What are you reading for Women's History Month? I love learning about women in history but I usually choose biographical fiction as it is more entertaining than nonfiction history. If you feel the same way, then I have a recommendation on a nonfiction history book you need to read.
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.
 |
| March 2025; Macmillan Audio; 9781250392244 audio (6h 1m), ebook, print; history nonfiction |
Propaganda Girls shares the story of 4 women who worked in the Morale Office (should have been called demoralization office) of the OSS (the precursor of the CIA) during WWII.
I recognized the names of 3 of the four women. Betty MacDonald and Jane Smith-Hutton appeared in the biographical fiction novel The Secret War of Julia Child. They were minor characters, though Betty had a larger part than Jane. I loved getting to know more of their real story. And yes, there is mention of Betty knowing Julia.
A name that many will probably recognize is Marlene Dietrich. She was an actress from Germany. I knew the highlights of her life during WWII - primarily that she did radio'' propaganda that was aired in Germany. She was their sweetheart and even though some in Germany thought she was a traitor they still loved her. We get a lot more of her life in this book.
Zuzka Lauwers was the only one I wasn't familiar with. But I'm glad she was included in the book
We are introduced to the women before the war and we get to see life for them after war. I liked that we got more than just what they did during the war. It really lets you get to know them as people.
The audiobook was really easy to listen to. The chapters do rotate through the 4 women but we stay with each one through a significant period of time so it doesn't feel disjointed. I liked Samara Naeymi as the narrator. There are a few places where the women are quoted and she gives them each their own unique voice.
While this is a nonfiction book it was very interesting and read almost like a novel. I found myself listening to large chunks of it at a time. I was really invested in the lives of these women. For Marlene and Zuzka, I was right there with them at the end of the war, wondering if their families had survived.
This is definitely a great book to read during Women's History Month or any time of the year if you enjoy reading stories of extraordinary women.
Buy Propaganda Girls at Amazon
Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment