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Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins–and WWII Heroes Kindle Edition

by Tim Brady (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,620 ratings
#1 Best Seller in Dutch History
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“The book's teenage protagonists and their bravery will enthrall young adults, who may find themselves inspired to take up their own causes.” —Washington Post

An astonishing World War II story of a trio of fearless female resisters whose youth and innocence belied their extraordinary daring in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. It also made them the underground’s most invaluable commodity.

May 10, 1940. The Netherlands was swarming with Third Reich troops. In seven days it’s entirely occupied by Nazi Germany. Joining a small resistance cell in the Dutch city of Haarlem were three teenage girls: Hannie Schaft, and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen who would soon band together to form a singular female underground squad.

Smart, fiercely political, devoted solely to the cause, and “with nothing to lose but their own lives,” Hannie, Truus, and Freddie took terrifying direct action against Nazi targets. That included sheltering fleeing Jews, political dissidents, and Dutch resisters. They sabotaged bridges and railways, and donned disguises to lead children from probable internment in concentration camps to safehouses. They covertly transported weapons and set military facilities ablaze. And they carried out the assassinations of German soldiers and traitors–on public streets and in private traps–with the courage of veteran guerilla fighters and the cunning of seasoned spies.

In telling this true story through the lens of a fearlessly unique trio of freedom fighters, Tim Brady offers a fascinating perspective of the Dutch resistance during the war. Of lives under threat; of how these courageous young women became involved in the underground; and of how their dedication evolved into dangerous, life-threatening missions on behalf of Dutch patriots–regardless of the consequences.

Harrowing, emotional, and unforgettable, Three Ordinary Girls finally moves these three icons of resistance into the deserved forefront of world history.
 
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  1. Print length
    279 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Citadel Press
  5. Publication date
    February 23, 2021
  6. File size
    2246 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. The strike would turn out to be the only such action taken against the Nazi regime in direct response to its treatment of Jews in all of Europe during the entirety of World War II.
    Highlighted by 296 Kindle readers
  2. On September 1, 1939, two days past Truus’s sixteenth birthday, Germany invaded Poland.
    Highlighted by 184 Kindle readers
  3. The police system that was established in the Netherlands had two central components: the Sicherheitpolizei or Security Police and the Ordnungspolizei or Order Police.
    Highlighted by 148 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Three Ordinary Girls

“Historian Brady (Twelve Desperate Miles) delivers a dramatic group portrait of three teenage girls who fought in the Dutch resistance movement during WWII. Brady conveys the inhumanity of the period with precision…. This moving story spotlights the extraordinary heroism of everyday people during the war and the Holocaust.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Brady has explored little-known aspects of World War II, from the life of Ted Roosevelt Jr. (His Father’s Son, 2017) to the story of a civilian freighter that aided in a critical Moroccan invasion (Twelve Desperate Miles, 2012). Now he turns his attention to the Netherlands, highlighting three young women who worked for the Dutch resistance....The women trained as fighters, learning hand-to-hand combat and practicing their shooting. Their missions were often based on their ability to infiltrate male spaces by taking advantage of soldiers’ assumptions about femininity: that the girls were naive, stupid, and innocent when they were anything but.....This book will please Brady’s fans as well as those who are interested in new and different stories of WWII.”
—Booklist

"Exhaustively researched and written with both authority and style, Tim Brady's Three Ordinary Girls is history that reads like a novel. A vivid and unforgettable portrait of three young women who put their lives on the line in a very personal fight against Naziism, this book is a page-turner and is highly recommended."
—Stephen Harding, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Battle.

