"Resistance Women" by Jennifer Chiaverini - Historical Fiction Book Club - Past Titles

About the Author: Jennifer Chiaverini

Recognition and Achievements:

Bestselling Author:
- Jennifer Chiaverini has become a bestselling author, with her works gaining popularity among readers of historical fiction.
Literary Awards:
- She has received recognition and awards for her contributions to literature, particularly in the realm of historical fiction.

Personal Life:

Family:
- Details about Jennifer Chiaverini's personal life, including her family, are generally kept private.

Legacy:

Literary Impact:
- Chiaverini's novels are known for their engaging storytelling, rich historical details, and the incorporation of craft-related themes.
Series and Standalone Novels:
- Her versatility as an author is evident in her ability to write both series, such as the Elm Creek Quilts series, and standalone novels exploring various historical and contemporary settings.

Jennifer Chiaverini is an American author best known for her historical novels, particularly the Elm Creek Quilts series. Below is a brief biography of Jennifer Chiaverini:

Early Life and Education:

Birth:
- Jennifer Chiaverini was born on February 3, 1969, in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Educational Background:
- She earned her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Notre Dame.
Graduate Studies:
- Jennifer Chiaverini completed her master's degree in writing and literature from the University of Chicago.

Literary Career:

Elm Creek Quilts Series:
- Jennifer Chiaverini gained widespread recognition for her Elm Creek Quilts series, a collection of novels that revolve around a group of women who share a passion for quilting. The Elm Creek Quilts series, which began with "The Quilter's Apprentice" (1999), incorporates themes of quilting and crafts, creating a unique niche in the genre of women's fiction.
Historical Novels:
- Many of Chiaverini's works fall within the genre of historical fiction, often featuring strong female characters and exploring various historical periods.
"Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker" (2013):
- One of her notable historical novels is "Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker," which explores the life of Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who became the personal modiste and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln.
"Resistance Women" (2019):
- Another well-received work is "Resistance Women," a historical novel set during World War II that follows four women involved in the resistance against the Nazis.
Contemporary Novels:
- In addition to historical fiction, Chiaverini has also written contemporary novels, exploring themes such as friendship, family, and relationships.

Recognition and Achievements:

Bestselling Author:
- Jennifer Chiaverini has become a bestselling author, with her works gaining popularity among readers of historical fiction.
Literary Awards:
- She has received recognition and awards for her contributions to literature, particularly in the realm of historical fiction.

Personal Life:

Family:
- Details about Jennifer Chiaverini's personal life, including her family, are generally kept private.

Legacy:

Literary Impact:
- Chiaverini's novels are known for their engaging storytelling, rich historical details, and the incorporation of craft-related themes.
Series and Standalone Novels:
- Her versatility as an author is evident in her ability to write both series, such as the Elm Creek Quilts series, and standalone novels exploring various historical and contemporary settings.

Jennifer Chiaverini is an American author best known for her historical novels, particularly the Elm Creek Quilts series. Below is a brief biography of Jennifer Chiaverini:

Early Life and Education:

Birth:
- Jennifer Chiaverini was born on February 3, 1969, in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Educational Background:
- She earned her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Notre Dame.
Graduate Studies:
- Jennifer Chiaverini completed her master's degree in writing and literature from the University of Chicago.

Literary Career:

Elm Creek Quilts Series:
- Jennifer Chiaverini gained widespread recognition for her Elm Creek Quilts series, a collection of novels that revolve around a group of women who share a passion for quilting. The Elm Creek Quilts series, which began with "The Quilter's Apprentice" (1999), incorporates themes of quilting and crafts, creating a unique niche in the genre of women's fiction.
Historical Novels:
- Many of Chiaverini's works fall within the genre of historical fiction, often featuring strong female characters and exploring various historical periods.
"Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker" (2013):
- One of her notable historical novels is "Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker," which explores the life of Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who became the personal modiste and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln.
"Resistance Women" (2019):
- Another well-received work is "Resistance Women," a historical novel set during World War II that follows four women involved in the resistance against the Nazis.
Contemporary Novels:
- In addition to historical fiction, Chiaverini has also written contemporary novels, exploring themes such as friendship, family, and relationships.

