A Woman of No ImportanceThe Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
Review posted July 10, 2025.
Books on Tape, 2019. 13 hours, 54 minutes.
Review written July 8, 2025, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review
I wish I remembered what prompted me to put this amazing nonfiction audiobook on hold, because it was a great tip. I don't do a great job of reading big thick nonfiction tomes, but as an audiobook, it kept my interest all the way.
The author researched one of the most important spies of World War II, Virginia Hall. Yes, she was American, from Baltimore - but most of the time she did her spying for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) before the United States even entered the war.
Not only did Virginia Hall face obstacles and being underestimated and dismissed because she was a woman - she was also disabled, an amputee with a wooden leg. Those things kept her from getting to go far in the U.S. diplomatic corps, so when World War II started, she found work with the SOE.
She was in "free" France under the Vichy government for most of the war, building more and more networks in the Resistance, sending more and more information to the Allies, and helping the cause more and more. She was the sort who wouldn't let them send her back to safety, even when it became apparent the Germans were figuring out who was causing them so much trouble.
All along the way, she faced frustrations because her assessments and requests weren't given the weight due her experience - because she was a woman. But still, her expertise and skills made her incredibly effective and helpful for the Allied cause.
The story is riveting - especially the bulk of it where she is working in war-time France. It's truly amazing how much she accomplished right under the noses of her enemies. This book helped me understand that her many years of service and the wide variety of ways she helped the Allied cause.