A Woman of No Importance:  The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II (2020) by Sonia Purnell.

Sonia Purnell is a journalist and bestselling author/biographer.

Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times, the Washington Independent Review of Books, PopSugar, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, BookBrowse, the Spectator, and the Times of London

In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: “She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her.”

The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill’s “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and–despite her prosthetic leg–helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it.

Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall–an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman’s fierce persistence helped win the war.

Fitchburg Community Read 2023-2024

White Mountains State: A Four-Year Journey Hiking and Summiting New Hampshire’s 48 Highest Peaks by Keith Gentili, Fitchburg State Alumnus.

“This is a down-to-earth, everyman story for anyone with an interest in hiking and mountain climbing. White Mountains State succeeds in highlighting both the trails and challenges of the New Hampshire 48 as well as the deep satisfaction and accomplishment that can result in finishing the list. A dedicated husband and father, and an adventurous friend to his neighbors and college buddies, Keith gives an honest and detailed account of hiking each mountain, either solo or with those he recruits, all while making sure his quest harmonizes with his family life and hiking partnerships. Gentili's book will make you fall in love with the hills, and inspire you to climb your own mountains, whatever they may be.” —TMC Books, LLC

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