Recognition and Achievements:

Bestselling Author:
- Jennifer Chiaverini has become a bestselling author, with her works gaining popularity among readers of historical fiction.
Literary Awards:
- She has received recognition and awards for her contributions to literature, particularly in the realm of historical fiction.

Personal Life:

Family:
- Details about Jennifer Chiaverini's personal life, including her family, are generally kept private.

Legacy:

Literary Impact:
- Chiaverini's novels are known for their engaging storytelling, rich historical details, and the incorporation of craft-related themes.
Series and Standalone Novels:
- Her versatility as an author is evident in her ability to write both series, such as the Elm Creek Quilts series, and standalone novels exploring various historical and contemporary settings.

Synopsis

After Wisconsin graduate student Mildred Fish marries brilliant German economist Arvid Harnack, she accompanies him to his German homeland, where a promising future awaits. In the thriving intellectual culture of 1930s Berlin, the newlyweds create a rich new life filled with love, friendships, and rewarding work--but the rise of a malevolent new political faction inexorably changes their fate.

As Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party wield violence and lies to seize power, Mildred, Arvid, and their friends resolve to resist. Mildred gathers intelligence for her American contacts, including Martha Dodd, the vivacious and very modern daughter of the US ambassador. Her German friends, aspiring author Greta Kuckoff and literature student Sara Weitz, risk their lives to collect information from journalists, military officers, and officials within the highest levels of the Nazi regime.

For years, Mildred's network stealthily fights to bring down the Third Reich from within. But when Nazi radio operatives detect an errant Russian signal, the Harnack resistance cell is exposed, with fatal consequences.

Inspired by actual events, Resistance Women is an enthralling, unforgettable story of ordinary people determined to resist the rise of evil, sacrificing their own lives and liberty to fight injustice and defend the oppressed.

Historical Timeline

Aftermath:

Formation of the United Nations:
- The United Nations was established in 1945 to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.
Nuremberg Trials:
- War crimes trials, including the Nuremberg Trials, held accountable those responsible for atrocities committed during the war.
Division of Germany and Cold War:
- Germany was divided into East and West, and the Cold War emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union, shaping global geopolitics for decades.

The biography of World War II is a complex narrative involving numerous nations, battles, and geopolitical shifts. The war's impact on the world, its toll on human lives, and the lessons learned from its atrocities continue to shape historical understanding and remembrance.

World War II, often considered the most devastating conflict in human history, took place from 1939 to 1945 and involved nations across the globe. Here is a brief overview of the biography of World War II:

Roots of the Conflict:

Treaty of Versailles (1919):
- The aftermath of World War I, marked by the Treaty of Versailles, set the stage for economic instability, political tensions, and resentment among nations.
Rise of Totalitarian Regimes:
- The 1930s saw the rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan, with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo coming to power. These leaders pursued aggressive territorial expansion.

Key Events Leading to the War:

German Expansion (1930s):
- Germany, under Hitler's rule, initiated a series of territorial expansions, including the remilitarization of the Rhineland, the annexation of Austria, and the occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Non-Aggression Pact (1939):
- The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union temporarily secured Hitler's eastern flank.
Invasion of Poland (1939):
- The war officially began on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland. This prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

Phases of the War:

Blitzkrieg in Europe:
- Germany's Blitzkrieg tactics led to swift victories in Western Europe, including the fall of France in 1940.
Battle of Britain (1940):
- The Battle of Britain marked the first major defeat for the Germans, as the Royal Air Force successfully defended the UK from German air raids.
Operation Barbarossa (1941):
- Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, resulted in significant fighting on the Eastern Front.
Pearl Harbor (1941):
- Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, led to the United States' entry into the war.
North African and Pacific Campaigns:
- Allied forces engaged Axis powers in North Africa, while the Pacific saw intense battles, including the Battle of Midway and Guadalcanal.
Eastern and Western Fronts:
- The Eastern Front witnessed brutal battles, including the Siege of Stalingrad, while the Western Front saw the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.