"James Bond on bicycles, Brady’s Three Ordinary Girls are NOT so Ordinary. These three teenage girls: Truus, her little sister Freddie, and the redheaded Hannie are courage personified and key members of the legendary Dutch resistance. Sometimes reckless, often naïve, always patriotic, our heroines wield guns like cowgirls, while risking their lives to fight the German occupation. And just when you think the Allies have landed and Europe is saved, things take a turn for the worse. Whether they are assassinating Nazis from their bicycles or smuggling Jewish children and satchels of weapons under the nose of the Gestapo, following these three not-so ordinary girls is a nail-biting experience, an exciting book that you won’t be able to put down until the last page."
—Heather Dune Macadam, author of 999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz

"An important, untold story from WWII that needed to be told. A brave tale about an incredibly brave sisterhood who fought for all that was good and right and just in the world. The word 'hero' tends to be over-used these days, but not here - not with these utterly extraordinary heroines."
—Damien Lewis, #1 International Bestselling author of Churchill's Hellraisers and Churchill's Band of Brothers

“Three Ordinary Girls delivers a lean and fast-paced true tale about a group of young women who assassinated Nazis, sabotaged bridges, saved Jewish children, and delivered priceless documents and information in the service of the Dutch resistance during World War II. Tim Brady writes captivatingly of under-recognized heroes and self-sacrifice in a chapter of the war’s history that will now be better known.”
—Jack El-Hai, author of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist and The Lost Brothers, andwinner of the 2020 Book Award in Biography/History from the American Society of Journalists and Authors

“In the Twentieth Century, Nazi occupation of European countries confronted millions of ordinary citizens with monumental choices, mostly disguised as simple, daily acts. This triple biography tells how three very young people made the extremely difficult choice to actively fight against their fascist oppressors. A book like this makes you wonder what choices you would make in the same situation… The stories of these three brave young women is a powerful example of counterfactual history.”
— Medium

Praise for Tim Brady

“Historians have so thoroughly fished the drama of World War II that it is hard to believe the subject still has prize catches to offer up, but here comes a keeper...[Brady] conveys the campaign in an almost novelistic way, bringing seemingly disparate figures and incidents into an engaging narrative...[he] tells the story in a style that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.”
—The Wall Street Journal on Twelve Desperate Miles

"Tim Brady's yarn of the Contessa and her role in one of the most crucial episodes in WWII will delight military buffs and those looking for a well-written page turner. Highly recommended."
—Alex Kershaw, author of The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter on Twelve Desperate Miles

"[A] tension-filled, exciting story of the invasion and Contessa's role in it. This is an excellent recounting of an obscure but important episode of World War II."
—Booklist on Twelve Desperate Miles

"An entertaining story of individual heroism, which Brady surrounds by an equally entertaining account of the North African invasion, the largest amphibious operation in history at the time."
—Kirkus Reviews on Twelve Desperate Miles

About the Author

Tim Brady is the award-winning author of The Great Dan Patch and The Remarkable Mr. Savage and is also a regular contributor to PBS history documentaries. Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he is a graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop and currently writes for History Channel Magazine, Minnesota, and Minnesota Monthly.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B089MYY4HY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Citadel Press (February 23, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 23, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2246 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 279 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,620 ratings

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  1. Tim Brady

    Tim Brady

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    Tim Brady is an award-winning author, whose books, Twelve Desperate Miles and A Death in San Pietro, have received wide critical acclaim. He has contributed to PBS history documentaries and has written frequently for the History Channel Magazine. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

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    Tim Brady

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
3,620 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Brandon A. Nordin
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating story of 3 young women rising to meet the challenge of German occupation
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
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While this story has been amply documented in Dutch, this book shows the level of dedication, bravery and scruples that resistance required during the German occupation. These 3 teenagers did it all, from covertly distributing anti German leaflets, to assisting Jewish and political fugitives to, ultimately, taking the war to the enemy thru assassination and sabotage.

This book focuses on the facts, and is well documented with secondary sources, most written well after the war. It touches on what must of been the enormous psychological strain this must have take over 5 years of occupation. Especially in such a small and settled country as the Netherlands where there were few hinterlands to hide in ( as France has in the maquis).

Sadly it also details how the attempt was made, as the war wound down, to rein in and ultimately whitewash the activities of the most active and politicized the these resistance workers in favour of a more hazy view of history that benefits many of those that tended to sit on the sidelines until it was obvious that the Nazis were the losing side.

