The Spiral Shell: A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II

by Sandell Morse

April 2020 will mark the 80th Anniversary of the fall of France to Nazi Germany, and the establishment of the provisional government of the Vichy state, a puppet of the Axis regime, to carry out the arrest and deportation of all Jewish civilians. In the course of her writing residency over a three-year period in the village of Auvillar, the author learns of acts of bravery and rebellion on the part of several of the Jewish families and individuals who risked their lives to save innocent refugees and children orphaned by the Holocaust, and gradually gains their trust enough for them to share the details of their harrowing experiences of rebellion and resistance. The author in turn discovers truths about her own life and Jewish heritage in America, which she now sees in the light of the bravery and selflessness of those who elected to act and not stand by idly in the face of oppression and genocide.

Genres: World War II

248 pages, Hardcover

Published April 14, 2020

About the author

Sandell Morse is the prize-winning author of the memoir, The Spiral Shell, A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II. Morse’s nonfiction has been noted in The Best American Essays series and published in Creative Nonfiction, Ploughshares, the New England Review, Fourth Genre ASCENT, Solstice, Ruminate, and Tiferet among others.

Morse has been a Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, an Associate Artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, a resident at the Hewnoaks Artists’ Colony and a Fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She holds an MA in English with a concentration in fiction writing from the University of New Hampshire and an MALS with a concentration in the humanities from Dartmouth College.

The Spiral Shell, A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II is a silver medalist for the Story Circle Network Sarton Women’s Book Award.

After spending many years on the coast of Maine, she is once again a resident of New Hampshire.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spiral Shell: A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II: A Memoir
by Sandell Morse, narrated by Erin Bennett

Sandell Morse's memoir, The Spiral Shell, takes us places I've been before, in historical novels and in the little bit of research I've done while reading or listening to those novels. So I was able to slip in easily on her travels, getting a better taste of the surroundings and the people. Nazi occupied France was so entrenched in World War II, some of it's people fighting with the Resistance, or just trying to literally not starve to death while also trying not to be noticed, a few turning in friends and neighbors or actually being a part of the persecution of not only Jewish people but any people that found their way on Nazi hit lists. After the war, most people didn't want to talk about this time, and even now, it's not a subject many feel comfortable discussing.

Sandell grew up with a father who didn't want his family to acknowledge their Judaism and it's only in later life that Sandell fully embraces her Jewish heritage and all that goes with it. So when she travels to the village of Auvillar, France, to learn more about a nine year old Jewish boy whose parents, members of the Resistance, used him to carry messages, Sandell is seeing all that happened and didn't happen (but should have happened) through eyes that are seeking not only some truths about that time in history but also events, personal and public, relating to her Jewish faith and culture. I could only read/see this story through her eyes, I don't have her long family Jewish history to allow me to understand everything about the culture. But I can understand her anger, sadness, and horror at what went on back then, to any human, how more could have been stopped on an individual basis, and the questions about choices made and why they were made.

On this journey to learn and understand more, we see that the few people left who could remember that time or had relatives relate that time to them, have different versions of the same events. In this book, Sandell doesn't speak to the former nine year old boy, still alive, nor does she read the book he wrote (in a language she doesn't read) but we do learn a variety of versions of his story. It is so interesting to me to hear the stories of the past in this manner, from people who had been there or who had the stories passed on from those who were there. This is one woman's journey but the things she saw and learned affect us all, how people react during the worst of times. Brave things, cowardly things are done, many things that hurt too much to bring to the light of day. The narrator of the audiobook does a beautiful job with the narration and I felt like Sandell was talking to me.

Pub April 8, 2021

Thank you to Timothy Schaffner and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many historical fiction novels about the French resistance and their efforts to save Jewish children during the Holocaust but this memoir became a personal endeavor for Sandell Morse. As a child, she always pushed her parents to allow her to explore, experience and celebrate her Judaism. Her father encouraged her to assimilate and not to bring attention to herself. Growing up, her grandparents played a major role in her life. She grew up eating traditional Jewish food and celebrating all the traditional holidays and hearing the occasional Yiddish words. Sandell always wanted to know more, though. She wanted to explore her roots and her own identity as a Jewish woman.

