Customer Reviews

Sisters in the Resistance

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"Sisters in the Resistance" is a fascinating compilation of interviews and stories from women who were involved in the French Resistance during WWII. In fact, each story is so compelling, one wishes each subject had received a full-scale biography. But as that is not the case, at least these courageous women are given plenty of space to tell their stories in Weitz's book.

Many who lived through those times did not want to discuss their experiences with anyone afterwards (and some, especially those who were tortured by the Nazis, mention that they couldn't bear to hear the German language after the war), but they are all forthright within the pages of "Sisters" and their stories paint a vivid portrait of Nazi-occupied France.

Weitz gives the book an obvious feminist slant, which, depending on your perspective, could be favorable or un-, but if her portrayal of paternalistic Vichy France is to be believed (and I think it can be -- French women weren't granted suffrage until 1944), it more than justifies Weitz's slant and casts the activities of the females resistance fighters into a stark contrast with their environment.

Weitz has done an extremely valuable service in preserving the stories of these women who risked everything in order to follow their convictions and her book -- slanted or not -- is definitely a non-fiction page-turner.

Excellent chapters on the behind the scenes aspect of the resistance, including social services, where women dominated the field. The book does not, however, include food riots and worker's strikes. These are two areas of resistance that women also participated in.

For the most part Weitz is willing to let her interviews speak for her, with informative results. Her own analysis and conclusions show feminist leanings, and are far from objective. The concluding chapter digresses into a barrage of stereotypes and gender comparison.

Still, if one ignores the author's own remarks and concentrates on the primary sources, this is a worthwhile book.

I love books about world war 2 and especially France. This was very good about giving us an idea of what the political sitition was like in france before the occupation. The individual stories were good but somwhere along the line i got tired of reading this book. But i would say i'm glad i read it.