Looking for great books about the the French underground during Nazi occupation, or other similar human struggles.

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Alaskajohn

Alaskajohn

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Hey folks, I am in a book reading binge, and want to consider great books detailing the struggles such as the French underground or resistance during Nazi occupation or other similar situations.

The book could be about events in Poland, the Czech Republic, or other occupied WARSAW pact countries. Or it could be about countries occupied by Japan, or countries that suffered under their own self imposed hells such as Cambodia. Really looking for good, intelligent reads on the mindset and struggles of the people. Not looking for a "how to fight back" type read, but more a retrospect of how it happened, what happened when it happened, and the such from the human perspective. Something thought provoking and cognitive on how human's managed through times of strife, change, loss, and peril, and how they responded and adapted to the change. I understand that resistance movements would likely be a part of such books, but I am looking more for the intellectual issues and not so much about the tactical. I have book next in the queue about Rhodesia, so I might have this human tragedy covered, or maybe not!

I know there is a great read out there somewhere on this!

Thanks
 
Alaskajohn said:
Hey folks, I am in a book reading binge, and want to consider great books detailing the struggles such as the French underground or resistance during Nazi occupation or other similar situations.

The book could be about events in Poland, the Czech Republic, or other occupied WARSAW pact countries. Or it could be about countries occupied by Japan, or countries that suffered under their own self imposed hells such as Cambodia. Really looking for good, intelligent reads on the mindset and struggles of the people. Not looking for a "how to fight back" type read, but more a retrospect of how it happened, what happened when it happened, and the such from the human perspective. Something thought provoking and cognitive on how human's managed through times of strife, change, loss, and peril, and how they responded and adapted to the change. I understand that resistance movements would likely be a part of such books, but I am looking more for the intellectual issues and not so much about the tactical. I have book next in the queue about Rhodesia, so I might have this human tragedy covered, or maybe not!

I know there is a great read out there somewhere on this!

Thanks
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I assume you have already read The Diary of Anne Frank? Correct title: The Diary of a Young Girl
...is a book of the writings from the Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
On 5 July 1942, Anne's older sister Margot received an official summons to report to a Nazi work camp in Germany, and on 6 July, Margot and Anne went into hiding with their parents Otto and Edith. They were later joined by Hermann van Pels, Otto's business partner, including his wife Auguste and their teenage son Peter.[13] Their hiding place was in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annex at the back of Otto's company building in Amsterdam.
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*Required disclaimer: Contains some material of sexual nature.
 
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I’ll get back to you in a couple of days. There are some really good ones out there. I had one about a family that was shipped to Siberia and it covered day to day things. This family made it because the mother had the insight to take her sewing machine and was able to do little jobs for tidbits that helped them survive. There are a number of good ones, but they are uncommon. Should have some suggestions by Friday.
 
Sorry. I just went to my library and all the books that I had on that subject have been sold. So, the great book is Escape From Russia, Stanley Opalka, ISBN 9780615124988. It’s not common, but you may be able to find it. For some reason, I want to tell you to check out Corrie Ten Boom’s books. She survived the Holocaust and though there aren’t the kind of details for survival that you may be looking for, her strong faith and ability to endure are well worth recommending. There’ are more- when I can get definite info I’ll share.
 
Supervisor42 said:
I assume you have already read The Diary of Anne Frank? Correct title: The Diary of a Young Girl

*Required disclaimer: Contains some material of sexual nature.
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That is exactly the type of book that I am speaking of! I come from the generation where this book was required reading. Great book. I think that book is being banned now in some communities.
 
I don't have any book recommendations, but I thought the air-dropping of FR-45 Liberator pistols to the underground was pretty awesome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator
Pistol_FP-45_01.jpg
 
Alaskajohn said:
That is exactly the type of book that I am speaking of! I come from the generation where this book was required reading. Great book. I think that book is being banned now in some communities.
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It has been banned here, there, and yonder for decades.
Do you get the idea that lots of people don't want you to even have a chance to read it?
 
Alaska John, that book was required reading not that many years ago as part of Abeka or Bob Jones. 20 years ago much of the homeschool materials promoted true values and real history. Kids were taught what really happens in the world to prepare them for their place in it. I saved much of the curriculum, hoping the next generation would want it. Sadly, it was easier to put kids in government sponsored day care with a different agenda and common core values.
 
For what it’s worth, with over 3,000 book listings that I have on the internet, what sells are the survival and homesteading skills. Schoolbooks and teach yourself academics are second. And I have sold more than one teach yourself Chinese.
 