Well worth the read, doesn’t require much besides the basics of WWII - and perhaps a glance at the map to understand the physical distances and geography of the Haarlem/Amsterdam area. Sad to think most of these hero’s have now passed on.
5 people found this helpful
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Lynn Meyer
4.0 out of 5 stars An important story
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
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This is the true story of three teenaged girls who became resistance fighters during the German occupation of the Netherlands. It is worth reading, but often difficult to read because of the subject matter. It is written in a dry, matter-of-fact way. Hence I gave it a 4.
8 people found this helpful
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Dennis R. Pumphrey
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
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A great and enjoyable read. Highly recommend.
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pamg
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Historical Novel
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2023
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This is the story of three brave young women living in the Netherlands who assist in the resistance during WW2. It is a well written and researched book (many footnotes throughout) that included a few familiar stories such as the story of Anne Frank and her family. My husband and I had the opportunity to visit the Frank home while visiting Amsterdam and you walk away staggering in disbelief of what they, and so many others, endured. Also, the Corrie Ten Boom story which is a familiar and totally amazing story to most people of faith. But every time I read about this war there is so much more to learn and so much more brutality that you could ever imagine possible. Yet these brave souls, and so many others, fought against a war machine with basically their two hands and a great spirit.

I will tell you that the names of individuals, street names, names of places are sometimes difficult to navigate as they are taken from the Dutch language. Don't give up as in a short time it becomes easier!

I would love to see a book like this as required reading in our schools. Perhaps we as Americans would have greater appreciation for the lives we have. Highly recommend this read!
31 people found this helpful
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Katie Nelson
3.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a history book
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2023
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My favorite genre is historical fiction, but this book didn’t quite do it for me. It is written more as a history book telling of facts and events, rather than telling a story. Yes, the subject matter was new and interesting for me, but I didn’t live the act of reading it.
18 people found this helpful
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hill top granny
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
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A wonderful story of life in the Netherlands during WWII. However, I would have enjoyed the story more if it was told from the three young women who the book was about rather than like a newspaper article.
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KenO
5.0 out of 5 stars Heroes without uniforms!
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024
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The heroes of the underground in WWII can never be forgotten. Their roles were every bit as important as those who fought in uniform. The sacrifices they made to help end that war has to be told time and time again. The names and places may be different but what they gave is the same. Sacrifice! A must read book for all who have freedom to enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Stella
5.0 out of 5 stars Three awesome women
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
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I’m recommending this book to all my girlfriends. Why, because we need heroine women to help us in our struggle to protect women rights in this country.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Krankster
5.0 out of 5 stars Great part of forgotten history
Reviewed in Canada on July 7, 2021
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This book is amazing in the amount of detail that the author has collected surrounding the activities of these three young individuals during the war years. As in any major conflict, the zealots become the “ occupier’s “ greatest supporters. When the tide starts to turn against the occupiers, — the “ credit grabbers” come out of the woodwork ( and out from under the rocks ) and claim ownership of activities that others have sacrificed so much for.
The book reads more like a novel — rather than the true account of history in the making.
The truly amazing aspect is that the three individuals where all in their late teens..
A splendid read for any history buff,
4 people found this helpful
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Golden Falcon
3.0 out of 5 stars Not great to be honest
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2021
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I found this book awkwardly written with oddly out of place modern idioms. It failed to conjure up any atmosphere for me.
Yes, it had facts aplenty, but I was never "there with them". Never felt their fear and tension.
At the end the author mentions a few previous books written about the people involved.
Perhaps it would have been better to have left it at that.
2 people found this helpful
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AvidReader
4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive women
Reviewed in Canada on May 27, 2023
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I would have given this book 5 stars except for no mention of what happened to the Dutch collaborators with the germans.it was an interesting book and shows the horror of war.
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Jayare
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story of the Dutch Resistance
Reviewed in Canada on October 6, 2021
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Well written. This narrative gets quite intimate with the trio Hannie, Truus, and Freddie and their lives as resistance fighters.
2 people found this helpful
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A Net In Time
3.0 out of 5 stars Less of a story and more of a history
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2023
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Not quite what I expected I thought it would be a story but it's for a historical account of what was going on with these young ladies. Quite informative.
One person found this helpful
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