As someone who has extensively studied the Italian Campaign (1943–1945) of World War II and has a passion for studying and examining aspects of individual character and resilience through the experiences of war, I was intrigued by this book’s title. Unlike other literary works about the experiences of individuals during World War II, Suzanne Cope—a professor at New York University, accomplished scholar, narrative journalist, and author—skillfully balances her skills as a researcher and historian to examine the lives and actions of four incredible women: Carla Capponi, Tersea Mattei, Emilia Bianca Guidetti Serra, and Anita Malavasi, who not only fought Nazi occupation forces as partisans but against fascist loyalist for the future of their country.
Extensively researched using archives, historical accounts, memoirs, testimonials (audio, video, and written), and personal interviews, Cope does a superb job of outlining the broader historical context while exposing the layers of each woman’s story. Organized chronologically in three parts: “War Comes to Italy,” “Resistance,” and “Liberation,” the narrative enables the reader to easily understand events and switch perspectives. Although each of these women came from different socioeconomic backgrounds taking different paths to join the resistance (partigiani—a coalition of antifascist, civilian, and military groups), they all found a sense of purpose beyond the acceptable social norms and expectations for women at the time, and Fascist governmental restrictions for women in the medical, legal, educational, and business professions. In each chapter, alternating among the perspectives of Capponi, Mattei, Serra, and Malavasi, Cope transports the reader to different locations in war-torn Italy (Rome, Florence, Turin, Emilia-Romanga) as part of the resistance. Although Cope’s examination of the evolution and roles these women performed gathering intelligence, enabling communications, logistics, in combat is noteworthy the real strength of the book lies in the insights she provides into the resilience, resourcefulness, spirit, and bravery of these heroes who survived the unspeakable fear and brutality of war but refused to let it define the rest of his life.
I highly recommend this intriguing book to the general reader, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about the partisans of World War II. The service and sacrifices of these women for their country deserve to be honored and remembered. Women of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis is a well-organized and easy-to-read book. It contains a useful map of Italy to assist the general reader understand where these events took place, numerous pictures, extensive notes for each chapter and bibliography and to facilitate further research. This book makes an excellent companion to another book about partisans focusing on the experiences of women in the Pacific Theater by Theresa Kaminski, Angels of the Underground: The American Women Who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II.