A Bookshop in Berlin

The author details her experience in Occupied France under Germany and the collaborationist Vichy government, as a Polish Jewish woman. The first chapter felt rushed and had a lot of info dumping. I would’ve loved to take more time getting to learn about the bookshop and how Frenkel’s work was affected during the 1930s. This often read like a novel, moving quickly and holding my attention for long periods of time once I got past the first chapter.

The book mainly focused on how Frenkel had to escape Paris and went into hiding, moving around France, for much of WW2. It was strangely never discussed, but she had a husband the whole time?! Which felt confusing, especially since she made a comment to a friend about needing to marry for French citizenship when she was apparently already married.

It feels like a very important book to remember that community and organizing together can make a difference. I’d highly recommend if you want a short memoir!