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Anne Sebba
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Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died in the 1940s Kindle Edition

by Anne Sebba (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 804 ratings

WINNER OF THE FRANCO-BRITISH SOCIETY BOOK PRIZE 2016

June, 1940. German troops enter Paris and hoist the swastika over the Arc de Triomphe. The dark days of Occupation begin. How would you have survived? By collaborating with the Nazis, or risking the lives of you and your loved ones to resist?

The women of Paris faced this dilemma every day - whether choosing between rations and the black market, or travelling on the Metro, where a German soldier had priority for a seat. Between the extremes of defiance and collusion was a vast moral grey area which all Parisiennes had to navigate in order to survive.

Anne Sebba has sought out and interviewed scores of women, and brings us their unforgettable testimonies. Her fascinating cast includes both native Parisiennes and temporary residents: American women and Nazi wives; spies, mothers, mistresses, artists, fashion designers and aristocrats. The result is an enthralling account of life during the Second World War and in the years of recovery and recrimination that followed the Liberation of Paris in 1944. It is a story of fear, deprivation and secrets - and, as ever in the French capital, glamour and determination.

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  1. Part of series
    ST. MARTIN'S PR
  2. Print length
    611 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Weidenfeld & Nicolson
  5. Publication date
    14 July 2016
  6. File size
    19.5 MB
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Review

"A fascinating account of how the buildup to WWII, the war itself, and its aftermath marked the lives of Parisian women . . . A standout social history." --Booklist (starred review)

"Sebba burrows into the lives of women in the City of Light during WWII to reveal their captivating and complicated stories . . . Sebba's clear-eyed narrative concludes, correctly, that these women deserve understanding, not judgment." --Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating . . . Anna Sebba knows everything about Paris during the war and she relates in Les Parisiennes the end of all the whispered stories I've been hearing all my life. She understands everything about the chic, loathsome collaborators and the Holocaust victims, and their stories are told in an irresistible narrative flood." --Edmund White, bestselling author of Our Young Man

"Wonderfully researched, this is an important retelling of Les Annees Noires in Paris which puts women's stories, and the complications of their lives under Occupation, centre stage. Sebba reminds us that we should listen and put ourselves in their shoes, before leaping immediately to judgement, and backs this up with testimonies from many women whose voices have remained unheard." --Kate Mosse, Author of Labyrinth and Citadel

"Impressive . . . Sebba offers balance to the plethora of war histories featuring the roles of men." --Kirkus Reviews

"The further readers delve into the book, the more they'll become entranced. . . . Sebba's work delivers an intriguing perspective of an overlooked group during a time when all were tested beyond their limits." --Library Journal

On That Woman
"A solid biography of the woman who became the King of England's excuse for abdicating his throne . . . depicts Wallis as a woman who sought power and privilege but never expected the damage she wrought or the wrath she engendered." --The New York Times

"That Woman goes a long way in explaining how a not-quite-divorced, not-quite-beautiful American bedazzled a king out of his kingdom." --Vogue

"Salacious and consuming, this well-researched biography will appeal to readers interested in British political and women's history." --Kirkus Reviews

"Smart, eloquent, and unafraid to go beyond the myth of the duchess of Windsor." --Publishers Weekly

"Brought to brilliant light in this responsible, respectful biography." --Booklist on Jennie Churchill

"A rigorously objective book... Fascinating." --Financial Times on Mother Teresa

About the Author

ANNE SEBBA is a biographer, lecturer, and former Reuters foreign correspondent who has written several books and is a member of the Society of Authors Executive Committee. She lives in London.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01BT3ZA24
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Weidenfeld & Nicolson (14 July 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 19.5 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 611 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 804 ratings

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  1. Anne Sebba

    Anne Sebba

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    Thank you for visiting my author page. It's a great opportunity to be in touch with my readers, to hear your response to my books and to say thank you for your support and interest. I really appreciate feedback so do please get in touch via twitter @annesebba or via my website www.annesebba.com.

    I was born in London and went to London University where I read History, specialising in 20th century French History. I then lived in Rome where I worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters followed by a couple of years in New York, where I started my freelance career.

