The Englishman's Daughter: a True Story of Love and Betrayal in World War I

Jacket Description/Flap: In the first terrifying days of World War I, four British soldiers found themselves trapped behind enemy lines on the western front. They were forced to hide in the tiny French village of Villeret, whose inhabitants made the courageous decision to shelter the fugitives until they could pass as Picard peasants. The Englishman's Daughter is the never-before-told story of these extraordinary men, their protectors, and of the haunting love affair between Private Robert Digby and Claire Dessenne, the most beautiful woman in Villeret. Their passion would result in the birth of a child known as "The Englishman's Daughter," and in an act of unspeakable betrayal, a tragic legacy that would haunt the village for generations to come. Through the testimonies of the villagers and the last letters of the soldiers, acclaimed journalist Ben Macintyre has pieced together a harrowing account of how life was lived behind enemy lines during the Great War, and offers a compelling solution to a gripping mystery that reverberates to this day. Review Quotes: "Remarkable." --"The New York Times Book Review""This poignant reconstruction...has all the tensions of a contemporary mystery." --"The Philadelphia Inquirer""Wrenching...thoroughly captivating...reminds one of the novels of Michael Ondaatje." --"The Washington Times" Review Citations:

New York Times 02/09/2003 pg. 28 (EAN 9780385336796, Paperback)

Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2001 pg. 1536 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Publishers Weekly 12/03/2001 pg. 52 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

Library Journal 12/01/2001 pg. 144 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

New York Times 01/27/2002 pg. 11 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

People Weekly 03/18/2002 pg. 43 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

New York Times 06/02/2002 pg. 26 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

New York Times 12/08/2002 pg. 67 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

Wilson Public Library Catalog 01/01/2002 pg. 118 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

Wilson Public Library Catalog 01/01/2004 pg. 880 (EAN 9780374129859, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Macintyre, Ben Ben Macintyre is the author of three books, most recently "The Englishman's Daughter "(FSG, 2002). A senior writer and columnist for "The Times" of London, he was the newspaper's correspondent in New York, Paris, and Washington D. C. He now lives in London.