Bestselling author of Eighty Days Matthew Goodman will share the incredible, never-before-told full story of two women in Nazi-occupied Paris who created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen.
Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines—some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car. While Kate was still in a German prison camp, Etta wrote a book about it—a memoir built on fabrications.
In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records and personal testimonies that reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta’s memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women’s remarkable courage, Paris Undercover is a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal, and personal redemption.
Matthew Goodman is the author of four previous books of nonfiction. His book Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World was a national bestseller. His most recent book, The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary Basketball Team, received the New York City Book Award and was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Goodman has appeared on numerous national radio shows, including NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show, All Things Considered, and On the Media.
Oblong Books in Rhinebeck is a fully wheelchair accessible space with on-site van accessible parking. Microphones and speakers will not be used at this event but can be made available with advance notice. Our chairs are stackable and have arms. If you have specific questions about the space or how an event can be made more accessible to you, please do not hesitate to contact us: info@oblongbooks.com.