Holocaust and Genocide:

Systematic Persecution:
- The Holocaust involved the systematic genocide of six million Jews by the Nazis. Other targeted groups included Romani people, disabled individuals, and political dissidents.

Turning Points:

Stalingrad (1942-1943):
- The Battle of Stalingrad marked a turning point on the Eastern Front, with the Soviet Union gaining the upper hand.
D-Day (1944):
- The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in Western Europe.

End of the War:

Defeat of Germany (1945):
- Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, leading to Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, 1945.
Pacific Theater and Atomic Bombs:
- The war in the Pacific continued until August 1945. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945.

Aftermath:

Formation of the United Nations:
- The United Nations was established in 1945 to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.
Nuremberg Trials:
- War crimes trials, including the Nuremberg Trials, held accountable those responsible for atrocities committed during the war.
Division of Germany and Cold War:
- Germany was divided into East and West, and the Cold War emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union, shaping global geopolitics for decades.

Roots of the Conflict:

Treaty of Versailles (1919):
- The aftermath of World War I, marked by the Treaty of Versailles, set the stage for economic instability, political tensions, and resentment among nations.
Rise of Totalitarian Regimes:
- The 1930s saw the rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan, with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo coming to power. These leaders pursued aggressive territorial expansion.

Key Events Leading to the War:

German Expansion (1930s):
- Germany, under Hitler's rule, initiated a series of territorial expansions, including the remilitarization of the Rhineland, the annexation of Austria, and the occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Non-Aggression Pact (1939):
- The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union temporarily secured Hitler's eastern flank.
Invasion of Poland (1939):
- The war officially began on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland. This prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

Phases of the War:

Blitzkrieg in Europe:
- Germany's Blitzkrieg tactics led to swift victories in Western Europe, including the fall of France in 1940.
Battle of Britain (1940):
- The Battle of Britain marked the first major defeat for the Germans, as the Royal Air Force successfully defended the UK from German air raids.
Operation Barbarossa (1941):
- Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, resulted in significant fighting on the Eastern Front.
Pearl Harbor (1941):
- Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, led to the United States' entry into the war.
North African and Pacific Campaigns:
- Allied forces engaged Axis powers in North Africa, while the Pacific saw intense battles, including the Battle of Midway and Guadalcanal.
Eastern and Western Fronts:
- The Eastern Front witnessed brutal battles, including the Siege of Stalingrad, while the Western Front saw the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.

Holocaust and Genocide:

Systematic Persecution:
- The Holocaust involved the systematic genocide of six million Jews by the Nazis. Other targeted groups included Romani people, disabled individuals, and political dissidents.

Turning Points:

Stalingrad (1942-1943):
- The Battle of Stalingrad marked a turning point on the Eastern Front, with the Soviet Union gaining the upper hand.
D-Day (1944):
- The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in Western Europe.

End of the War:

Defeat of Germany (1945):
- Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, leading to Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, 1945.
Pacific Theater and Atomic Bombs:
- The war in the Pacific continued until August 1945. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945.

Aftermath:

Formation of the United Nations:
- The United Nations was established in 1945 to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.
Nuremberg Trials:
- War crimes trials, including the Nuremberg Trials, held accountable those responsible for atrocities committed during the war.
Division of Germany and Cold War:
- Germany was divided into East and West, and the Cold War emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union, shaping global geopolitics for decades.

