Love And War In The Pyrenees by Rosemary Bailey
Over the fifteen years Bailey has been living in the region, the more she realised she didn't know, and people did not want her to know, about the war; about the French during the Occupation, the real role of the Resistance, the level of collaboration, the concentration camps in the Pyrenees and the treatment of Jews and other refugees. It is still very much a veiled history. Although people now acknowledge that the role of the Resistance in winning the war was exaggerated and glorified way beyond its actual numbers or achievements, few are willing to admit the level of acceptance of the German occupation, of the fascist ideals of the Vichy government and the degree of collaboration, passive or active, that occurred throughout the war years. Most of the archives remain firmly closed. This is a portrait of human tragedy, heroism and cruelty that will create a picture of the period from a contemporary angle, the history linked to sights that can still be visited, and brought to life by letters, interviews and encounters with people today, including the historians currently trying to investigate what really happened.
"moving account of of the region during World War Two" TIME OUT "the tales of derring-do in Rosemary Bailey's latest book would not be out of place in a Boy's Own adventure story.. thorough, thought-provoking and at times deeply disturbing account of the impact of the Second World War on the villages and towns of the Pyrenees... a quiet truimph of historical reconstruction." JEWISH CHRONICLE "important that Rosemary Bailey's investigative work reaches as wide an audience as possible... stories are told fluently in Bailey's fluid, evocative prose, in which historical facts merge seamlessly with travel memoirs and personal recollections." YORKSHIRE POST "impossible to put down... fascinating... sheds new light" -- Colin Randall, ex-Paris Bureau Chief, DTeleg www.francesalut.com "Her style of writing adds colour, depth and personality to what could otherwise be a dark subject matter... not only an interesting read... fascinating." FRANCE MAGAZINE
Rosemary Bailey studied English and Philosophy at Bristol University and worked as a journalist and travel writer, living for several years in New York before basing herself in France. In 1997, Rosemary and her husband bought Corbiac, a ruined Romanesque monastery which they restored - an experience first recounted in Life in a Postcard. This same monastery features in Love and War in the Pyrenees as a place of refuge and escape during the Second World War. www.rosemarybailey.com
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780297851271 |
| ISBN 10 | 0297851276 |
| Title | Love And War In The Pyrenees |
| Author | Rosemary Bailey |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing Co |
| Year published | 2008-07-31 |
| Number of pages | 304 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |