Army of Shadows

By Joseph Kessel, Rainer J. Hanshe (translator),

Book cover of Army of Shadows

Book description

THIS IS THE TRUTH, THOUGH THE FORM IS FICTION…

The terrible and inspiring truth about the French underground, the way it’s men and women operate, fight, die, a story full of nobility, heroism, and brutal violence.

First published in its English translation in 1944, this is the fictionalized account of…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Army of Shadows as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The main thing I loved about this book is that it was written in 1943 while the war was still raging in Europe. The publication of this book was an act of resistance in itself. It is a raw telling of the rebellion that became the French Resistance. 

I read this book over a year ago, but the opening scene is still a vivid memory. I never saw the 1969 movie based on the book, but the entire narrative created a movie in my mind.

From Vicki's list on individuals in the French Resistance.

Usually known in its film adaptation, Army of Shadows is certainly the most comprehensive novel about the French Resistance. Written in 1943 by one of the best novelists and journalists of the twentieth century, based on facts, it offers a kaleidoscopic view of the diverse participants of a movement sometimes considered as a monolithic entity. All of the veteran Resistance fighters I have had the chance to meet agreed that it was their favorite novel about the Resistance.   

From Christophe's list on the French Resistance.

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