Based on real events of the French Resistance during World War II, Édith
Thomas's stories explore how ordinary people respond to the
extraordinary conditions of political occupation. The stories, first
published under the title Contes d'Auxois (Auxois Stories) by an
underground press in 1943, were written to oppose Vichy-Nazi propaganda
and to offer encouragement to civilians who felt resigned to
defeat.Whether lining up to wait for food, tuning in to a forbidden
radio broadcast, adapting to living side by side with German soldiers,
or preparing for an act of sabotage, the characters in these stories
must make choices in highly compromised circumstances on a daily basis.
As the characters confront their own suffering and that of others, their
actions inspire readers to consider the nature of heroism, the idea that
people can share a common humanity with their enemies, and the
possibility for individuals to find solidarity in an overwhelming,
isolating world.