-French-speaking friends, you should definitely give this one a try. ;)
OH! And this book is in English so non-French-speaking friends, you should definitely give this one a try. ;)
September 8, 2017
Incredible story based around one families struggle, suffering, and loss during the occupation of France.
From the afterword Kaiser quotes Anthony Eden, "If one hasn't been through - as our people mercifully did not go through - the horror of an occupation by a foreign power, you have no right to pronounce upon what a country does which has been through all that."
"That is one of the most important and least understood lessons of World War II"
From the afterword Kaiser quotes Anthony Eden, "If one hasn't been through - as our people mercifully did not go through - the horror of an occupation by a foreign power, you have no right to pronounce upon what a country does which has been through all that."
"That is one of the most important and least understood lessons of World War II"
August 9, 2018
A truly fantastic recounting of the German occupation of France in WWII. The author takes on a journey of ordinary people forced to take extraordinary actions to live in the revolt of the Nazi regime while trying to maintain some semblance of national pride. This book will remind you of why it is so important to speak up against hatred and oppression whenever possible, even where it may be dangerous to do so. The alternative is so much more horrifying.
December 27, 2021
Very Good Read!
I enjoyed the history and saga of the heroic family fighting for the freedom of France. It was a memorable story that highlighted the trials, successes and courage of this family.
Sadly, the author threw in references to our country that added zero to a memorable story.
Your personal opinions of this family was educational.
Your personal opinions of America degraded your writing.
JM
I enjoyed the history and saga of the heroic family fighting for the freedom of France. It was a memorable story that highlighted the trials, successes and courage of this family.
Sadly, the author threw in references to our country that added zero to a memorable story.
Your personal opinions of this family was educational.
Your personal opinions of America degraded your writing.
JM
March 20, 2023
I liked this book and learned more facts about the history of WW 11. There were 6 members in the Boulloches family, the parents and their 4 children. The 3 younger ones were active in the French Resistance against the Nazis. Ironically the parents and their eldest son weren't in the under-ground but died because the 3 family members who were. They died in the death camps in Germany; the few French Catholics to do so.
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