Tootsie said:
For what it’s worth, with over 3,000 book listings that I have on the internet, what sells are the survival and homesteading skills. Schoolbooks and teach yourself academics are second. And I have sold more than one teach yourself Chinese.
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Man, I am still trying to learn English! Most have given up on me ever learning my primary language! :oops:
 
I thought I would share this, and its a blend of the cognitive discussion I am looking for with some of the military operations that I am not necessarily looking for.

We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth. I read it primarily as a true and very famous harsh winter survival story. I have read many dozens of books on individuals who survived against all odds in harsh winter environments and this one is by far the most chilling and an epic heroic accomplishment. Not to give to much away, but it involved a British "quasi" special forces team that was inserted behind enemy lines. Things went wrong and the book covers the lone survivor who survived all winter escaping and evading the entire Nazi army trying to capture him. The only other book that comes close is the Mad Trapper of Rat River, which is also extremely amazing story of the epic will to survive.
 
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Tootsie said:
Sorry. I just went to my library and all the books that I had on that subject have been sold. So, the great book is Escape From Russia, Stanley Opalka, ISBN 9780615124988. It’s not common, but you may be able to find it. For some reason, I want to tell you to check out Corrie Ten Boom’s books. She survived the Holocaust and though there aren’t the kind of details for survival that you may be looking for, her strong faith and ability to endure are well worth recommending. There’ are more- when I can get definite info I’ll share.
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Ouch, Escape from Russia is a $300 book on Amazon, but this is along the lines of what I am looking for. I will look for this using other means. I paid $300 dollars for the next book in my queue after searching for a year for a less expensive option, so I am hesitant to order after just spending that amount. But I am very interested in that book so I will keep looking. Also I much appreciate this your thoughts on Corrie's books. Looking into them now! Looks like there are several good books, so I need to research. They look exactly like the type of book I envisioned in my OP.


SoJer said:
Defiance: The Bielski Partisans :cool:

(Also a solid flick, imo..) 👍

.02
jd
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The reviews and your recommendation puts this into the must read category. I've ordered the book!
 
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Alaskajohn said:
...The reviews and your recommendation puts this into the must read category. ..
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Yeah, there's some pretty good 'forest-survivalist food for thought' in there, too, besides the 'human element'.. :cool:

If / when yer ready to go the 'Opposite direction' (of Serious / heady..) along the lines of 'French Nazi Resisters', there's little more 'satisfying an indulgence' than Tarantino's little 'fantasy take' on it all - <i>Inglourious Basterds</i> :cool:

..Now, I don't know / assume your 'tolerance level for movie-violence', so I will simply say - "it's a Tarantino flick", so.. If you decide to watch it, just Do expect a 'bit a the ol' Ultraviolence' :) here/ there, but.. The job that actress Mélanie Laurent (who plays the 'French Heroine', Shoshanna) still blows me away, She's just So Good in some of her scenes..

..but, it's Certainly the 'polar opposite' of anything you'll be reading (as-to 'historical accuracy' / realism, etc) but.. it's defintely a Hoot, and Well Done, and certainly a 'fun history jaunt' to contemplate.. :cool:

.03
jd
 
Meerkat said:
View attachment 60360

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Wow, words cannot describe the power of that video.

This quote will stick with me a bit. Wisdom from a little child: “We can only appreciate happiness after having suffered, but is there a limit to suffering? I am beginning to have doubts.”

And she continues: “joy is within us, even though we are suffering...They have not taken my wealth, because my wealth is within me.”

How could a small child, a little school girl, have such wisdom as she looked into the face of death?

Kudos to the French for keeping their history alive while we are hell bent on destroying ours, while trying to repeat their history here. Will anyone remember or care after we are done destroying ourselves? American wisdom is apparently putting gorilla glue on your hair and being shocked that it didn’t turn out well.

That was a very impactful video that I will not forget. It summed up what I am searching for. Plus I got to brush up a bit on my French!

Thank you for posting this. It’s given me much to noodle over...
 
Alaskajohn said:
I thought I would share this, and its a blend of the cognitive discussion I am looking for with some of the military operations that I am not necessarily looking for.

We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth. I read it primarily as a true and very famous harsh winter survival story. I have read many dozens of books on individuals who survived against all odds in harsh winter environments and this one is by far the most chilling and an epic heroic accomplishment. Not to give to much away, but it involved a British "quasi" special forces team that was inserted behind enemy lines. Things went wrong and the book covers the lone survivor who survived all winter escaping and evading the entire Nazi army trying to capture him. The only other book that comes close is the Mad Trapper of Rat River, which is also extremely amazing story of the epic will to survive.
Click to expand...

I ordered the "We Die Alone" book. I also see that the movie, The 12th Man, is up on Youtube (not sure how long, because of obvious copyright issues) under the title,
Lockdown/ War movie /the 12th man 7102 by the 'One Stop 4 Fun' Youtube channel.