MLN Materials

book
large print book
spoken CD

Audiobook Versions

hoopla
Libby

Ebook Versions

hoopla

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
Call Number: FICTION Benedict
Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters--each more beautiful, brilliant, and eccentric than the next--dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead all the way to Munich, inciting rumors that she's become Hitler's mistress. As the Nazis rise in power, novelist Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters' constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting documents, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany. Probing the torrid political climate in the lead-up to World War II and the ways that seemingly sensible people can be sucked into radical action, The Mitford Affair follows Nancy's valiant efforts to stop the Nazis from taking over Great Britain, and the complicated choices she must make between the personal and the political.
Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin
Call Number: FICTION Benjamin
In March 1940, the Nazis sweep Paris and immediately take up residence in one of the city's most iconic sites- The Hotel Ritz. There, under a roof legendary for its unprecedented luxury and for its fabled residents-including Coco Chanel, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Cole Porter, Hemingway, Balanchine, Doris Duke, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and now Hermann G ering-the Nazis rule over a paralyzed city. But two residents of the Ritz refuse to be defeated- its director, Claude Auzello, and his beautiful American actress wife, Blanche. They not only oversee the smooth workings of the hotel, but both Blanche and Claude throw themselves fearlessly into the dangerous and clandestine workings of the French Resistance. This is a true-to-life novel of a courageous woman and her husband who put their marriage-and ultimately their lives-in jeopardy to fight for freedom. Intimate, fearless, and moving, it spins a brilliantly and unforgettably vivid human portrait at a time of unimaginable crisis and sacrifice.
The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton
Call Number: FICTION Clayton
In 1936, the Nazi are little more than loud, brutish bores to fifteen-year old Stephan Neuman, the son of a wealthy and influential Jewish family and budding playwright whose playground extends from Vienna's streets to its intricate underground tunnels. Stephan's best friend and companion is the brilliant Žofie-Helene, a Christian girl whose mother edits a progressive, anti-Nazi newspaper. But the two adolescents' carefree innocence is shattered when the Nazis' take control. There is hope in the darkness, though. Truus Wijsmuller, a member of the Dutch resistance, risks her life smuggling Jewish children out of Nazi Germany to the nations that will take them. It is a mission that becomes even more dangerous after the Anschluss--Hitler's annexation of Austria--as, across Europe, countries close their borders to the growing number of refugees desperate to escape. Tante Truus, as she is known, is determined to save as many children as she can. After Britain passes a measure to take in at-risk child refugees from the German Reich, she dares to approach Adolf Eichmann, the man who would later help devise the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question," in a race against time to bring children like Stephan, his young brother Walter, and Žofie-Helene on a perilous journey to an uncertain future abroad.
Under Occupation by Alan Furst
Call Number: FICTION Furst
Occupied Paris, 1942. Just before he dies, a man being chased by the Gestapo hands off a strange-looking document to the unsuspecting novelist Paul Ricard. It looks like a blueprint of a part for a military weapon, one that might have important information for the Allied forces. Ricard realizes he must try to get the diagram into the hands of members of the resistance network. As Ricard finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into anti-Nazi efforts and increasingly dangerous espionage assignments, he travels to Germany and along the escape routes of underground resistance safe houses to spy on Nazi maneuvers. When he meets the mysterious and beautiful Leila, a professional spy, they begin to work together to get crucial information out of France and into the hands of the Allied forces in London.
The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes
Call Number: FICTION Labuskes
Berlin 1933. Following the success of her debut novel, American writer Althea James receives an invitation from Joseph Goebbels himself to participate in a culture exchange program in Germany. For a girl from a small town in Maine, 1933 Berlin seems to be sparklingly cosmopolitan, blossoming in the midst of a great change with the charismatic new chancellor at the helm. Then Althea meets a beautiful woman who promises to show her the real Berlin, and soon she's drawn into a group of resisters who make her question everything she knows about her hosts--and herself.

Paris 1936. She may have escaped Berlin for Paris, but Hannah Brecht discovers the City of Light is no refuge from the anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathizers she thought she left behind. Heartbroken and tormented by the role she played in the betrayal that destroyed her family, Hannah throws herself into her work at the German Library of Burned Books. Through the quiet power of books, she believes she can help counter the tide of fascism she sees rising across Europe and atone for her mistakes. But when a dear friend decides actions will speak louder than words, Hannah must decide what stories she is willing to live--or die--for.

