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Les Parisiennes
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
23 posts | 10 read | 63 to read
What did it feel like to be a woman living in Paris during the years 1939-1949? These were years of fear, power, aggression, courage, deprivation and secrets until, finally, renewal and retribution. Even at the darkest moments, dogs and cats might be abandoned howling on the street, the swastika fly from the Eiffel Tower and danger lurk on every corner, but glamour was ever present. French women wore lipstick. Why? By looking at a wide range of individuals from collaborators to resisters, actresses and prostitutes to teachers and writers, native Parisian women and those living in Paris temporarily including American women and Nazi wives, muses and mothers, housewives and mistresses, fashion and jewellery designers, nurses, journalists and spies, Anne Sebba reveals truths about basic human instincts and desires. It was women more than men who came face-to-face with the German conquerors on a daily basis as waitresses, shop assistants, prostitutes or merely on the Metro where a German soldier had priority over seats. Parisian women, mostly, did whatever they needed to do to survive. Many of them faced life-and-death decisions every day. But this is not just a book about war. Les Parisiennes is a book about the effects of war and, for those who survived, how they came to terms with their own behaviour and that of others. The second half of the decade can only be understood by examining the catastrophic shock of the first. Although politics lies at its heart, Les Parisiennes is an account of the lives of the people of the city and specifically, in this most feminine of cities, about its women and young girls - including thousands who grew up fatherless.
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deliasson
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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Pickpick

WOW. Typically books about WWII mostly talk about Jewish prisoners in general. But to think about a city with no men, no ability to vote or have a bank account and German soldiers everywhere? Every woman paid a price in the end.

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squirrelbrain
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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I‘ve gone with the wartime definition of allies here, rather than ‘friends‘. Haven‘t read this yet - another one waiting patiently on the TBR shelf!

#amazingallies
#augustABC

TrishB They do wait very patiently don‘t they 😁 5y
squirrelbrain @TrishB - some of them are a bit more fidgety and demanding don‘t you find?! 🤣 5y
TrishB Shout a bit louder! 5y
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Eggs Love stories set in Paris in that time period 💗 5y
youneverarrived On my shelf unread too. Looks really good though. 5y
squirrelbrain It does look good doesn‘t it @youneverarrived 5y
66 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Emilymdxn
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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This book isn‘t on the database but I am at the airport, all set for Paris in an airport Wetherspoons as is tradition 😂 for non-British ppl not aware of the cultural phenomenon that is Wetherspoons, it‘s an enormous chain of cheap pubs that are everywhere in the uk, and drinking a pint and something greasy in an airport Spoons is a key part of going on holiday.

TrishB Enjoy Paris 👍🏻 6y
gradcat Have a great time! What is the title of the book you‘re reading? I can‘t make it out.... 6y
cmarie British holidays start in Spoons 😂 hope you have a lovely time! 6y
Tanisha_A It's beautiful! Enjoy! 6y
74 likes4 comments
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Emilymdxn
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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Bought this to celebrate booking my trip to Paris!!

I‘m going over Easter weekend so i don‘t have to take leave days from work ☺️☺️☺️☺️ I have so little money rn so im gonna be sitting at home cooking all my food for like a month to pay this off but it‘ll be worth it. Seeing the world while I‘m young is like my only life goal rn so I can eat beans on toast for a while

Hmu with recs for books translated from French!!

TrishB I don‘t have any recommendations! But jealous you can go to Shakespeare and Co ❤️ 6y
Kalalalatja I love Paris! And this book was really good - brutal and tough, but good! 6y
merelybookish Sounds wonderful!! 🇫🇷🗼👏 6y
Rachel_nyc Paris is worth whatever sacrifice you need to make. It‘s my absolute favorite city in the world! Enjoy the book and trip!! 6y
68 likes4 comments
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RidgewayGirl
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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The First Book of Christmas and it‘s a good one. I‘ve been eyeing this one every time I go to the bookstore. Here it‘s being held by my Mom. Happy holidays, everyone!

Kristelh Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 7y
RidgewayGirl @Kristelh Happy Christmas to you, too. May there be many books under the tree. 7y
BarbaraBB Happy Holidays - with lots of time for the Second Book... and the Third 😀🎄 7y
10 likes3 comments
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ShannonOffDuty
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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This book was really good. I'm usually not a fan of overlapping stories. I prefer one cohesive narrative. But these stories were too good to ignore. The women of Paris during Nazi occupation are intriguing, sad, resilient and largely unknown. It's great that their stories are being told.

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Shazzer
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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A book that shows the best and the worst of the human spirit. Stories of courage no how small the deed but also stories of greed and selfishness. But what I found very heartbreaking was the treatment of the women who survived the camps afterwards. The government and the people didn't want to know

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EchoCharlie
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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KimberlyFish
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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An afternoon doing field research with Anne Sebba's book.

Sydsavvy 😂😂😂👏🏻 8y
1 like1 stack add1 comment
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MrBook
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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#TBRtemptation post! One of this week's processed books at the library 😊. I must read this book! It's rather thick, but that won't stop me. The sub-title pretty much says it all, so it won't be a walk in the park, but I'm betting I'll learn a lot from it 😁! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

MamaGina This sounds SO good - reminds of another book I read and enjoyed a couple of years ago🤓 8y
BookBabe 😮 8y
MrBook @MamaGina Ooh, interesting. Thank you for the ref 😊👍🏻! @BookBabe 😍 8y
121 likes19 stack adds3 comments
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Twocougs
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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Outstanding book about the women of Paris during WWII.

76 likes11 stack adds
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Twocougs
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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A quiet Sunday, it's trying to snow, James Taylor is singing,drinking tea and sitting down to relax with a book-life is good.

Suzze It's supposed to snow a little here tonight. Looking forward to it. 8y
Twocougs @Suzze I wish it would dump and slow the world down❄️ 8y
Suzze @Twocougs Let it snow! 8y
Zelma We've had crazy rainstorms and very gloomy weather all weekend. Perfect snuggle weather. 8y
MemoirsForMe ❤️ JT! 8y
72 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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shawnmooney
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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33 likes3 stack adds
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BethFishReads
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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Ohhhhhh. Newly arrived today. So looking forward to this true account of how Parisian women coped (or didn't) during the Nazi occupation

Twocougs Just ordered it from Book Depository since it's not released in US yet- super excited! 8y
BethFishReads @Twocougs looks good, doesn't it? 8y
Twocougs @BethFishReads I saw your post and went to get it- so glad I saw it😍 8y
Rhondareads Definitely getting this one. 8y
49 likes6 stack adds5 comments
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Anbolyn
Les Parisiennes | Anne Sebba
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I'm reading this today and it's fascinating yet heartbreaking.