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Last Hope Island
Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe, and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of War | Lynne Olson
16 posts | 7 read | 12 to read
A groundbreaking account of how Britain became the base of operations for the exiled leaders of Europe in their desperate struggle to reclaim their continent from Hitler, from the New York Times bestselling author of Citizens of London and Those Angry Days When the Nazi blitzkrieg rolled over continental Europe in the early days of World War II, the city of London became a refuge for the governments and armed forces of six occupied nations who escaped there to continue the fight. So, too, did General Charles de Gaulle, the self-appointed representative of free France. As the only European democracy still holding out against Hitler, Britain became known to occupied countries as Last Hope Island. Getting there, one young emigr declared, was like getting to heaven. In this epic, character-driven narrative, acclaimed historian Lynne Olson takes us back to those perilous days when the British and their European guests joined forces to combat the mightiest military force in history. Here we meet the courageous King Haakon of Norway, whose distinctive H7 monogram became a symbol of his countrys resistance to Nazi rule, and his fiery Dutch counterpart, Queen Wilhelmina, whose antifascist radio broadcasts rallied the spirits of her defeated people. Here, too, is the Earl of Suffolk, a swashbuckling British aristocrat whose rescue of two nuclear physicists from France helped make the Manhattan Project possible. Last Hope Island also recounts some of the Europeans heretofore unsung exploits that helped tilt the balance against the Axis: the crucial efforts of Polish pilots during the Battle of Britain; the vital role played by French and Polish code breakers in cracking the Germans reputedly indecipherable Enigma code; and the flood of top-secret intelligence about German operationsgathered by spies throughout occupied Europethat helped ensure the success of the 1944 Allied invasion. A fascinating companion to Citizens of London, Olsons bestselling chronicle of the Anglo-American alliance, Last Hope Island recalls with vivid humanity that brief moment in time when the peoples of Europe stood together in their effort to roll back the tide of conquest and restore order to a broken continent. Advance praise for Last Hope Island A rip-roaring saga of hair-breadth escape, espionage, and resistance during World War IIOlsons Last Hope Island salvages the forgotten stories of a collection of heroic souls from seven countries overrun by Hitler, who find refuge in Churchills London and then seek payback in ways large and small. In thrilling fashion, Olson shows us that hell hath no fury like a small country scorned.Erik Larson, New York Times bestselling author of In the Garden of Beasts and Dead Wake Lynne Olson is a master storyteller, and she brings her great gifts to this riveting narrative of the resistance to Hitlers war machine. . . . Last Hope Island is a smashing good tale.Evan Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Being Nixon A powerful and surprising account of how figures from Nazi-occupied Europe found Great Britain an essential shield and sword in the struggle against Hitler. This is a wonderful work of history, told in Olsons trademark style.Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of American Lion
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review
kricheal
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Pickpick

So I couldn't sleep again last night and decided to finish this one up from beside the bed. Great narrative nonfiction about the allied forced coming together(before then U.S. and Russia was involved, that's discussed later in the book) to collaborate in England in covert ways against Germany. #5 #2019

95 likes4 stack adds
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MallenNC
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#Belgium is one of the countries included in this book. I enjoyed reading this book, which covered aspects of World War II that were new to me. This prompt made me realize Belgium is not a place I've read about much and I'd like to change that. #AugustIsATrip @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I don‘t have any books set in Belgium! 6y
SandyW Stacked. Thanks! 6y
vkois88 I don't think I have any either! 6y
33 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MallenNC
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Not a tropical island, but this nonfiction book is set on an island! It's about the countries that came to the U.K. during World War II and how they contributed to defeating Germany. I learned a lot I didn't know. #SetOnAnIsland #MarchinBooks @maich

Andrew65 Love the title! 😂😂😂 7y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MallenNC
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Another day snowed in. Kate is trying to make me lose my place in this new library book. #catsoflitsy #kittensoflitsy

ReadingSusan So cute! 😻 7y
rubyslippersreads Kate looks a lot like my Sadie. 😻 7y
MallenNC @rubyslippersreads She does! I went to your page to look! Kate is my first tortie. Her sister Pippa is a tuxedo (the only one in the litter who wasn't a tortie.) They are nearly 7 months. 7y
See All 6 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa She‘s beautiful! 7y
BeckyD Pretty Kitty. 7y
Libby1 😻 7y
20 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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GinEyre22
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October wrap up:
11 total book read
3 non fiction
8 fiction
9 books by women
2 by/about POC
1 by/about LGBTQ
2 by non US writers

Goals for next month continues to be more diverse voices and non-fiction

Clwojick Ooh. I like this layout. I have a hard time rating stars for my books. I feel like I always end up giving them sympathy stars hahah 7y
28 likes1 comment
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GinEyre22
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📗mystery
📘reading in bed
📙cider
📗autumn
📘fiction
📙paperback
📗paper
📘no
📙superheroes

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GinEyre22
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📗 short stories
📘introvert
📙 thrillers
📗enemies
📘cookies
📙 quidditch
📗 paper back
📘 neither
📙 bromance?
#thisorthatswapedition

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kricheal
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Starting this next! I'm hoping it's good! Anyone read it?

Librarybelle I thought it was good...definitely an aspect of the war of which I was unfamiliar. 7y
37 likes1 comment
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WanderingBookaneer
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review
Currey
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Pickpick

#goodreadgiveaways If you love reading history this is a great pick. It portrays with cinematic thrills the story of 6 occupied European nations during WWII, and their government's exile to London. With 6 different stories to be told, the author manages to keep you fascinated by the amount of bungling and betrayals on the part of the Allied leadership contrasted with everyday heroism of the people. Real insights into EU/Brexit issues also.

8 likes1 stack add
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kricheal
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#bookmail is the best mail #Goodreadsgiveaway

myers85 Nice photo 8y
kricheal @myers85 Thank you! 8y
36 likes2 comments
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Lucylovesreading
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Mehso-so

Nothing was sugarcoated and I have learned an awful lot about the war that I wasn‘t aware of. I highly recommend for anyone who is an avid WWII enthusiast.
3.5⭐️‘s (Full review on Instagram & Goodreads).

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Librarybelle
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Pickpick

Olson does an amazing job capturing Britain's role as the "last hope" of European nations subjected to Nazi rule during World War II. Some nations were favored; others were not. I had a range of emotions throughout - disbelief, hope, anger. Promises kept; promises broken. Olson tells a story rarely told, but very important to know and to understand. #netgalley

To lighten the mood, #Zeke agreed to a picture #catsoflitsy

Joanne1 Sounds very interesting. 8y
Librarybelle @Joanne1 It is interesting! 8y
26 likes2 comments
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Librarybelle
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Quiet moment with #Vladimir as I try to finish this #netgalley book. #catsoflitsy

SharonGoforth 😻😻 8y
19 likes1 comment
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Librarybelle
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Baseball + cats (I have one burrowed under the covers to the left of me) + a good book = wonderful Sunday afternoon

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Librarybelle
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Started reading this ARC last night and am enjoying it thus far...England's role as a "last hope" of smaller European countries during WWII. I've had cats bouncing off of me throughout the morning, but here #Zeke is taking a rest in his favorite spot. #catsoflitsy