Peter Grose is a former journalist and literary agent. He is also the former publisher at Secker and Warburg. A Good Place to Hide is Grose's American debut.
"A beautifully written tribute to their community and an outstanding contribution to Holocaust literature." -- Booklist (starred review) "Peter Grose's tale of the astounding 'rescue village ' of Le Chambon is not what you think it would be: no sentimental yarn of deliverance of all those the Nazi regime had in their sights, but a tale of practically delivered salvage of the hunted. It is a story resonant in our days, the age of refugees, and a grand narrative in its own right, all told with absorbing narrative skill. A book to cherish and recommend!" -- Thomas Keneally, Booker Prize-winning author of Schindler's List "Combines solid historical research with the tension of a spy novel. In the vein of Schindler's List, A Good Place to Hide is an inspiring account of the extraordinary courage of ordinary people." -- Shelf Awareness "Grose tells the inspiring story of courageous villagers, determined church leaders, and persecuted refugees in a journalistic style that many readers will enjoy. The bravery and scale of the housing operations were remarkable. Recommended for general audiences with an interest in World War II history and narrative." -- Library Journal "Incredibly moving... Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the most extraordinary circumstances. A book full of love for the region. Grose underlines underlines the role played by the brilliant forger, Oscar Rosowsky. A reminder of the best that humans are capable of, but also an inspiration." -- The Times Literary Supplement "Inspiring. In chronicling the daring activity that went on for years, Grose keeps readers on edge with a heartwarming story of ordinary heroes who just did what was required." -- Kirkus Reviews "Grose has written ...ambitious book that covers, among other things, the history of French Protestantism and the policy of the Vichy government, It is, however, the individual stories that stand out. Some striking characters cross their pages. Albert Camus came to the plateau, hoping that the air would be good for his tuberculosis, and wrote the first draft of La Peste there. Virginia Hall, an American adventuress so hard-bitten that she would have made Ernest Hemingway look like Marcel Proust, was sent to contact the local Maquis. She received packets of tea with parachute drops of weapons and refused to accept that having a wooden leg and an atrocious accent might make her an unsuitable guerrilla leader. Above all, this book depicts the mosaic of little tragedies behind the collective tragedy of death and deportation." -- Evening Standard "Extraordinary." -- Daily Mirror "There are numerous stories of individuals in occupied France sheltering Jews, but what makes this story different is that it tells the tale of a whole community taking collective action. The area, just south of Lyon, is Le Plateau, and the centre of activity was the village of Le Chambon--sur--Lignon tellingly, Huguenot territory. This meticulously researched, intriguing account documents the key figures, such as the pastor who galvanised community resolve to shelter the refugees at the risk of death, a young Jewish man who turned out to be a master forger (and who created thousands of false papers), an American operating under cover for the SOE as a journalist and many others. Peter Grose, in restrained prose that accentuates the sheer drama of the situation, delivers a salutary and resonant tale of a community rising to its best." -- Sydney Morning Herald "Well written in a pleasant style and easy to read... A fascinating and inspiring story." -- The Association of Jewish Refugees Journal "A fine book and a captivating and heartening story." -- The Scotsman "Peter Grose's book stands out as a complete story about life on the Plateau during World War II. Peter uses only facts to tell us a true story. He is one of those rare raconteurs who can write a history book that reads like a novel." -- Nelly Trocme, Le Chambon eyewitness and daughter of Andre and Magda Trocme
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