Noah's Ark

by Madeleine-Marie Fourcade

English (translation)Original French

Genres: World War II, Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Historical, France, Biography

377 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1991

Reviews

[Andre LeMagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly an exceptional book, the memoirs of a woman who put her life repeatedly on the line as leader of the the anti-Nazi resistance in France. On one occasion, Mme. Fourcade escaped from the Gestapo by stripping naked and forcing her petite body through the bars of a jail cell in the middle of the night. Her courage and audacity are an inspiration, as well as being a spell-binding story.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translation is ROUGH, and that is not at all aided with deft storytelling. Much of this account (the first 2/3 of the book) is long lists of Alliance members names and multiple aliases, lists of regions, villages, rivers, and mountain ranges, without much narrative connecting any them and disappointingly, not much in the way of flushing out either the daily lived experiences of the network, their early activities, or their long-term strategies. The final 1/3 of the account is however incredibly moving and does a slightly better job of conveying the experience of the Alliance members in the final throws of occupation.

[Jenny Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has left me with only a desire to know more about this amazing woman. The brief paragraphs given to describe her in other novels of the French Resistance do not even come close to explaining the complexities and dangers intrinsic to her work to liberate her country with the help of her many brave comrades and friends in France and in London.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anything from here is lost in translation, all I can say is it matters not one jot. This is an incredible account of an incredible woman.

Girls: read this.

[Donna McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important book. Observe history or it may be repeated