Discourse and Defiance under Nazi Occupation: Guernsey, Channel Islands, 1940-1945

De: Cheryl R. Jorgensen-Earp

Narrado por: William Dupuy

Captured by German forces shortly after Dunkirk, and not relinquished until May of 1945, nearly a year after the Normandy invasion, the British Channel Islands (Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm) were characterized during their occupation by severe deprivation and powerlessness. The Islanders, with few resources to stage an armed resistance, constructed a rhetorical resistance based upon the manipulation of discourse, construction of new symbols, and defiance of German restrictions on information. Though much of modern history has focused on the possibility that Islanders may have collaborated with the Germans, this eye-opening history turns to secret war diaries kept in Guernsey. A close reading of these private accounts, written at great risk to the diarists, allows those who actually experienced the Occupation to reclaim their voice and reveals new understandings of Island resistance. What emerges is a stirring account of the unquenchable spirit and deft improvisation of otherwise ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Under the most dangerous of conditions, Guernsey civilians used imaginative methods in reacting to their position as a subjugated population, devising a covert resistance of nuance and sustainability. Violence, this book and the people of Guernsey demonstrate, is not at all the only means with which to confront evil.

The book is published by Michigan State University Press.

©2013 Cheryl R. Jorgensen-Earp (P)2014 Redwood Audiobooks

Thoughtful Look at Nazi Occupation from a Guernsey Perspective

This is a well researched study of the 5 years of Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands as seen through the diaries and letters of Guernsey people. While there are inclusions about events in the other islands the focus is really on Guernsey. It is a fascinating, not sentimental look at life and events of those days.
Well written and researched, I recommend it for anyone interested in the Channel Islands as one would be hard pressed to understand the Islands without this background

Informative and Fascinating

This book gives such fascinating insight into an incredibly interesting historical event. I found the narrator's voice and delivery very pleasant to listen to as well. This is by far one of my favorite books I've listened to from Audible. I would highly recommend it to anyone who's even remotely interested in learning about the Channel Islands Occupation during WWII.

Occupation Guernsey

This was extremely tedious, as it wasn't what I hoped. I had hoped it would be a retelling of diaries instead it was an academic study and analysis of the Occupation. A rather bland, boring attempt to describe what happened and with an American accent. A British narrator would have been preferable to what we have narrating this. The people of Guernsey were/are British not American/US, why does Audible encourage the wrong narrators for books. Disappointing overall really!
>11/09/21 - Have now persevered through 7 hours of this audiobook. Boring/Bland. Narrator is a yankee nightmare and booooring! I will probably take weeks to complete this one, I can only bare to listen in short bursts!!!!
>3/3/22 - Put this on to continue as I fell asleep. This is a great audio to help you fall asleep, as the narrator drones on. I still have another 3hrs to go, so I'll fall asleep to it again soon. And then that should finish it!!!