    I have written nine non- fiction books for adults since then mostly biographies of iconic women such as Mother Teresa, Laura Ashley and Jennie Churchill, Winston’s American Wife. In 2011, I published That Woman a life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor based on a hidden archive of letters that I discovered in an attic and in 2016 Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died in the 1940’s (Weidenfeld & Nicolson UK )or Les Parisiennes How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died under the Nazi Occupation according to the US version. (St Martin’s Press US) It was described as ‘fascinating and beautifully written’ by the Spectator. http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/07/keeping-up-appearances-in-1940s-paris/

    I am thrilled finally to be writing about France in the 1940s after all those years when I studied it at University. I hope you find it a fascinating story too.

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    Anne Sebba

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
804 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an interesting and enjoyable read with a detailed account of how Parisian women coped during the Nazi occupation. They appreciate the well-written and heartwarming stories of bravery and resistance. The vivid visual depiction of life for the Parisiennes is described as amazing.

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ReadabilityInsightWriting styleHeartwarming storiesVisual qualityName quality
32 customers mention ‘Readability’32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They describe it as a great read that can be dipped in and out of. The writing is well-researched and beautifully written. Readers also mention that the narrative is entertaining, making it interesting to learn about Chanel, Piaf, and other famous French people.

"I found this book fascinating. It was so engaging and informative but was shocked at the extent of some of the collaboration which I hadn't realised...." Read more

"...I also found it fascinating to read how Chanel, Piaf and several other famous French 'celebrities' were not averse to 'buddying up' to the Germans..." Read more

"...women , than the common woman but it still makes it an entertaining narrative...." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book, in fact it made me want to research some of the people mentioned in it...." Read more

28 customers mention ‘Insight’26 positive2 negative

Customers find the book provides interesting and informative insights into how Parisian women coped during the German occupation. They describe it as well-researched, with amazing facts and testimonies. The book is described as a brilliant historical read that uncovers aspects of the German Occupation that most people will not have imagined.

"I found this book fascinating. It was so engaging and informative but was shocked at the extent of some of the collaboration which I hadn't realised...." Read more

"...This is a well researched book brimming with facts, not a light read but a rewarding one." Read more

"...My five stars are because Les Parisiennes is an extraordinary achievement...." Read more

"...She has uncovered many aspects of the German Occupation which most people will not have envisaged or even thought about, describing the experiences..." Read more

14 customers mention ‘Writing style’11 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find it well-written and engaging.

"...in WW2, Paris, the French or female history, this book is a beautifully written gem...." Read more

"...but nonetheless very readable and you do come to feel that you know these women...." Read more

"Haunting, fascinating and very well written...." Read more

"...Anne Sebba writes with such considerable verve that one keeps turning the pages. She makes her subjects come alive on the page...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Heartwarming stories’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the stories inspiring and heartwarming. They describe the book as an honest account from survivors of women's strength in adversity. The subject is treated without sentimentality yet gripping and tender at the same time.

"...The everyday stories of bravery and resistance were awe inspiring. Recommended highly" Read more

"...reader is introduced to, each with desperately sad stories, heart warming stories and heroic stories...." Read more

"...to describe the weird grey area between collaboration and resistance during occupied Paris...." Read more

"...All social classes are represented, also survivors and sadly victims. I stayed with it to the end and I’m pleased I did...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Visual quality’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book visually appealing. It paints a vivid picture of life for Parisiennes and includes interesting photographs.

"...Absorbing from beginning to end, and includes many interesting photographs...." Read more

"fascinating portrait of the hard and unimaginable life for Parisiennes during the Nazi occupation." Read more

"Paints a vivid picture of what life would have been like for those Parisienne women and very well written." Read more

"Bought as a gift but looks interesting and think I will buy one to read" Read more

3 customers mention ‘Name quality’0 positive3 negative

Customers find the names in the book difficult to remember. They feel the book has too many names in the first two chapters, making them a bit heavy on people and names.

"Very complicated first two chapters - too many names - I found that irritating and difficult to follow but half way through the writing style became..." Read more

"...Lots of unusual facts learned but a bit heavy on people/ names which sometimes made it difficult to keep track...." Read more

"...Names etc.. as one reads ,the names flit in and out of conscience ness." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Janeymac73
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly well researched and written account
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I found this book fascinating. It was so engaging and informative but was shocked at the extent of some of the collaboration which I hadn't realised. The everyday stories of bravery and resistance were awe inspiring. Recommended highly
    One person found this helpful
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  • Whinbrook
    4.0 out of 5 stars Exhausting read but interesting and rewarding
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 September 2021
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    I watched a zoom lecture by Anne Sebba on this very book late last year. It was only an hour long but was very engaging, so much so I went on to read the book wanting to find out more.

