i thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Nancy Wake, it was interesting to learn about a person that I never heard of before.

Nancy Wake was a fascinating woman. She was living in France when the Germans invaded and quickly got involved in the resistance movement. Ostensibly a respectable woman, married to a wealthy French business man, she used this as a cover to travel around France delivering messages, sheltering escaped prisoners and refugees and forming escape routes for them. The Gestapo called her 'The White Mouse' due to her elusiveness.

 Her story is very engaging, however the writing is not. It's told in a very clunky style and as a result, I never felt emotionally attached to the story, which is a shame. It is easy to read despite this, and I did enjoy learning about her life.

With the activities of the wartime SOE coming increasingly under the spotlight these days... to put it bluntly, "female spies are hip again!".... the tale of Nancy Wake is one that is guaranteed to thrill and intrigue.  As with so many of her fellows, her story is one of undiluted heroism - even when she isn't in action, the knowledge that she soon will be keeps the reader hovering somewhere between anticipation and dread, while the story itself would make a magnificent movie. Or, better still, a sixties-style comic book.  And the writers would not need to make up a single detail.

I already know Nancy Wake - as a New Zealander (like me), a war heroine and from the Biography written by Peter Fitzsimmons. So I was unsure what this "new" book written by Russell Braddon would bring me. Actually it turns out Russell's book was written long before Peter's.  First published in 1958 by Pan, it has been re-released on an electronic platform, many years after Russell had died. 
Also note there are several other books written about Nancy, who was known as "The White Mouse". Her fearless undercover work, even in the face of personal tragedy, earned her a place on the Gestapo’s ‘most wanted’ list.
Nancy spent time with the author Russell Braddon, retelling her war time resistance stories, often in her unassuming and to the point way. The result being a fast paced tale of Nancy's war time years, rather than an in-depth biography of her entire life. The lively narrative of her exploits keeps you coming back for more.
At the outbreak of World War Two, Nancy Wake’s glamorous life in the South of France seemed far removed from the fighting. But when her rich husband Henri Fiocca was called up for military service, Nancy felt she had just as much of a duty to fight for freedom. Henri fully supported her and paid large amounts of his personal wealth to support the network she became part of.
Nancy frustrated the Nazis at every turn smuggling food and messages along the south of France network. Eventually she realised it was time for her to leave Henri and France, as  she was being watched and at great risk. After six escape attempts, Nancy reached Britain—where she promptly became one of the 39 women to join the British Special Operations Executive. Parachuted back into France, she became the leader of a 7,000-strong branch of the Maquis who are part of the underground Resistance.
Nancy Wake was a larger than life woman of immense resilience and fortitude. I wish I had known her!  She is is quoted as saying about her story:
"Don't you dare," she commanded me [the author], "write me one of those miserable war books full of horror. My war was filled with laughter and people I loved."
Thanks to Little A and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced copy

Nancy Wake: World War Two's Most Rebellious Spy
by 
Russell Braddon

4 Stars

Nancy Wake is a biography/war memoir that reads like a thriller.  Highly recommended!

An incredible book that oftentimes read like fiction!  Nancy Wake was an inspiring woman and I loved learning more about her.  I didn't know much other than her name going in and enjoyed learning about her.  Definitely recommend!

This book was an amazing testament to an amazing lady Nancy Fiocca. Everyone should read this book and thank her for her bravery, sacrifice and fearlessness in France during WW2. I have heard of Violette Szabo who was a very brave woman, but I believe Nancy's story eclipses all other SOE womens's experiences. She should be feted more than she is, as she was quite simply incredible and we all owe her a huge debt of thanks. It was additionally a very interesting and well written biography.

At times it’s a bit listy but to read a non-fic about Nancy Wake and to hear about her amazing achievements, many of it in her own words is probably the only true way to gain an understanding of the stoicism and heroic nature of such a formidable woman. 
I’m excited to see what the forthcoming film does in relation to this, which is what feels like a realistic and true account. I love that this is an old book reissued written by someone who interviewed her and not a modern retelling.

I had heard about Nancy Wake from earlier reading a book about her so I wanted to know more. I can honestly say that she was an extremely brave lady fighting the Gestapo in The Second World War. This book told me more and I do recommend that you read this book if you are interested in the war

WoW What a Woman! 

I first read about Nancy Wake in 1985, when my grandad found a very old version Nancy Wake by Russell Braddon in his cupboard in his home and I enjoyed reading this book back then and having a long conversation about her and the Second World war, So when I saw this book about Nancy Wake by Russell Braddon I just had to read this remarkable true Story of an incredible woman again. 
Shame my grandad is not here now, so we can have an another conversation about her like we did back in 1985. Nancy was born in New Zealand in 1912, but raised in Australia. Nancy ran away from hime at the young age of sixteen to become a nurse. She then she left to travel to New York and then on to London where she trained as a journalist. Then traveled to Paris where she met and married her husband a wealthy French Industrialist Henri Fiocca November 30th 1939. They moved to the South of France.
The outbreak of the World War Two Nancy and Henri were enjoying the glamorous life together. Her beloved Husband was called up for military service and Nancy felt she had just a duty to help out in the war as her Husband and fight for everyones freedom. Nancy was fearless and in 1943 was doing under cover work and she earned her place on the Gestapo's most wanted list!!! 
Nancy carried on mixing with the high live and living and this frustrated the Nazis at every turn. She smuggled food and secret messages to the underground Resistance etc. She was a wanted Woman by many. 

This is an extraordinary courage of a fearless incredible woman who changed the course of the war. Russell Braddon’s vividly realised biography brings her incredible story to life. 

