| An American Heroine in the French Resistance: The Diary and Memoir of Virginia d'Albert-Lake Contributor(s): Litoff, Judy Barrett (Editor) |
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ISBN: 082322581X ISBN-13: 9780823225811 Publisher: Fordham University Press OUR PRICE: $99.75 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: March 2006 Annotation: Something broke inside me. I knew somehow that it was all over . . . . Sweat started in my armpits; my scalp tingled; I had no choice but to stand there in the center of the dusty road, grip my [bicycle] handle bars, and wait.Virginia dAlbert-Lake It was on this road deep in the forests of France on June 12, 1944, that the Germans arrested Virginia dAlbert-Lake and an Allied airman she was leading to safety. DAlbert-Lakes work in the Resistance was overshe would spend the next eleven months as a prisoner of war, much of it in the notorious Ravensbrck concentration camp for women, where she almost died. Virginia dAlbert-Lake was one of thousands who risked their lives saving downed airmen along the Comet escape line that stretched from Belgium to Gibraltar. What distinguished Virginia from other resisters was that she was an American citizen who had the option to return to the safety of her native country. Yet she chose to remain in France where her dangerous work nearly cost her life. This fascinating book tells the remarkable story of an ordinary American womans heroism in the French Resistance. Born in Ohio and raised in Florida, Virginia Roush fell in love with Philippe dAlbert-Lake during a visit to France in 1936; they married soon after. In 1943, they joined the Resistance. Defying gender stereotypes, Virginia put her life in jeopardy as she sheltered downed airmen. As a prisoner of war, herrefusal to reveal secrets saved many lives, and when Free French and Allied forces finally liberated her in 1945, she weighed 76 pounds, 50 pounds under her normal weight. After the war, Virginia stayed in France with Philippe, receiving awards that included the Lgion dHonneur and theMedal of Honor. She died in 1997. Judy Barrett Litoff brings together two rare documents in this unique bookVirginias diary of wartime France until her capture in 1944 and her prison memoir written immediately after the war. Masterfully edited, they capture the compassion and toughness of a nearly forgotten heroine as they provide an invaluable recordof the workings of the Resistance by one of the very few American women who participated in it. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Biography & Autobiography | Women - History | Military - World War Ii - History | Europe - France |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2005034897 |
| Series: World War II: The Global, Human, and Ethical Dimension (Hardcover) |
| Physical Information: 1.3" H x 6.3" W x 9.1" (1.40 lbs) 322 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1940's - Cultural Region - French |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: This fascinating book tells the remarkable story of an ordinary American woman's heroism in the French Resistance. Virginia Roush fell in love with Philippe d'Albert-Lake during a visit to France in 1936; they married soon after. In 1943, they both joined the Resistance, where Virginia put her life in jeopardy as she sheltered downed airmen and later survived a Nazi prison camp. After the war, she stayed in France with Philippe, and was awarded the Lgion d'Honneur and the Medal of Honor. She died in 1997.Judy Barrett Litoff brings together two rare documents-Virginia's diary of wartime France until her capture in 1944 and her prison memoir written immediately after the war. Masterfully edited, they convey the compassion and toughness of a nearly forgotten heroine as they provide an invaluable record of the workings of the Resistance by one of the very few American women who participated in it.An indelible portrait of extraordinary strength of character . . . [D'Albert-Lake] is sombre, reflective, and attentive to every detail.-The New Yorker A sharply etched and moving story of love, companionship, commitment, and sacrifice. . . . This beautifully edited diary and memoir throw an original light on the French Resistance.-Robert Gildea, author of Marianne in Chains: In Search of the German Occupation, 1940-1945 At once a stunning self-portrait and dramatic narrative of a valorous young American woman . . . an exciting and gripping story, one of the best of the many wartime tales.-Walter CronkiteAn enthralling tale which brims with brave airmen and plucky heroines.-David Kirby, St. Petersburg Times |
Contributor Bio(s): Litoff, Judy Barrett: - JUDY BARRETT LITOFF's books include We're in This War Too: World War II Letters from American Women in Uniform and, from Fordham, Fighting Fascism in Europe: The World War II Letters of an American Veteran of the Spanish Civil War. She is Professor of History at Bryant University. |