I won't post the link to it because Youtube will soon kill the link anyway. You can get to it with the info that I posted.

I watched a few minutes of it, and can already tell that the movie is very well done. At times I had to remind myself to breathe... I will finish watching when I get more time.
 
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This is a "Heavy" read. Well done. Educational, but heavy. (OK.....it was a hard read)

Anyone interested in a look at what serious SHTF would really look like should "try" to read this book.
When this book was first released, I was in a multi-year obsession with WW-II.
I quickly purchased the early release "Hard Bound" edition. I never finished this book.......and this book terminated my study of WW-II.

Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II: Lowe, Keith: 9781250000200: Amazon.com: Books
 
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Alicia: My Story
by Alicia Appleman Jurman

Not a book about the resistance but she did survive the Nazi occupation in Poland. She survived some horrible things from sickness in the ghettos to the camps. She was part of the first groups of Jewish refugees that went to establish Israel after the war.
 
I sit here holding a hardback copy of D-Day Girls, a story of three remarkable female spies in Churchill's Special Operations, who helped prepare the way for D-Day. I have to finish reading a magazine and then I will be totally committed to D-Day Girls....written by Sarah Rose. The front cover says: "Gripping. Spies, Romance, Gestapo thugs, Blown-up trains, Courage, and Treachery (lots of treachery) and all of it true. The spies who armed the resistance, sabotaged the Nazis, and helped win WWII.
 
Grizzleyette___Adams said:
I ordered the "We Die Alone" book. I also see that the movie, The 12th Man, is up on Youtube (not sure how long, because of obvious copyright issues) under the title,
Lockdown/ War movie /the 12th man 7102 by the 'One Stop 4 Fun' Youtube channel.

I won't post the link to it because Youtube will soon kill the link anyway. You can get to it with the info that I posted.

I watched a few minutes of it, and can already tell that the movie is very well done. At times I had to remind myself to breathe... I will finish watching when I get more time.
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I had no idea there was a movie about this. Let me go find it so I can watch it! I just watched the trailer for the movie and it looked well done! Thanks for the tip!
 
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Is man kind the only species who kill each other?
 
Sourdough said:
This is a "Heavy" read. Well done. Educational, but heavy. (OK.....it was a hard read)

Anyone interested in a look at what serious SHTF would really look like should "try" to read this book.
When this book was first released, I was in a multi-year obsession with WW-II.
I quickly purchased the early release "Hard Bound" edition. I never finished this book.......and this book terminated my study of WW-II.

Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II: Lowe, Keith: 9781250000200: Amazon.com: Books
Click to expand...

I did some studies while in the military comparing the aftermath of WWII in Europe to the aftermath of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq and discovered some troubling facts about Europe that have escaped our history books. This book was published after I did this study. I might need to buy this book. I see a hardcover on Amazon for a reasonable price.
 
Adult male bears kill cubs of other boars offspring, eat them, reducing that boars blood line, which also results in the sow quickly becoming receptive to mating with the dominate boar that killed the cubs.

This is......has occurred in human behavior historically and still happens.
 
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Grizzleyette___Adams said:
I ordered the "We Die Alone" book. I also see that the movie, The 12th Man, is up on Youtube (not sure how long, because of obvious copyright issues) under the title,
Lockdown/ War movie /the 12th man 7102 by the 'One Stop 4 Fun' Youtube channel.

I won't post the link to it because Youtube will soon kill the link anyway. You can get to it with the info that I posted.

I watched a few minutes of it, and can already tell that the movie is very well done. At times I had to remind myself to breathe... I will finish watching when I get more time.
Click to expand...

I watched the movie last night on Amazon Prime which was free, and it had the English subtitles where the one on "One Stop 4 Fun" didn't.

I typically dislike movies after reading really good books that the movie was based on, but the movie was excellent. I was at first disappointed at the start of the movie as key facts were left out, but later "flashbacks" filled in those events. I thought the movie was well made and followed the book well. Even at 2 plus hours, a lot of what he experienced in his flight between the start and when he was hiding in the cabin were omitted, so this will all be new when you read the book. The movie does some really nice character development of the folks he interacted with that is not in the book. Plus the movie does a nice job of filling in what the Nazi's were doing trying to find him.

I promise you that your heart will be racing and you will not be able to your eyes off the book particularly around events such as when he skied through the German checkpoint and others. The book will contain things not in the movie, as the movies focus a lot on the personal stories, where the book was about his flight, fight and personal struggles against overwhelming odds.

Whether one starts with the book, or starts with the movie, you won't be disappointed. I did prefer the book over the excellent movie.

Oh yes, I have now ordered three books as the result of this thread, and a couple more that I am looking for. Thanks to everyone! Great suggestions!
 
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