During a writing residency, Sandell was given the opportunity to travel to and spend time in Auvillar, a French village, that resided under the jurisdiction of the Vichy government during World War II and the Holocaust. She made numerous trips there and was given the chance to acquaint herself with some of the local people who had knowledge and stories about the fates of some of the French Jews that resided in their village during that horrific time. There were so many well hidden secrets, she discovered, imbedded within this small, quaint village. She learned to trust, listen and value the honesty and sincerity of the people she met. The people she met allowed her to explore the courage especially of those that set out to rescue Jewish children and save them from a fate of death. Truths were revealed about the cruelty and compliance of the Vichy government with the Nazis as well.

Sandell Morse’s main objective, when she was granted this fellowship, was to write this memoir. She wanted to explore her own family history, reconnect with her Jewish heritage and learn about Auvillar’s story during World War II and now in present time. I believe that she accomplished all that she set out to do. At the conclusion of her memoir, Sandell Morse finally gets to have the Bat Mitzvah she wanted as a young girl. All of her family and friends came to witness and celebrate this occasion with her. Sandell’s granddaughter uniquely passed the Torah to her grandmother. Usually the older generation passed the Torah to the younger generation. For Sandell, the act of finally celebrating and becoming a Bat Mitvah as an adult, probably meant more to her than if her father had allowed her the experience as a young girl. The Spiral Shell:A French Village Reveals Its Secrets of Jewish Resistance in World War II was a moving, heartfelt and probing work of desire for the author to explore her own roots and learn more about the French Resistance that operated at great risk in this small French town. It was beautifully written and delivered powerful messages. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by Erin Bennett. I enjoyed her performance very much.

Thank you to Schaffner Books for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lovely memoir raises some poignant questions for the author and the reader. The author shares beautifully detailed descriptions of people, places and times: past and present, which invite the reader into her story.

I’m guessing that this memoir will stay with me awhile.

[L. Annette Binder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spiral Shell is a gorgeously written memoir and exploration of resistance during WW2 that has beautiful prose and pacing and also the suspense of a mystery novel. I have read with Sandell Morse at different events, and her writing and her observations about writing continue to impress me. The people you meet on Morse's journey stay with you long after you've finished reading. Highly recommended.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Spiral Shell, debut author Sandell Morse takes us through her journey to uncover the stories of individuals living in and around the village of Auvillar in southern France during World War II, while discovering truths about her own life: what has gone well and what she is still seeking. The stories of Germaine, Yvonne and Adele, women who were part of the Jewish resistance movement, are both inspiring and heartbreaking. Her tale reminds me of the Talmudic saying “Whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved the whole world” (Sanhedrin). So many “entire worlds” taken from us during the Holocaust; what Sandell Morse has done in her memoir is to restore some of them to us. Her prose is beautiful and inviting; I felt like I was traveling to France and meeting all of these friends along with her. I highly recommend this book and I look forward to her next one!

[Star Gater · Rating 2 out of 5]

A memoir and as such I am going to be sensitive. The narrator Erin Bennett did a nice job.

I felt as if I was reading a research paper with notes in the margins. This didn't work for me. From the beginning I didn't connect.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review The Spiral Shell.

[Marguerite Kirkpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spiral Shell by Sandell Morse is a memoir of journeys. A research project in the charming French
town of Auvillar, leads Morse on a journey to uncover the town's long-hidden secrets of the French
resistance and their aid to Jewish children during World War II. This quest includes a journey of
finding new and lasting friendships. The reader takes a journey into the author's childhood during
which her father encouraged her to think of being Jewish as “no different than being Christian.”
Wanting the family to “pass,” he encouraged them not to bring attention to their Judaism. Finally the
culmination of these journeys brings Morse to the destination of embracing her culture and her religion. As friends and family gather in her home at the edge of the sea to share in her bat mitzvah, Morse seems to have found peace and joy in her memories, her family, and her celebration of being Jewish

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Sandell Morse's memoir we are able to dig deeper in to one of the darkest moments in human history. It was interesting to read about the sides of history that is often brushed aside when we learn about WWII; such as those doing everything to fade into the background so they wouldn't be called out for any reason, the amount of people starving in the countries fighting and more about the resistance. Morse's father never really acknowledge his Jewish heritage, a fact I am discovering is common after the war, and begins her journey to discovering not only stories from the war but her own family history and the history of one town in particular.

