Hubert Verneret - Teenage Resistance Fighter - Published by Casemate Publishers

Posted by Alan in Document et livre

I have just finished reading an excellent book that I had been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy.

The book is by Hubert Verneret, its title Teenage Resistance Fighter. It has been translated beautifully from its original French publication Que Faisiez-vous au Temps Chaud ? published in 1972 with a foreword by Colonel Buckmaster, Chief of the French Section of S.O.E.

Now this is a rare thing to find published in English. The book is made up two main sections, the first being Hubert Verneret's diary from 11th March 1938 to 25th September 1944. Covering his early teens as war is declared until his late teens where he is part of two connected maquis groups in Burgundy. His diaries give an excellent, true account of life under German occupation and the risks and sacrifices made by those who chose to resist.

The second part of the book is a series of interviews that Hubert made in the 1970's with some of the elder maquis members of the two groups he was part of. The interviews are electric and you actually feel that you are in the room as they're being made.

This is a beautiful book, so well written and from first hand experiences totally from the heart. The translating is excellent too, Sarah Saunders and Patrick Depardon have certainly done a great job.

If you have yet to read the book, I recommend you do. For me, I will track down an original French version as this book is worthy of reading a second time.

Teenage Resistance Fighter - With the Maquisards in Occupied France

By Hubert Verneret

Published by Casemate Publishers
27th September 2017

£16.99

Hubert Verneret, has  also recently published in 2016 a historical novel L’Ecossais de Saint-Clément des Baleines, Ed. de l’Armançon, which would especially appeal to readers who know and are fond of Île de Ré, but others too who enjoy a good historical plot. It is well written and documented on life in the Northern part of the island in the 1930s.


Author Event with Hubert Verneret at WH Smith Paris on November 9th 2017 (link)