Just a brilliant book and I highly recommend this book, for people who love reading about history, culture, and courage of strong woman who were involved in the Second World War

5 star read and I so enjoyed re reading this ago after all these years of learning about her from my Beloved Grandad, 

Big Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoy books set in this time period. I had never heard of Nancy Wake so I was quite interested to hear her story. Well written and enjoyable.

Nancy Wake is a biography of one of WWII's greatest womem spies. This is her story of how she outsmarted the z
Nazi's and helped win the war, on her own terms. Brave and daring Nancy Wake was a true heroine. I loved this book and enjoyed reading about the courage of this brave woman. 

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for  providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Amazing was an insufficient word to describe Nancy Wake. Honestly, sometimes I had to remind myself that this wasn’t a fiction, that this courageous woman was exist. Nancy Wake was an extraordinary woman who would do anything for her beloved country, and lost so much along the way. Something I could not comprehend in this peaceful moment. So much bravery in this woman, one I wish I had.

I was provided a complimentary copy by the author / publisher through NetGalley, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.

This was a very enjoyable book about a very courageous woman during WW11.  I had never heard of Nancy Wake before and became so interested in her life, that i read more about her on the internet.  So pleased to have had the opportunity to read this book.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy.  This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.

Really good read. I had never heard of Nancy Wake. Her strength and bravery was amazing and definitely worth reading about. 

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Nancy Wake was an amazing woman, one whose courage and tenacity is legendary. I have previously read The Autobiography Of The Woman The Gestapo Called The White Mouse, of which I have an autographed copy; Nancy Wake by Russell Braddon is much the same with perhaps more clinical details, as Russell’s book was originally published in 1985, and told to him by Nancy herself.

Nancy’s early years – born in New Zealand, brought up in Australia – culminated in her meeting her to be husband, Henri Fiocca, in Paris. Loving her adopted country, Nancy and Henri lived happily, spending Henri’s wealth with reckless abandon, until the event of the second World War when Henri was called up for military service. So began Nancy’s life as the most wanted woman on the German’s lists. Trained in London, her fearless undercover work was soon well known. Nancy led over seven thousand Resistance fighters – the Maquis – as they stalled the Germans, frustrating them wherever Nancy and her fighters went…

Nancy Wake by Aussie author Russell Braddon is a well written biography of one of the most talented and formidable women who worked silently and unassumingly during the war. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Nancy Wake by Russell Braddon is an excellent biography of a strong, intelligent, fearless woman that helped the Resistance in France during WWII. Nancy had everything to lose, had already lost so much personally, and yet her will for right and just was something that we should all remember as this courage, selflessness l, and strength knows no limit to time and place. 

I already knew a great deal about Nancy, but this book helped create a better image of her life overall to what facts I had already researched from past nonfiction pieces. It was excellent to read about such an amazing woman.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Not my usual type of book to read, but I took a chance. I'm really glad as I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished it in one sitting as I couldn't stop reading it.

I received this book from NetGalley for review purposes and all comments and opinions are my own.
Nancy Wake, an Australian beauty, is caught up in a war she didn't ask for, nor wanted. Her wealth, style and attractiveness allows her to foray into the depths of the French spy game.  With training, she becomes a legend in her own time.  This tale of daring and resistance is a testimony to the underground at the time period. With extraordinary aplomb, resources and gumption, Nancy Wake earned a reputation for her boots on the ground self-assured manner of service. This book is a good addition to the spy-game nonfiction genre and well worth the read. It has humor and amazing attention to details of the war that keep the book moving and not wallowing in loss upon loss as war time books tend to do. I highly recommend this book to lovers of the genre. Well written and researched, adventurous and poignant, humorous and filled with daring adventure; add this to your to-be-read list for next year.

Nancy Wake's story is one of the most incredible of WW2. Born in New Zealand in 1912 and brought up in Australia, she ran away from home at the age of 16 to work as a nurse. Still in her teens she left to travel to New York and then on to London where she trained as a journalist. Working in Paris she met and married the wealthy French Industrialist Henri Fiocca in 1937 and settled into life in Marseilles as a wealthy socialite, improving her French and picking up the local dialect in the markets, including some extremely coarse language. Her journey from there to become one of the most successful members of the French Resistance is the subject of this biography written by Russell Bradden's after he recorded hundreds of hours of interviews with her and the people she worked with in Britain and France.

First published in 1958, this new release has been editorially revised but is still fresh and written with an enthusiasm and delight in telling Nancy's story. After the early days of the German occupation of France when Nancy earned the nickname 'White Mouse' due to fearless carrying of messages by train all over the south the France, it follows her escape through Spain to London and her enrolment and training with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and then her deployment to France to liase with Britain over parachute drops of personnel and arms in readiness for D-Day.

The book is not dense with military details of the war or occupation but instead focuses mainly on the Auvergne Maquis and its 7,500 members who relied on Nancy for arms and finance as well as for her organizational skills in helping to make them into a well coordinated and resourced force. She faced many dangers bravely and fiercely and her antics became legendary amongst the Maquis. After a narrow escape from the Germans, where her radio operator had to hide his radio and destroy his codes, she famously cycled 500 km in 72h over rough terrain to find another radio operator who could contact London to ask for a replacement radio and codes to be sent. It's a remarkable account of a woman who gave so much to help her beloved France, and lost so much including all her wealth and her husband Henri who was tortured by the Gestapo for refusing to reveal where she was. If this was fiction you would never believe that one woman could have so much courage and accomplish so much. Highly recommended if you want to learn more about this incredible woman and the vital role the Maquis played in resisting the German occupation of France.