“I have been reading about women achieving success despite the obstacles that were supposed to hold them back – women who were told they wouldn’t succeed because they were women, books such as “Fly Girls,” “Code Girls,” “Rise of the Rocket Girls, “Code Name: Lise,” “D-Day Girls” and “A Woman of No Importance.” My current book is “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War,” by Lynne Olson, which tells the story of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade who, with no special training, established the Alliance Network in 1941. It became the largest intelligence-gathering operation in France during World War II. Despite repeated arrests by the Gestapo and French collaborators, Fourcade constantly recruited new members, escaped twice, coordinated resupply flights, and kept the Alliance functioning through the entire war. The culmination of the group’s work was a 55-foot long hand-drawn paper map of the entire Normandy landings coast’s defenses, beach obstacles, roads and beach paths, which was delivered to England before D-Day. Despite the overwhelming success of her organization, she was not selected as one of the 1,038 designated heroes of the Resistance at the end of the war; just six women were selected for that honor. It’s an engaging book you won’t want to put down.” — DON MISKILL, Orrs Island

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What are you reading?

Mainers, please email to tell us about the book on your bedside table right now. In a few sentences, describe the book and be sure to tell us what drew you to it as the pandemic – and its ripple effects – recede (at least we hope so). Was it a need to escape, a need to dig deeper? Something else? Send your pick to pgrodinsky@pressherald.com, and we may use it as a future Bedside Table.

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