A Train in Winter (The Resistance #1) in Bound Together

Jul 23, 2013 ☮Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: war-wwii, nonfiction, overdrive, audio, read-in-2016

So the first half was chock full of names and dates like many nonfiction books that bore me to death. But I knew from reading other reviews not to judge too quickly.

These were 230 women of all occupations, backgrounds, and aged 15-67. French women suspected of resistance, communism, or a variety of offenses. All were very interesting in their own right. But I ended up wishing the author had chosen to focus only on a handful of the women to tell the story of the group. I knew the females depi ...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Diane S ☔ rated it it was amazing

A powerful and intense read covering the Nazi takeover of France and the early days of the French Resistance and underground communism movement. Although it is always difficult to read any book covering the Nazi atrocities and this book is no exception, it is also so much more. There is generosity in the face of adversity, self sacrifice and friendships that help many of the woman get through their imprisonment at Auschwitz. Although way to many died, still more than average lived, the care thes ...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Britany rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, bookriot

A Train in Winter tells the story of women of the French Resistance who were arrested and sentenced to prison and then transported to concentration camps during WWII. A non fictionalized account of the French women who endured a harrowing experience that I personally have not read about before. These women fought for communism and freedom, fighting to keep Paris alive during the Nazi invasion. Sent to Auschwitz and then onto Ravensbruck, these women endured, some perished carrying their stories ...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Chrissie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: france, poland, audible-us, history, germany, bio

ETA: please see message 27 below. This is a concise summary of my view:
I am glad I read it, but I do believe it has too many problems to give it more stars. I am glad I learned about this French group of women - particularly since I live and spend time in France! I also appreciated that the French behavior during the war is shown honestly. Many of them supported Pétain. This is not washed over. I also found the info about Mengele's experiments both riveting and horrible. I just wish I had come t ...more

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May 26, 2016 Irene rated it liked it

This is a survey of women in the French resistance during WWII who were arrested and interred in Nazi concentration camps. Most of these women died during their interment. A few survived and struggled to return to normal life after the camps were liberated. This book is very well researched, filled with enormous details about numerous women gleaned from written documents and interviews with those still alive in 2008 when this project got underway.

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Oct 13, 2012 Susan rated it it was amazing

Very hard to read, because of the content. But, it is important part of history that should not be forgotten. The books that are written usually has the Jewish perspective. This time it from a objective point, from a journalist. It is a important part of history, about the French Resistant that no one knows much about. It takes place during after and the war. Most of the Resistant fighters, were women, yes you heard right women.

I was happy to read this, because as a Jew, I thought no one was he ...more

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