What I found interesting was that as Morse searched for information about a nine year old boy who would carry messages for the resistance, she discovered that those who could remember information all remembered it in different ways. This is a great reflection as to why a lot of our information contradicts each other since no two people will remember things the exact same way. It was nice to see that during her search for the truth to events that happened Sandell was able to come to terms with her own family history and dig deeper into parts she never associated with.

** I received an Arc Audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book by Sandell Morse in which she delves into the past of the Vichy regime in a small village called Auvillar. She soon runs into difficulties, because of subconscious anti-Semitism, and many of the French desiring to forget the past, and their responsibility for collaboration. However, others do want to talk, and she uncovers amazing stories of the saving of Jewish children, and many acts of bravery and sacrifice.

This is also part memoir and part-travelogue as Sandell is reminded of stories from her own past, such as her own family's escape from Europe, and her own strong identification with being Jewish. She also struggles with travelling alone as a woman over 70, and coming up against barriers, such as talking about difficult and sensitive issues. I liked it but it's certainly harrowing at times.

I received this ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781639640027
PRICE $16.99 (USD)

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandell Morse wrote this memoir about her Jewish ancestors and their fight for survival under the German Occupation in Vichy France.

The memoir was fully researched with historical facts concerning the Pro-Nazi, Vichy Government. Ms. Morse, however, was not concerned so much about the Nazi collaborators as she was as locating, if any, survivors of those French who assisted the Jews in any way; and in some cases, hid them from the Germans.

With some success Ms. Morse was successful in discovering a few families still alive who volunteered rich detail in what it was like for them and the French Jews in hiding.

[Erika Dreifus]

Read this one ahead of an upcoming event in which both the author and I will be appearing. Looking forward to the opportunity to chat with her about it—in many ways, the book goes far beyond the suggested focus on a single French village its wartime history.

[Suzanne R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a very good read on two levels. It is a memoir but with very different true stories happening in separate periods of the life for two very unusual women. It is the meeting of these women and their decisions about life that brings this book to life.
On one level it is the true story of Germaine Poliakov, a courageous woman who hid and saved the lives of many children during WWII in France. In the telling of Germaine’s story the reader begins to understand that courage may be no more than doing what one believes to be the right and true in situations which no one could or would have ever expected to be faced with. It is choosing to put yourself in danger to help those who have no else to turn to in a time when life has been turned upside down and all the “ taken for granted” life of every child is lost in no more than a blink of an eye. As I read of Germaine’s decisions, I constantly questioned myself if I would have had that courage to choose to do what she considered no choice at all. When I closed the book I was still trying to decide this issue - I had the time because for me it was a theoretical decision, Germaine had no time and still made her righteous decisions the right decisions.
On the other level, this is a memoir and Sandell Morse is searching for an elusive ideal to bring her life into focus. For as long as she could remember the author had felt something was lacking in her life, but what that was she could never really say. She always was interested in her Jewish family who she learned had roots in a small village in France so when she was awarded a writing residency by The Virginia Center For the Creative Arts, she decided to begin her journey by going to France to trace and write essays of her French ancestry. Thus, the journey began and this is the memoir of that path taken, the people she met along the way, and the realization of what was missing to bring peace and fulfillment to her life. In meeting and writing about Germaine, her own goal in life of being able to express her Judaism as fully as wanted to, to study Judaism, to give voice to others who might still be afraid to identify as Jewish, this is the story of how meeting and writing changed an entire life and made it whole at last. This is the memoir that speaks to how a moment in time ( Germaine’s life in WWII) or Sandell’s life (after meeting Germaine) can change life in ways no one could ever imagine.
No matter which story line you enjoy or relate to in this well written book, you will always remember Germaine and her “ children” and Sandell’s journey to peace and happiness in her faith.
Newsteadsuzanne






















,







T
















something

[Dubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandell Morse's first book draws from essays she has written about her experiences researching the fate of Jews in Vichy France, particularly in rural Dordogne around the villages of Auvillar and Beaulieu. She describes it as part history, part personal memoir, part travelogue, inspired by the story of a Jewish boy who shared her last name (maiden name, although unrelated).