    The book is an exhausting read cram packed with stories about the women (and occasionally men) of Paris from the outset of WWII to modern times. There are so many women the reader is introduced to, each with desperately sad stories, heart warming stories and heroic stories. It can get a bit over whelming despite a character list at the beginning of the book.

    It was interesting to discover what lengths men and women went to in Paris and in France as a whole to survive the war. I learnt a lot about Vichy France, a puppet of Nazi Germany, the terrible fate of French Jews, especially their betrayal by their friends and neighbours. Also how famous fashion houses, jewellers and French businesses (many Jewish owned), a lot now household names, evolved over the dark years of the war in order to survive. Many stories in the book were from the upper echelons of French society, from intellectuals and artists and writers but I suppose they were better documented than the stories of more ordinary folk. I also thought that France itself was exposed, wort's and all in this book as a troubled nation before, certainly during and also after WWII.

    I also found it fascinating to read how Chanel, Piaf and several other famous French 'celebrities' were not averse to 'buddying up' to the Germans in order to smooth their way through the war. And conversely how Christian Dior's sister was a great unsung heroine of the resistance and only now her story is being told.

    This is a well researched book brimming with facts, not a light read but a rewarding one.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mrs. S. D. R.
    5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary feat
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2018
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    Five stars here means "I loved it" but can you truthfully say you "loved" a book about such a disturbing history? My five stars are because Les Parisiennes is an extraordinary achievement. And the significant part of that is Anne Sebba's talent for conveying the wretchedness, fear and desperation endured by those who experienced France's Occupation; suffering and dying in those years. This well-known history in her hands becomes somehow more immediate and intimate; and she gives enormous breadth to it. Most histories on this subject have focussed on individuals rather than offered a universal view of those years.
    The book can seem a bit confusing because Ms Sebba performs a juggler's task of keeping a lot of different balls spinning in the air sequentially; incorporating so many names and different strands of their individual stories is not an easy thing to do, and I found myself constantly referring back to the index so I was able to follow the stories of various individuals . People drop in and out all the way through the history she's relating. This is something she handles very well and is undoubtedly the only way to write this type of book which draws in so many by name; heroes and anti-heroes and deals with what happened to who, when. She encompasses an enormous number of people from most if not all sides of the conflict. It's a feat to have constructed a narrative of this type. Ms Sebba gives us Paris with all it's charms - its fashions, its chic and vivid social whirl of aristocracy, artists and politics, contrasting that Parisian carousel against a backdrop of mounting deprivation, ever-present fear of betrayal, and death. She presents the female dilemma of trying to survive when the main breadwinner has been removed from the household and there are mouths to be fed and backs to be clothed; a city whose men have been forced to leave - to fight against or labour with the Germans. You see the curious blindness of the collaborators and the Nazis themselves who with later nostalgia recall their occupation of Paris as a wonderful period; enjoying themselves by indulging in the Parisian fleshpots and accessing the extravagant shopping available to few others. Seemingly entirely numb to the suffering they had imposed upon the French nation. You see Vichy supporters, blindly going about their business; defiantly going along with the status-quo in order to sustain the good life of food and wine, glamorous clothes and a high standard of living. This is set against the extraordinary heroism of and risks run by the Resistance who doggedly continued to undermine Vichy and the Nazis to the very last day of the conflict. The women of the Resistance acted at times, with cavalier defiance; hiding British airmen beneath the noses of Nazis, and guns beneath a baby lying in its pram; tucking military hardware into clothing and cycling along with grenades etc...
    One other thing that struck me was how a country where betrayals with deadly consequences had been a fact of daily life, got itself back together after the war. I can't help thinking that the contrast between the rightful pride and glory of the Resistance and the eternal stain of the collaboration and the betrayals have left their traces in the nation's soul.
    What I found most distressing were the individual stories of women in labour camps like Ravensbruick or Auschwitz for whom the reprieve of Liberation came barely a week or so too late. These women had struggled for so long to remain alive in conditions too awful to contemplate – forced to unload coal or dig rocks out of frozen ground with almost no clothes or food in sub-zero temperatures, tortured and mistreated. How could that small scrap of extra life not have been granted to them – when freedom lay such a little way ahead?

