{"product_id":"9780062322524","title":"The Saboteur : The Aristocrat Who Became France's Most Daring Anti-Nazi Commando","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Saboteur\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Paul Kix\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the tradition of \u003cem\u003eAgent Zigzag\u003c\/em\u003e comes this breathtaking biography, as fast-paced and emotionally intuitive as the very best spy thrillers, which illuminates an unsung hero of the French Resistance during World War II—Robert de La Rochefoucauld, an aristocrat turned anti-Nazi saboteur—and his daring exploits as a \u003cem\u003erésistant \u003c\/em\u003etrained by Britain’s Special Operations Executive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA scion of one of the most storied families in France, Robert de La Rochefoucauld was raised in magnificent chateaux and educated in Europe's finest schools. When the Nazis invaded and imprisoned his father, La Rochefoucauld escaped to England and learned the dark arts of anarchy and combat—cracking safes and planting bombs and killing with his bare hands—from the officers of Special Operations Executive, the collection of British spies, beloved by Winston Churchill, who altered the war in Europe with tactics that earned it notoriety as the “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” With his newfound skills, La Rochefoucauld returned to France and organized Resistance cells, blew up fortified compounds and munitions factories, interfered with Germans’ war-time missions, and executed Nazi officers. Caught by the Germans, La Rochefoucauld withstood months of torture without cracking, and escaped his own death, not once but twice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur \u003c\/em\u003erecounts La Rochefoucauld’s enthralling adventures, from jumping from a moving truck on his way to his execution to stealing Nazi limos to dressing up in a nun’s habit—one of his many disguises and impersonations. Whatever the mission, whatever the dire circumstance, La Rochefoucauld acquitted himself nobly, with the straight-back aplomb of a man of aristocratic breeding: James Bond before Ian Fleming conjured him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore than just a fast-paced, true thriller, \u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur\u003c\/em\u003e is also a deep dive into an endlessly fascinating historical moment, telling the untold story of a network of commandos that battled evil, bravely worked to change the course of history, and inspired the creation of America’s own Central Intelligence Agency.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e“Kix has produced a narrative that is both chilling and powerful… These many narratives, about holding dear to one’s honor in the face of persecution by a powerful enemy, will never go out of style. The reason they remain popular and widely read today is this implicit question: What would \u003cem\u003eyou\u003c\/em\u003e have done?... Reading \u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur\u003c\/em\u003e, one understands how a certain person at a certain time answered it. La Rochefoucauld faced torture and death, yet he carried on. There is inspiration in his example, and that makes \u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur\u003c\/em\u003e well worth reading.”\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur \u003c\/em\u003eis a mesmerizing book that builds up propulsive momentum until its final twists. It was a joy to disappear into this story. Like only the very best historical biographers, Paul Kix has turned years of deep reporting into a tightly coiled narrative that you never want to put down.”\u003cbr\u003e“Set in motion by a steamed-open letter and a burning hatred of Hitler, a dashing young aristocrat embarks on a campaign of clandestine warfare. \u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur \u003c\/em\u003esounds like a World War II spy thriller, but in fact it is a rip-roaring true story, wonderfully told by Paul Kix.”\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Saboteur\u003c\/em\u003e is completely engrossing and elegantly told, which means any reader of this work will inevitably want more and more.”\u003cbr\u003e“A winner: the stories are fascinating, the pages nearly turn themselves, and La Rochefoucauld is a true hero.”\u003cbr\u003e“Kix’s sharp, well-paced writing is perfect for telling La Rochefoucauld’s story. But this is more than a gripping yarn of daring-do. La Rochefoucauld was a complex character, and Kix’s portrait is nuanced and moving… [posing] the big questions: What is duty? What is courage? What is loyalty?”\u003cbr\u003e“Journalist Kix had to do first-class detective work using primary sources to create this riveting story. Fans of World War II history will eagerly read this story, which is almost as exciting as a James Bond novel.”\u003cbr\u003e“This thoroughly sourced account is highly readable and effectively showcases the life of a fascinating, complex man whose too-little-known role in the Resistance will be of great interest to followers of WWII history.”\u003cbr\u003e“Kix, a journalist and editor, reports this largely untold story in compelling detail.”\u003cbr\u003e“This is nonfiction that reads like a straight-up thriller, and the fact that the story is true just makes it that much more incredible. History buffs, adrenaline junkies, and WWII nerds—this one is for you.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9780062322524\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":41105499095246,"sku":"9780062322524","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/9780062322524.jpg?v=1649563972","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9780062322524","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}