I was drawn to this book by its description because I will be traveling to Dordogne in May and was attracted by the idea of focusing some of my travel plans around this subject, being the son of survivors.

I come away with mixed feelings. The writing is excellent, especially in capturing the emotions of the authors and her interview subjects. The reminiscences of the war are far and away the best part of the book (for me at least). But I don't feel I learned anything new about Vichy -- especially having (like Woody Allen) seen The Sorrow and the Pity more than once (curious as to why Morse never mentions that landmark documentary about Vichy France).

I never got a full sense of the author herself -- the memoir is primarily of her investigation into writing the book, not so much about her past life and history. The travelogue is quite rich in detail -- perhaps even too rich in detail -- but left me without a sense of the place, certainly not the sense of the place I am getting through my other research in preparation for my upcoming trip.

I'm left feeling somewhat richer for sharing in the memories of the subjects and getting a palpable picture of the locale. But I'm left wanting on several levels -- the anecdotes are wonderful, but they have little historical context, likewise the region and even the author herself.

Still, lots to like about this book. A solid four stars that could have been a perfect five if it were more focused on its primary subject matter.

[M'lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spiral Shell is a intriguing tale of memories and how they both illuminate and obscure the truth.

During multiple trips to France, Morse finds herself talking to a variety of people who have connections to the Shoah, or Holocaust as it is more commonly known. Some of these people have very direct opinions on what they saw or know to be true and are not afraid to talk, even if their opinion is not fully informed. Others seem to purposefully avoid acknowledging that they know anything and even choose to misdirect Morse during her research. However, all of them play a part in the cohesive picture that Morse is able to create about the small town of Auvillar during and after World War II. This picture really drew me into a place I knew nothing about, but now would love to experience on my own.

Something interesting though, is that the reader comes away with not only the same new knowledge that Morse does, but also quite a lot of Morse's personal past. Everytime her search leads her to a topic or personality she connects with, she delves into an example from her own story to relay that connection. There is much more of this autobiographical content than I expected, and while at times it is a bit clumsy in its placement within her research; it does show her personality well.

Reminders of this time in our world's history are essential to have, and Sandell Morse presents a unique perspective worth reading

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Gilion Dumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When she was 71, Morse got a fellowship to travel to France to write a memoir about her family. While doing so, she dug into the history of the village of Auvillar, got to know its people, and learned about their role in the French resistance during WWII. Her book, The Spiral Shell, is a memoir about her family history, her reconnection with her Jewish heritage, and the story of what she learned about Auvillar's past.

Morse's family name was Hirsch and family emigrated from France in the mid-19th Century. In her research, she felt a connection with Jean Hirsch, a nine-year-old resistance courier during the war. Jean Hirsch and his family sheltered in Auvillar. His father and mother both worked for the Jewish Scouts of France, a regular scouting organization before the war that dedicated itself to saving Jewish children during the war. Both his parents were sent to Auschwitz. In addition to his story, she tell the story of four families deported from Auvillar, a history that to this day remains hidden to most villagers and visitors.

The story Morse tells teaches the importance of empathy and connection. Like all accounts of the Holocaust, it looks at the struggle for justice and the challenge to retain our humanity in dark times.

[Rebecca Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandell Morse’s book, The Spiral Shell, which is presented as a memoir is in some ways much more than a memoir. One of its special qualities is Morse’s descriptions of her own reconstructed scenarios about the glimpses of the past she imagines in her encounters with villagers in Auvillar and those survivors who now live in Paris. And an unusual accomplishment of this book is Morse’s devastatingly honest ability then to realize and revise those aspects of her first impressions that are proven unsustainable, or, at least, not the whole story. There is an intrepidness and a vulnerability that characterize this writer’s search so that the book feels actively engaging, not just a report from the past. Also, the whole work is undergirded with a curiosity that has been pursued and augmented by much research – easily, unostentatiously, woven into the writing. The Spiral Shell twists us round from vivid observation, with wonderful tactile descriptions of texture and taste, unexpected revelations, connections and disconnections - moving ever deeper into the complexities of Jewish identity and the challenges met and the cultural culpability of the French during the Shoah. A remarkable accomplishment.

[Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice and interesting book. I actually listened to the audiobook. At first from listening it felt more like a historical fiction book but I checked and its a history/autobiography. Although I liked the narrators voice it didn't fit with the book. Her tone was wrong making it seem more like fiction. I did enjoy learning about the authors story. It covers her journey through her Jewish heritage. It was equally interesting and shocking. I just didn't connect enough with the book to give any higher than average. If you love biographies that follow Jewish family tree then this bookmight just be for you. I always say what I rate 3 stars might be your 5 star book so try reading a sample to see if it is perfect for you. I do feel that the book might be better than the audiobook.
Many thanks to the author and publishers for bringing us this interesting story.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Spiral Shell, author Sandell Morse talks about her time in the French village of Auvillar, learning about the aid they gave to Jews during World War II and how it helped her understand better herself and her Jewish heritage. Hers was an interesting story, but I think I would have preferred more about the village during World War II and less about her self-discovery; Morse’s research and attempts to learn about what happened made up the main gist of the book, rather than the actual happenings in World War II. This is on me, as I was expecting more history than memoir. If the book’s blurb sounds interesting to you, then check it out!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

[Betty Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandell Morse weaves together various threads-her parents' mixed views on acknowledging her Jewishness away from their home, and how that ambivalence became a part of her childhood and adulthood-the veneer the French residents in Auvillar had painted over their memories-and the buried fate of Jewish prisoners, resisters and survivors. Through her solid research, she developed friendships that peeled away some of the veneer and allowed the silenced voices of the past to speak through her writing. With sensitivity, anger and love she tells the stories that were hidden and that will now be visible and heard. We need more truthtellers like this author.

[jmilesc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m conflicted on this one- in some ways it was a lovely book. I had a hard time tracking characters- or really coming to understand who they were. Priscilla? We had glimpses of the author’s perceptions of her- but I have questions. I initially had trouble identifying when it was the author’s musing, fantasizing about how things could have happened, rather than what was established as had happened. More of a memoir than anything else- I didn’t feel that I’d been educated on any ‘secrets’- yet I enjoyed the authors musing, and how things landed on her.

[Mariana Tupper]

A fascinating account by a 21st century woman poking around in 1940s history — through reports of people in wartime France and the people who remember them.
Clearly the effects of WW2 continue to ripple out. Unveiled in this narrative are reactions that parallel those in South Africa, Northern Ireland, and the U.S.: any place where one group of people has subjugated another, and the descendants on both sides live on.
Meanwhile this researcher enjoys another croissant & cup of cafe, and reflects on both the known and unknown parts of her own story.

[Sandell Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I wrote this one, but I listened to the audio book in preparation for a literary salon where I was the featured guest. As for the 5 star review -- That's what I do. If I'm going to review a book, I choose books I can rate highly. How can I not include the same number of stars for mine? Maybe that's hutzpah.

I loved listening to Erin Bennett, narrate my story. I was so lucky to have found her.

[Jean Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully-written memoir where the author uncovers much about herself while pursuing and giving voice to stories of resistance and collective memory (and forgetting). Documenting Germaine Poliakov's experience alone is a valuable contribution and window into Vichy France and the lasting legacies of the war.

[Carol O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beautifully written journey of discovery, not only a discovery of secret hideaways and resistance during the war, but a personal discovery, coming to deeper understanding of identity and faith.

[KayG · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully informative account of the complexities of the treatment of the Jewish population in France during WWII, particularly with the Vichy government. I would like to reread it in print so that I retain more. It was an excellent audiobook from Hoopla.

[Liza Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the perspective of the author discovering the secrets of this small village in France while there on a writing fellowship. Like the layers of an onion, both the author's story and the hidden history of the village were peeled back.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read!