Nancy Wake

By: Peter FitzSimons

Narrated by: Stephanie Daniel

In the early 1930s, Nancy Wake was a young woman enjoying a bohemian life in Paris. By the end of the Second World War, she was the Gestapo's most wanted person. As a naive, young journalist, Nancy Wake witnessed a horrific scene of Nazi violence in a Viennese street. From that moment, she declared that she would do everything in her power to rid Europe of the Nazis.

What began as a courier job here and there became a highly successful escape network for Allied soldiers, perfectly camouflaged by Nancy's high-society life in Marseille. Her network was soon so successful – and so notorious – that she was forced to flee France to escape the Gestapo, who had dubbed her 'the white mouse' for her knack of slipping through its traps. But Nancy was a passionate enemy of the Nazis and refused to stay away.

Supplying weapons and training members of a powerful underground fighting force, organising Allied parachute drops, cycling four hundred kilometres across a mountain range to find a new transmitting radio – nothing seemed too difficult in her fight against the Nazis. Peter FitzSimons reveals Nancy Wake's compelling story, a tale of an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things.

©2001 Peter FitzSimons and Nancy Wake. Peter Fitzsimons asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this Work. First published by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited in. This audio version produced by arrangement with HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited. (P)2010 Bolinda Publishing

Nancy Wake

Such an amazing woman for her time. Her sheer bravery and spirit of mateship and battling for the underdog is so typical of many of Australia's great characters but what made this all the more remarkable is that she was a young, energetic woman who made a stand and fought for what she believed in at huge personal cost. That her story is so largely unknown to mainstream Australia is a shame and deserves to be told. The author wrote with such feminine insight that it was a joy to listen to and he really captured the essence of the gutsy woman that was Nancy Wake. Her end in London was so sad with little recognition from Australia for her truly remarkable war contributions. I hope her recent death reinvigorates interest in her story. She is a national treasure that we should have great pride in.

Perfectly read. Entertaining

This is a fantastic story that kept me enthralled for the duration. Loved it. Read beautifully, good voice. Definitely recommend.

Found this book after reading Trapeze

What made the experience of listening to Nancy Wake the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed listening to Trapeze, but it was fictional. I wanted to find a real story about a real British SOE in France. Nancy Wake came up in Google. A great find. Like Trapeze, the main figure did not display Judeo-Christian moral principles as it pertains to her love life/relationships. Yet her moral principles in all other respects were very tenaciously high. Her conviction in freedom and justice for all was her drive. She says she did not believe in God because her over zealous mother who suffered from depression and always had her nose in the Bible continued to tell Nancy she was going to go to Hell for not being more obedient etc.It was the best book I have read in a while.

Extremely interesting and enlightening story about the French Resistance and a woman who was fearless.

I enjoyed the fast paced story and hearing about her ability to get ahead in the world usually dominated by men. She likely saved many lives both directly and indirectly by helping the war to end more quickly. The narrator was enjoyable to listen to and author did a good job on the story.

A great story of courage, inspiring for any age!

Where does Nancy Wake rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

My husband and I brought this book along on our 1000 mile trip with my 87 year old parents. We couldn't wait to get on the road after our rest stops to find out what happens to Nancy. The story was truly inspirational, the reader was easy to understand and her accents and characters were spot on. There aren't many books that I can listen to that interest my husband (a history buff) and my parents (the WWII generation). This was great. This book is in my top 10 list.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Nancy Wake?

The solo bike ride through Nazi-held country was a physical and mental ordeal. I can't think of many people who could have accomplished this.

What about Stephanie Daniel’s performance did you like?

Her voice is clear and her style fit the atmosphere of the book, from funny moments to the ordeals of warfare - equally wonderful.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nancy Wake's life was amazing full of life and death and every emotion in between.

Any additional comments?

Don't miss this amazing story. I did some research while we were listening to this book which added to our admiration of this woman and all those who struggled against the Nazis.

What an Incredible Story

Nancy Wake epitomises the type of person that the many of us would love to emulate. This book describes a true real life legend from her humble beginnings and through her incredible journey and service through the War.

Stranger Than Fiction

Nancy Wake's story is astounding. If this were a fiction book, I might say the character was over the top, but plenty of witnesses have contributed to the claims of this book. Granted, war stories can be exaggerated, but this one rings (mostly) true. Perhaps the most unbelievable point in the story for me was Nancy's transition from an amateur courier to a professional resistance soldier. It seems to happen so easily for her. Don't listen to the appendices unless you want to be let down. Like all of us, Nancy is only human and has her faults. Kudos to the author, however, for not sugar-coating her character.

The flippancy of the writing, and reading, of the book matched the tone very well, overall.

A Great Woman, an Okay Book

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

This book is all to positive for the protagonist - Nancy Wake. It needs to have some mud thrown at it with other opinions, self-doubt, failures and real mistakes. It all seems that she made it all happen and directed what was going on. She did in many cases, but every hero is human and so should tell us their short comings to help us relate to them, otherwise they do tend to become two dimensional.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Stephanie Daniel?

Stephanie Daniel is an excellent narrator and her mastery of French is excellent. The material she had to work with was a little below what she is capable of but she made a good go of it. She made this book good.

Did Nancy Wake inspire you to do anything?

Give it a go.

Any additional comments?

I don't like Nancy Wake but that is a personality clash rather than anything she has done that is wrong. She has done some great things, believed in what she was doing, did it in a professional way. She has suffered many loses and had some great rewards. This book describes the hero journey well but there is no 'golden fleece' necessarily at the end. Her story may be embellished and very central focus like many soldiers do, but she has been in combat and so has the right.
As for Peter FitzSimons, I have read many of his books and listen to a few. I generally don't like his style although he can tell a story and he is a likeable chap. Why did I bother to read this book then not liking Nancy or Peter, well because I wanted the story and although the subject and author is not to my liking, I wanted to get a general overview of it and this was a good way. Don't expect a book to change your life, but as for a good yarn, this is a good book.

Nancy Wake

I, like a lot of other people , hadn't heard of Nancy Wake. I loved the story!

Inspiring!

A Well written account of a true hero. I am grateful that Nancy Wake’s story can be shared.