New York 1944. Since her husband Edward was killed fighting the Nazis, Vivian Childs has been waging her own war: preventing a powerful senator's attempts to censor the Armed Service Editions, portable paperbacks that are shipped by the millions to soldiers overseas. Viv knows just how much they mean to the men through the letters she receives--including the last one she got from Edward. She also knows the only way to win this battle is to counter the senator's propaganda with a story of her own--at the heart of which lies the reclusive and mysterious woman tending the American Library of Nazi-Banned Books in Brooklyn.
Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
Call Number: FICTION Lawhon
Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name. It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name. As LUCIENNE CARLIER Nancy smuggles people and documents across the border. Her success and her remarkable ability to evade capture earns her the nickname THE WHITE MOUSE from the Gestapo. With a five million franc bounty on her head, Nancy is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. When she enters training with the Special Operations Executives in Britain, her new comrades are instructed to call her HÉLÈNE . And finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly MADAM ANDRÉE , where she claims her place as one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, armed with a ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and the ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces. But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she--and the people she loves--become.
The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer
Call Number: FICTION Rimmer
Kelly Rimmer's dramatic new novel follows two female SOE operatives whose lives will be determined by a double agent in their midst. Twenty-five years after the end of the war, Noah Ainsworth is still preoccupied with those perilous, exhilarating years as a British SOE operative in France. A head injury sustained on his final operation has caused frustrating gaps in his memory--in particular about the agent who saved his life during that mission gone wrong, whose real name he never knew, nor whether she even survived the war. Moved by her father's frustration, Noah's daughter Charlotte begins a search for answers that resurrects the stories of Chloe and Fleur, the code names for two otherwise ordinary women whose lives intersect in 1943 when they're called up by the SOE for deployment in France. Taking enormous risks to support the allied troops with very little information or resources, the women have no idea they're at the mercy of a double agent among them who's causing chaos within the French circuits, whose efforts will affect the outcome of their lives...and the war. But as Charlotte's search for answers bears fruit, overlooked clues come to light about the identity of the double agent--with unsettling hints pointing close to home--and more shocking events are unearthed from the dangerous, dramatic last days of the war that lead to Chloe and Fleur's eventual fates.
The Girl from Guernica by Karen Robards
Call Number: FICTION Robards
On an April day in 1937, the sky opens and fire rains down upon the small Spanish town of Guernica. Seventeen-year-old Sibi and her family are caught up in the horror. Griff, an American military attaché, pulls Sibi from the wreckage, and it's only the first time he saves her life in a span of hours. When Germany claims no involvement in the attack, insisting the Spanish Republic was responsible, Griff guides Sibi to lie to Nazi officials. If she or her sisters reveal that they saw planes bearing swastikas, the gestapo will silence them--by any means necessary. As war begins to rage across Europe, Sibi joins the underground resistance, secretly exchanging information with Griff. But as the scope of Germany's ambitions becomes clear, maintaining the facade of a Nazi sympathizer becomes ever more difficult. And as Sibi is drawn deeper into a web of secrets, she must find a way to outwit an enemy that threatens to decimate her family once and for all. Masterfully rendered and vividly capturing one of the most notorious episodes in history, The Girl from Guernica is an unforgettable testament to the bonds of family and the courage of women in wartime.
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
Call Number: FICTION Scottoline
What war destroys, only love can heal. Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as the best of friends despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist; Marco the brash and athletic son in a family of professional cyclists; and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy, kind-hearted and thoughtful, the son of a lawyer and a doctor. Their friendship blossoms to love, with both Sandro and Marco hoping to win Elisabetta's heart. But in the autumn of 1937, all of that begins to change as Mussolini asserts his power, aligning Italy's Fascists with Hitler's Nazis and altering the very laws that govern Rome. In time, everything that the three hold dear--their families, their homes, and their connection to one another--is tested in ways they never could have imagined. As anti-Semitism takes legal root and World War II erupts, the threesome realizes that Mussolini was only the beginning. The Nazis invade Rome, and with their occupation come new atrocities against the city's Jews, culminating in a final, horrific betrayal. Against this backdrop, the intertwined fates of Elisabetta, Marco, Sandro, and their families will be decided, in a heartbreaking story of both the best and the worst that the world has to offer. Unfolding over decades, Eternal is a tale of loyalty and loss, family and food, love and war--all set in one of the world's most beautiful cities at its darkest moment.