Sumner Jackson, a
renowned surgeon, head of the American Hospital in Paris, hates what
the Nazis are doing to his beloved Paris. An American, he grew to
love Paris after marrying his Swiss wife, Toquette. They and
their only child, Phillip want to do everything they can to aid the
Allies.
Sumner uses his
position in the hospital to smuggle British and French fighters to
Spain and then to Britain. Toquette becomes involved in the French
Resistance. Living on the Avenue Foch where the other houses had been
commandeered by the Gestapo, makes becoming involved in the
Resistance an extremely dangerous activity, and the Jacksons and
their son paid the price.
Seen through the
eyes of the Jacksons from their vantage point on the Avenue Foch,
this book shows the horror of the Nazi occupation of Paris in vivid
colors. Many of the beautiful mansions that had been commandeered by
the Gestapo were used as torture chambers to encourage people to turn
in their neighbors and locate any Jews in hiding.
The story is
particularly poignant by, in addition to telling the story of the
Jacksons, following the career of Gestapo agent Knochen, Dr. Bones.
Knochen is a charming, learned individual who loves Paris, but he
wants the power to form it in his image. The contrast between the
Jackson family and Knochen is startling.
If you're interested
in WWII and the Nazi occupation of Paris, this is one of the best
books I've read. The author uses this true story to present the horror of living in a city controlled
by psychopaths who delight in torture and murder. It's not
an easy book to read, but I highly recommend it.
I reviewed this book
for Blogging for Books.
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