Priscilla: The Hidden Life of an Englishwoman in Wartime France by Nicholas Shakespeare is a transcendent work of narrative nonfiction in the vein of The Hare with Amber Eyes.When Nicholas Shakespeare stumbled across a trunk full of his late aunt’s personal belongings; he was unaware of where this discovery would take him and what he would learn about her hidden past. The glamorous; mysterious figure he remembered from his childhood was very different from the morally ambiguous young woman who emerged from the trove of love letters; journals and photographs; surrounded by suitors and living the precarious existence of a British citizen in a country controlled by the enemy during World War II.As a young boy; Shakespeare had always believed that his aunt was a member of the Resistance and had been tortured by the Germans. The truth turned out to be far more complicated. Piecing together fragments of his aunt’s remarkable and tragic story; Priscilla is at once a stunning story of detection; a loving portrait of a flawed woman trying to survive in terrible times; and a spellbinding slice of history.
#996991 in Books 2015-01-06 2015-01-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.05 x 5.31l; .0 #File Name: 006229704X464 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Enigma PriscillaBy Kathy PerowA surprising biography; we discover with Shakespeare that his Priscilla is not everything we expected. A complex woman with an amazing and surprising WWII life. I can't describe it without telling the secrets about Priscilla that are the author's to tell. I found myself as fascinated with her as the author was. I beautifully written book; raising so many questions about survival and morality and the necessities that was imposes. Recommend it? Absolutely. Not just for WWII buffs. For anyone who looks for great profiles beautifully done.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. enjoyable readBy ted haslamThe subject of the collaboration between people in countries occupied in war; is so under revealed. One thinks everyone is in the resistance after the occupation ends; but during occupation people make decisions they think will make their future life happy. Few are the martyrs and this lets you glimpse inside their decisions. I have more understanding of their fear and motivation.The book is not a robust read; fulfilling your need to know everything about a person. It kept me dangling; wanting more detail; but by its lack of detail; it had more impact leaving you to fill in the empty spaces with your biases.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Not exactly a thrillerBy FrejaI expected more from this book based on the description. I thought it would be somewhat like a first-hand account of one woman's experiences during WWII; but it was a pretty stale read. The cast of characters weren't well defined causing one to page back over material already read to try to place each character in his/her place in the story. There was no tension and the dramas of the lives of the characters were described colorlessly. This is just my opinion. I read the whole book so it did hold my interest; although just tenuously.