    The war seems far distant now; and yet it still throws up the questions we don't want to know the answers to: how could so many have behaved with such cruelty? How could such evil have gained a grip on what was thought to be a civilised continent? And then comes the biggest question of all – would I have had the courage to stand against such things?
    17 people found this helpful
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  • S. Lelarge
    3.0 out of 5 stars Stories we must honour and remember: a voyage into the heart of Parisian women during WW2
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 July 2020
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    The testimonies and stories of the women mentioned are essential material for us all to remember. The book focuses more on the stories of well-known Parisian women , than the common woman but it still makes it an entertaining narrative. The author certainly highlights the importance- often ignored or denied- of women in the fight against occupation, and its impact.
    One person found this helpful
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  • vcabjrsb
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you buy one book this Christmas, make it this one.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Anne Sebba's research for this book has been extensive and meticulous. She has uncovered many aspects of the German Occupation which most people will not have envisaged or even thought about, describing the experiences of all sorts and conditions of Frenchwomen, some of them legendary, who suffered different degrees of abuse and deprivation by the Nazis, and brings home how difficult it is for the British to understand what it feels like to be occupied by a foreign and hostile power. People did what they had to do, good or bad, in order to survive or look after their families; many of these women were incredibly brave under horrific circumstances, and discovered abilities and resilience in themselves which they would never have believed they possessed. Absorbing from beginning to end, and includes many interesting photographs. Top tip - don't make the mistake, which I did, of buying the Kindle version which misses out many illustrations and makes reading footnotes difficult. I have just bought the hardback for my (French) son-in-law..
    16 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Cliente Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Drammatico
    Reviewed in Italy on 23 November 2021
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    Ma ben scritto
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  • Katie Warlund
    5.0 out of 5 stars Readable and so important
    Reviewed in Canada on 21 March 2019
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    I can't recommend this book enough. Riveting, the history is told in a way that allows readers to see the complexities and nuance of wartime Paris. The writing is accessible and care is taken to trace the paths of specific Parisiennes. Even the endnotes are worth reading. I couldn't put this book down.
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  • gabydog
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superbe livre
    Reviewed in France on 28 February 2020
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    J'ai acheté ce livre d'occasion et il est arrivé en bon état. C'est vraiment un très bon livre d'histoire d'un point de vue différent.
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  • M. J. Bair
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read
    Reviewed in the United States on 6 February 2017
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    This is a book about women and how they lived during the German occupation: women who had to manage families in this very difficult time, women who were part of the resistance, women who put their lives on the line for preservation of art, women who suffered terrible atrocities upon capture and at Ravensbruck and other concentration/labor camps, women who were entertainers, prostitutes, women who sometimes compromised in order to feed their children or survive. It provides a description of all the suffering during and after the war. The book highlights the heroism of women, all the different means that women undertook for family and for France, the various challenges they faced in living under the enemy, of trying to preserve the patrimony of homes and of France.

    Very informative and well researched, e.g, 69,000 Jewish home or apartments confiscated by the Germans.

    Although familiar with many of the individual women (Germaine Tillon, Genevieve de Gaulle, Jacqueline Pery d'Alincourt, Caroline Ferriday, Vera Leigh, Agnes Humbert, Nora Inayat Khan, Chalotte Toquette Jackson, etc.) cited in the book, it is a well-researched book that presents new insights. Sebba's description of the post-war period was poignant and disturbing, especially the poor treatment of the women who returned from Ravesbruck and camps, the lack of recognition for the sufferings and the contribution of women during the war, the lack of food experienced by so many, the fractured society and the aftermath of the war, ordinary French citizens trying to regroup and maintain dignity, trying to become whole again, trying to be France again.

    It's a powerful book - detailed but worthwhile.
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  • Christopher O'Connor
    5.0 out of 5 stars At first I was hesitant. Could this author really ...
    Reviewed in Australia on 19 September 2016
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    At first I was hesitant. Could this author really pull off the massive task of telling the story of those brave women who did not even have the vote and turned their lives around by 'collaborating' with their Nazi invaders to ensure their children were fed while at the same time carrying out work for the French Resistance. I won;t say too much as it will ruin the story but anybody interested in history, although it tends to sadly repeat itself, should devour this book and remember those who gave so much for the pride of returning their nation to France.
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