THE BOOK FAIR

The non-fiction narrative offers a detailed description of how the village in the Haute-Loire, Le Chambon, comprised of French Huguenots, helped Jews and others escape the Nazis during WW II.  The village is located southwest of Lyon, France, some 124 miles from the Swiss border.

The book does not read as a novel, but contains interesting chronicles of both the people who helped the escapees and of those who escaped.  The author relates relevant history of WW I, delves into the politics and policies of the Vichy Government in WW II, of officials who opposed the policies, and, of the actions of the Resistance.

The book is highly informative, even for those well versed in WW II, and is complete with a thorough bibliography, an index, statistics, an independent summary of the individuals in the book, photographs, and a summarized history of the Plateau Vivarais-Lignon, France.