Nancy Wake: The Fearless WWII Spy Who Stood Up to the Nazis

Lynn Meyer: The author interviewed her for hours in order to write the book, so it is accurate and true

United States on Jul 04, 2023

Anne Pace: A very compelling book, one of the unsung heroines of the last war and an Aussie, loved learning so much more about this remarkable woman.
Very well written and a compelling factual story.

Australia on Jun 17, 2023

Phil: a great read, what a wonderful woman.

Australia on Apr 15, 2023

Helen Cordy: Christmas Present loved it

Canada on Jan 18, 2022

Beer Pongger: This version of the biography of British SOE operative in France is soooo exciting. What makes it thus is that the events are true, as well as that the author knew Nancy. The book was originally published in 1956 so close after WWII ended. Therefore many of Nancy's friends and colleagues were living to recount their close feelings and the broad spectrum of events together to the author whom they trusted. If you saw a movie of these scenes and of Nancy's brashness to all she met, you would simply say, pshaw! this is impossible for one person to accomplish all of this and still fall in love (quite a love story). Her main accomplishent especially how she was able to organize the multitude of the fragmented groups of the Maquis French resistance into a cohesive 7000 member striking force against Nazi Germany. Wow!! This book brings together situations in WW II France that I never knew. Stop reading this review and order the book. Note: there are other books about Nancy Wake but none by the author of this book. I recommend reading this book first and if you want then purchase the others. BTW I call her Nancy because I feel I know her and was with her throughout her daring escapades. I...

United States on Nov 05, 2021

PAD: It's a story of a woman who didn't have to put herself at risk and who trained the french resistance and gained there respect and took orders from her. Her actions tied up the Germans so much that thay could not respond to reinforcing there troops after D Day. She was awarded with the George Medal by the British and was awarded the Croix de Guerre & the Resistance medal which was normally awarded to Frenchmen sparingly and hardly ever to foreigners. The USA also awarded her.
It's an easy read and gives more insight to SOE.

United Kingdom on Jun 20, 2021

SueH57: I read this after having read Kristin Hannah’s novel The Nightingale. There were questions as to how could all of this happen to one person. Since Nancy Wake was one hero the book was based on- I searched and found her.

What an incredible woman!! What an astounding hero! Quick thinking, compassionate, unfazed by dangers, authoritative- definitely that, loving wife, resourceful… Why have we not had more GOOD movies centered on the people of the resistance? (And I watched the movie/documentary on Nancy Wake…it got better, but it was never great. Won’t someone fix this?!)

Now for the actual book, and writing style. Russell Braden gathered so much information through multiple interviews that he was able to put together a very detailed sequence of events. Some of the details were a bit over the top and probably unnecessary, but it left me with such an in-depth picture of what it was like to be in the French countryside during WWII. I feel that I traveled alongside Nancy and those with her. It is told with warmth and respect. He provides an inside view of daily life with the men who worked tirelessly to overcome a formidable enemy without delving into a lot of gory...

United States on May 26, 2021

Alan of Essex: Before I offer my assessment of this amazing book, I would make one comment that does not in any way reflect upon Nancy Wake. The front cover proclaims Nancy as "SOE's Greatest Heroine." I would take issue with that statement. I am not sure that people of such character and stature should be graded as if competitors. They all performed their duties in a manner and with a passion that set them apart, many of them gave their lives. Nancy lived through amazing events in which she was fully engaged at a personal level, but I don't think that Nancy herself would suggest that she merits a higher level of admiration and respect than her 153 colleagues in SOE who fought and died. My above comment goes to the publisher, who in my opinion put dollar signs before human courage and sacrifice. Nancy's book doesn't need to be made to sound dramatic, it is drama from beginning to end.
If this book were fiction, it would be a #1 Best Seller. That it is fact make it (almost) unbelievable. Russell Braddon knows about war from personal experience. He is also a writer, not just someone who writes. We must credit him with writing an amazing story about an amazing lady. A lady who was ready to...

United States on Jan 25, 2013

Robin Webster: Russell Braddon has done a good job in telling the story of this amazing woman's war time experiences. Born in New Zealand and married to a wealthy Frenchman at the start of the war. She organized food and messages to resistances groups, started an escape line and ended up on the Gestapo's most wanted list. After escaping to Britain in 1943 returned to France as a member of Special Operations Executive and became the leader of a 7000 strong branch of the resistance. She was an inspiration Sebastian Faulks book `Charlotte Gray' and the 1980's television series `Wish Me Luck'. By the end of the war Nancy Wake had lost her husband all her money and possessions. Despite this when Russell Braddon interviewed her prior to writing the book, she said to him, `Don't you dare write me one of those miserable war books full of horror. My war was full of laughter and people I loved.' He kept to her wishes and by doing so was able to put across to the reader something of her spirit. This book is written in a good old fashion plan style which is suited to the subject matter. Like all good biographies you forget about the writer and just focus on the story of this extraordinary woman.

United Kingdom on Jul 10, 2012