Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins–and WWII Heroes Book Review

When fighting an invading army, there are two ways to go about it. The first is to join the government-created and regulated military. The second is to become a member of the underground resistance and fight using whatever methods you have at your disposal.

Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins–and WWII Heroes, by Tim Brady, was published in February. When Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in May of 1940, Hannie Schaft and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen were not yet twenty. Angered by the invasion and the treatment of the Dutch people, they joined the resistance. Their task was two-fold: to save as many of their Jewish friends and neighbors while doing everything they could to stop the German army in its tracks.

This book is amazing. It is a heart-pounding, blood-pumping, thriller of a ride. What these girls did is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Giving the middle finger to the enemy and the patriarchy, they fought for their freedom and their lives while others were content to remain silent or fall in line with the Nazi regime. They are heroes in every sense of the word and should always be remembered as such.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

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Between the Lines: Stories from the Underground Book Review

The choice of book speaks volumes about the reader. It’s one of those things that tells us something about that person even before they open their mouth.

Between the Lines: Stories from the Underground, Uli Beutter Cohen, was published last month. In the book, the author interviewers 170 New Yorkers from different backgrounds about the books they are reading while riding the subway. The interviewees are both boldfaced names and ordinary people just going about their business. In doing so, she is not just telling the story of the city as it is today, but of the people who call it home.

I loved this book. As both a bookworm and a native of NYC, it spoke to me. It spoke to my love of this city, books, and how, at the end of the day, this medium has a way of both teaching us and uniting us.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.