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Review
'Charles Glass's fascinating and absorbing account of American civilians trapped in Paris under the Nazi occupation … he makes us think again about the nature of life in occupied Paris and refreshes what many would consider something of a tired and overworked period of contemporary history … Glass writes with great fluency and verve and evident scholarship and has unearthed facts and figures that both illuminate and perturb.' William Boyd, Sunday Times
'Charles Glass's highly impressive new book tells us of an assortment of US citizens who remained in Paris during the war. Charles Glass describes the various realities with just the right combination of objectivity and compassion; this is a moving and deeply thought-provoking book.' Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph
'Wartime France comes alive in Charles Glass's new book … a fine piece of historical research, and powerful insight into one of the darkest periods of modern European history.' Janine di Giovanni, Evening Standard
Book of the Week – 5 stars; 'most of the detail is fascinating and Glass does possess a journalist's ability to tamp an enormous amount of info into a very small space.' Nina Caplan, Time Out
'Provides valuable insight into a little-known theatre of that great tragi-comic mess which we call the second world war.' Adam Zamoyski, Spectator
'An account of the 2,000 Americans who remained in Paris during the Second World War is rich in intrigue and heroism … for anyone interested in France during this period it is a fascinating treat.' Antony Beevor, Daily Telegraph
"elegant and well-researched" Books of the Year, Independent on Sunday
Listed twice as part of Books of the Year
Review
Book of the Week -- 5 stars; 'most of the detail is fascinating and Glass does possess a journalist's ability to tamp an enormous amount of info into a very small space.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is, as many reviewers have said, an extremely well-researched book, telling the story of the Americans caught in Paris at the outbreak of world war two, while the country was still officially neutral though very much on the side of the free French and the British and against the Nazis and Vichy. The author has chosen to tell the story through the experience of a myriad of individuals, ranging from those who are unequivocally heroes - in particular Dr Sumner Jackson, chief surgeon of the American Hospital, who refused to admit German army patients and ran an escape network for allied airmen throughout the occupation - to some more dubious characters.
The closeness to power of many of these individuals also at times provides fascinating insights into the war. But it also becomes annoying - I felt at times I was reading a kind of Harpers-&-Queen-goes-to-war, where the experiences of posh people are foregrounded over the real suffering that was going on. An example of the extraneous, gossipy detail about minor characters: "A Pan Am employee handed Rene an urgent message from Marguerite Leland, FDR's longtime private secretary and, unknown to Rene, sometime mistress of Ambassador Bullitt."
Much less boring is the fascinating insight the book gives into the bond between France and the US stemming from the American revolution, when the French were the first to send troops to help them fight the British. And FDR's covert or (perhaps not so covert) support for the British before the US was actually at war. And the racism of the US armed forces - Leclerc's 2nd armoured division was given a key role in the allied invasion of France because it was the whitest French unit.
The closeness to power of many of these individuals also at times provides fascinating insights into the war. But it also becomes annoying - I felt at times I was reading a kind of Harpers-&-Queen-goes-to-war, where the experiences of posh people are foregrounded over the real suffering that was going on. An example of the extraneous, gossipy detail about minor characters: "A Pan Am employee handed Rene an urgent message from Marguerite Leland, FDR's longtime private secretary and, unknown to Rene, sometime mistress of Ambassador Bullitt."
Much less boring is the fascinating insight the book gives into the bond between France and the US stemming from the American revolution, when the French were the first to send troops to help them fight the British. And FDR's covert or (perhaps not so covert) support for the British before the US was actually at war. And the racism of the US armed forces - Leclerc's 2nd armoured division was given a key role in the allied invasion of France because it was the whitest French unit.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This the story of some of the 5000 Americans who stayed in Paris duri9ng the German occupation from June 1940 to August 1944. Many stayed for business or family ties,lo0ve vof Paris or disenchantment with America.
Life remained reasonably quiet until America entered the war when many were interned and most blacks (except Josephine Bailey- the singer) were sent to cocentration camps.
The book in 7 parts traces the history of the Americans on a chronlogical basis.
Very well written and researched with an excellent notes section and bibliography.
Life remained reasonably quiet until America entered the war when many were interned and most blacks (except Josephine Bailey- the singer) were sent to cocentration camps.
The book in 7 parts traces the history of the Americans on a chronlogical basis.
Very well written and researched with an excellent notes section and bibliography.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Veteran Journalist Glass produces a polished and intriguing account of the lives and choices made by an odd assortment of Americans in Paris during the second world war. He shows that easy choices could not be made and the ingenuity needed in the ever changing clouds of these years. entertaining and informative.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
A wonderful atmospheric story of the 5000 Americans who chose to remain in Paris under Nazi occupation. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. Leong Wai Hong
Nazi Germans
An excellent book. It tells much about Americans and abouy the German occupation of Paris
Published 19 months ago by Derek J. Bowden
Americans in Paris
This is the story of the Americans who stayed in Paris during the Nazi Occupation of Paris. Some resisted, some collaborated, some just tried to survive. Read more
Published 21 months ago by S Riaz
Absorbing story, characters you care about...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I found I really cared about all the varied characters the author had chosen to follow through the complex time of the Nazi... Read more
Published 22 months ago by F Homan
Interesting insight
We Brits see the war not unnaturally through our own lens. This is a slant on the action - or lack of it - that we don't get to hear much of. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Guy Cornwall
Fascinating account
Charles Glass has written an excellent book. By focusing predominantly on a handful of people he really brings to life the realities of living in occupied Paris during WW2. Read more
Published on 1 May 2010 by D. P. Mankin
Disappointing
Several times in this book and in publicity material, the author stresses that thousands of Americans, black and white, lived in Paris during the war, and it is a terrible... Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by S. Cooke
Good treatment of a neglected time
athis fine treatment covers a time period neglected by many historians. Well written for students of WWII and casual readers. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2009 by Carl E. Abramson
Americans in Paris under Nazi rule
An excellent description of the lives of Americans who remained in Paris after the German occupation: their work helping the Resistance is excellently portrayed as are the living... Read more
Published on 16 May 2009 by Elspeth
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