The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line by Mari K. Eder
$7.99
The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line
- Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of World War II
- By: Major General Mari K. Eder US Army (Ret.)
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunn
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Women
Publisher’s Summary
For fans of Radium Girls and history and WWII buffs, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line takes you inside the lives and experiences of 15 unknown women heroes from the Greatest Generation, the women who served, fought, struggled, and made things happen during WWII – in and out of uniform, for theirs is a legacy destined to embolden generations of women to come.
The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line are the heroes of the Greatest Generation that you hardly ever hear about. These women who did extraordinary things didn’t expect thanks and shied away from medals and recognition. Despite their amazing accomplishments, they’ve gone mostly unheralded and unrewarded. No longer. These are the women of World War II who served, fought, struggled, and made things happen – in and out of uniform.
Liane B. Russell fled Austria with nothing and later became a renowned US scientist whose research on the effects of radiation on embryos made a difference to thousands of lives. Gena Turgel was a prisoner who worked in the hospital at Bergen-Belsen and cared for the young Anne Frank, who was dying of typhus. Gena survived and went on to write a memoir and spent her life educating children about the Holocaust. Ida and Louise Cook were British sisters who repeatedly smuggled out jewelry and furs and served as sponsors for refugees, and they also established temporary housing for immigrant families in London.
Retired US Army Major General Mari K. Eder wrote this book because she knew their stories needed to be told – and the sooner the better. For theirs is a legacy destined to embolden generations of women to come.
©2021 Mari K. Eder (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing
Anonymous User
Realistic/flawed/fantastic people & their stories
Regardless of race, gender, preference, religion or culture, this book has something that almost everyone will feel a deep connection to. The story does not glorify or paint anyone as perfect heroes, DOES NOT push political agendas, nor does it romanticise hardships; the stories are rich windows into the lives of people who fought, lost, loved and actually existed. Many of those who counted as ‘stepping out of line’ did not out of self-interest nor did they expect awards or praise; at the time they did not think of the actions as extraordinary, they were merely doing what had to be done. There are people familiar to mainstream such as ‘Joan of Arc’ and others I have never heard of before, people from our parents and grandparents generation.
As someone who has been struggling from a recent trauma, this book was powerful not only because of the inspirational people but because even though at times a focus person could have been broken, struggling, lost or seemingly with no way out, they kept going. It talked about how the journey was not easy and linear or at times measurable, regardless, they kept going. It recognised the great personal price many bore, the mental and physical wounds that left many forever changed but they kept going.
They lived, loved, lost and were ordinary people, with extraordinary stories.
3 people found this helpful
Jacques Morin
Great Collection of Wonderful Girls Stories.
I enjoyed this Book immensely, on the edge of my chair with alot of the stories, cheering, and hoping things would go well, some extremely sad stories too, but overall a great read/listen.