Synopses & Reviews
Paris at War chronicles the lives of ordinary Parisians during World War II, from September 1939 when France went to war with Nazi Germany to liberation in August 1944. Readers will relive the fearful exodus from the city as the German army neared the capital, the relief and disgust felt when the armistice was signed, and the hardships and deprivations under Occupation. David Drake contrasts the plight of working-class Parisians with the comparative comfort of the rich, exposes the activities of collaborationists, and traces the growth of the Resistance from producing leaflets to gunning down German soldiers. He details the intrigues and brutality of the occupying forces, and life in the notorious transit camp at nearby Drancy, along with three other less well known Jewish work camps within the city.
The book gains its vitality from the diaries and reminiscences of people who endured these tumultuous years. Drake's cast of characters comes from all walks of life and represents a diversity of political views and social attitudes. We hear from a retired schoolteacher, a celebrated economist, a Catholic teenager who wears a yellow star in solidarity with Parisian Jews, as well as Resistance fighters, collaborators, and many other witnesses.
Drake enriches his account with details from police records, newspapers, radio broadcasts, and newsreels. From his chronology emerge the broad rhythms and shifting moods of the city. Above all, he explores the contingent lives of the people of Paris, who, unlike us, could not know how the story would end.
Review
"A fascinating, quick-paced, and moving history with a strong narrative. Drake's Paris at War is the product of thorough and far-reaching research and sensitive interpretation." Rod Kedward, author of France and the French: A Modern History
Review
"Rich in detail and eye-opening anecdotes, David Drake's gripping story moves away from well-known heroes and villains to the lives of ordinary Parisians and their daily struggle to survive the vagaries of the German occupation." Alan Riding, author of And the Show Went On: Cultural Life in Nazi-Occupied Paris
Review
"With access to the diaries of everyday citizens who lived through the Nazi occupation of Paris, Drake assembles a valuable picture of 'personal history, remembered conversations, the minutiae of routine, fragments of memory.'...Presenting the story chronologically, Drake creates an easily comprehensible, even exciting, narrative. The author vividly portrays the desperation of searching for food, fuel, and clothing, along with the dangers of arrest and false accusations...The passive resistance, the roundups, the collaborationists, and the young communists are all part of the lore of wartime Paris, and Drake does a solid job exploring how it all affected 'Parisians of all ages.' Students of French and World War II history will enjoy and learn from this well-written book." Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
David Drake chronicles the lives of ordinary Parisians during WWII, drawing on diaries and reminiscences of people who endured these years. From his account emerge the broad rhythms and shifting moods of the city and the contingent lives of resisters, collaborators, occupiers, and victims who, unlike us, could not know how the story would end.
About the Author
David Drake has taught at universities in London and Paris and has published widely on French intellectual and cultural history.