A Quiet Hero: A Novel of Resistance in WWII France

by Dwight Harshbarger

After seizing Europe, the Nazis begin to execute “the final solution” by conducting a census of Jews in each of the Occupied countries that is driven by IBM technology. After the census in Holland, the Nazis used the census to murder 75 percent of the Dutch Jews. After the census in France, the Nazis used the census to murder 25 percent of the country’s Jews. What made France different?

At Vichy France’s National Statistical Service headquarters in Lyon, General René Carmille and his aide Miriam Dupré know spies are everywhere. They race against time to sabotage the census-based lists of Jews and mobilize the Resistance to combat the Nazi death machine. In this novel, Miriam tells the true story of General René Carmille’s leadership in saving the lives of thousands of Jews—the story of A Quiet Hero.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Adult Fiction

350 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Geoffrey Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. Hidden history comes alive in Harshbarger’s riveting novel. Focusing on the fictional characters Miriam Duprée and Charles Delmand, Harshbarger tells the largely unknown but entirely true story of René Carmille’s WWII quest to save thousands of Jews from the Nazi death machine. Carmille (the quiet hero of the title) cripples Nazi efforts by turning their own IBM technology against them. A Quiet Hero as an excellent example of the power of historical fiction to both illuminate and entertain. Harshbarger knows the territory well. In past books, he has told stories from West Virginia history (Witness at Hawk’s Nest and Valley at Risk) about the worst industrial accident in American history and a near explosion in a Dupont plant that almost made the Kanawha Valley into America’s Bhopal.

[Llew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this piece of history. It contains fascinating WWII history presented in a highly readable format.

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite pleased to discover this well-written, informative bit of "teaching". Despite consuming a library of non-fiction history of the German regime in operation during WW II, I had never encountered the technical-statistical connection between Germany and IBM treated here. Harshbarger's "Quiet Hero" provides an excellent, and engaging account of some of the French response and resistance to the ongoing elimination of Jews in Europe. Although I was constantly torn, wondering what was history and what was fiction, it was good to meet and appreciate.Gen. Carmille and Miriam. The book fuel for my limited understanding of corporate connections with conflict. Too many heroes remain unsung!

[Kathy Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today, January 27th., on the 75th. International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 2020, I thought of Dwight Harshbarger's book, "A Quiet Hero". His book is historical fiction, about the courage of an actual French patriot and military hero who defied obedience to the Third Reich's goal of exterminating Jews and other undesirables. Harshbarger's account of this general's courage gives the reader an example of how a person most capable of defying a deeply venal, corrupt system must often work from within it. I highly recommend "A Quiet hero"--a riveting and thought-provoking tale.

[Dresel Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title is A Quiet Hero, who is gen. Carmille but fictional characters Miriam and Charles exist on their own and illustrate different kind of courage in this dark period.
This novel can be seen as a bildungsroman for Miriam who, as a Jew, should have been wiped out, but quite the opposite, 50 years after she is still alive with descendants.

[Wilma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of people in French resistance during WWII who work in a statistical bureau in the Vichy government to miscode/hack census information on IBM subsidiary machines so that Jews could not easily be identified and rounded up. Based on a true story. A truly compelling story, but the writing was a bit pedestrian

[Sally]

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[Colleen Higgs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Quiet Hero provides a glimpse into the past in a way so personal that I felt as if I were right there with the characters. Though a story of the horrors of the Holocaust, the descriptions of the historical buildings and relationships of the characters added a layer of beauty. I appreciated learning facts about World War II that I hadn't previously known, and especially the story of René Carmille. I highly recommend this book!

[Andy Lattal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched historical novel with an important message about values and heroism during a terrible time in world history. Harshbarger uses the dramatic events of France during the Nazi occupation as the backdrop for weaving an excellent tale of what might have happened as French statistician Rene Carmille maneuvered and manipulated the system to save thousands of otherwise doomed French Jews. A truly first-class read that I recommend to anyone interested in espionage in service to humanity at its best.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has written several novels about corporate irresponsibility in the state of West Virginia, focused on the chemical industry in the Kanawha valley and the construction of a hydroelectric tunnel at Hawks Nest. This book has a much broader scope, describing how techniques of what is now called data science, enabled by IBM machinery, were applied to support the Holocaust in Vichy France, how the effort was subverted by General Rene Carmille, and the price he paid for saving thousands of lives. It is a novel of suspense, a love story, and a compelling lesson of how demographic information improperly applied can lead to terrible consequences.

[Bill Reger-Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Dwight Harshbarger provides a gripping historic fictional portrayal of the heroic work of Rene Camille during World War II. Brilliant. The book's characters jump off the page to enter the consciousness of the reader. The fully developed characters are a result of the author's profound understanding of psychology. Although sadness permeates the volume, one is left with a sense of wonder, amazement and gratitude for the quiet commitment to humanity.

[Betsy Pyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction adds interest to the stories of actual events by making them feel more personal. The author skillfully weaves the story of General René Carmille’s sabotage of the Nazi-ordered census of Jews in France with the collaborative work of two principal fictional characters: Miriam and Charles. The story is told from Miriam’s perspective, emphasizing the important roles played by women played in WWII. Harshbarger’s careful research and well-developed characters easily draw readers back to the dark days of Occupied France, and the jubilation of its liberation.