Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent by Pearl Witherington Cornioley

Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent Reviews

• 
  Sesana

  Different from the other books in the series, in that it's largely in the subject's own words, based on extensive interviews before her death. A bit dry in spots.
• 
  Ed

  I really enjoyed this book. This really is history in the raw. An excellent first-hand account by a participant in this era of history, who does not do spin, does not over-dramatize her role, but factually recounts what happened to her and nevertheless makes you feel as if you were there in the dark parachuting into occupied Europe on only your fourth parachute drop. For many years, Pearl Witherington had said nothing about what she had experienced, and was only reluctantly in old age willing to set the record straight in a series of interviews with a French journalist in 1994-5. It is the record of these interviews that form the basis of this really interesting memoir that I read in two sittings.
  
  I found Pearl's personality immediately engaging. She clearly had a very difficult life growing up, hungry and managing a very dysfunctional family. However, this in many ways this prepared her for the improvisation under pressure required in the Resistance. She was used to hardship and uncertainty about where the next meal was coming from and as a result could work well in the clandestine world. I also took to her sense of outrage at the injustice of the German occupiers that angered so much she felt she had to fight back after she finally arrived in England with her family after a very difficult journey across Occupied and Unoccupied France and Franco's Spain. She did not take the soft option of remaining in a job in the British embassy in Lisbon in neutral Portugal as many might have been tempted to do, but took her family on to England which was being heavily bombed at the time.
  
  Pearl's role was initially as a courier with the cover of being a cosmetics' saleswoman, and I enjoyed her anecdotes of this period, the way she blended in and moving around the numerous security checks and seemed to have nerves of steel considering the risks she was taking. But in many ways her most important role was to take over a rapidly growing Resistance network after her boss, its leader was arrested by the Gestapo. This she describes without ego or self-aggrandization as just what had to be done in the circumstances. There are so many questions you want to ask her about this, and I like a book that makes us want to know more.
  
  I have traveled extensively in France and liked the memoir's background account of France, its local landscapes and people. It is a country of many `petits-pays': little areas with different cooking and landscape, each a little different from the one next door. And the French Resistance, as Pearl portrays it, was very locally based and grounded in its communities. She shows how important personal trust was and the amazing way that people found the courage to support the Resistance. And she was very cross when after D-Day, the incoming French army made her Maquis group move to another unfamiliar territory, completely contrary to the rules of guerilla warfare, if there are any.
  
  The book is very intelligently edited by Kathryn Atwood. She selects the right passages in the right order and her context-setting is at just the right level for the audience I think and never patronizing. Though a book based on a memoir that was aimed at young people to help them see how hardship can be overcome and even used, I think that, like Kathryn Atwood's other book Women Heroes of World War 2, this book is for all ages who are interested in how someone with a relatively ordinary if tough background ends up in an extraordinary role in extraordinary circumstances. And yes it does suggest that early hardship has its upside and that is a valuable lesson for those enduring childhood hardship.
  
• 
  Cold War Conversations Podcast

  Dry and unemotional account of a female SOE agent, but great value in hearing it as she really saw it
  
  Told in her own words you can hear the stiff upper lip and the way that people of that period try to make everything that they did sound so "matter of fact".
  
  Whilst you feel Pearl is not telling the whole story here, this eyewitness account of the SOE is an important work as readers now have access to Witherington's actual words.
  
  Although other books have been published recently about Pearl Witherington they appear to be very economical in what could be termed historical accuracy.
• 
  Rupert Colley

  Born in Paris to English parents, Pearl Witherington Cornioley was an extraordinary SOE agent who, at one point during World War Two, had over 3,000 fighters under her command. In 1995, her memoirs were published in France. Now, eighteen years later, as Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent, they are finally available in English, edited by American author Kathryn Atwood, and published by Chicago Review Press. Atwood first introduced us to Pearl in 2011 in her excellent Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue. And here we get Pearl's story from the woman herself. And it's quite a story.
  
  Pearl's father was a drifter and an alcoholic, rarely at home. Although she states she was "never unhappy at home with Mummy", it was, nonetheless, a difficult childhood, having to bear her parents' arguing, often rummaging for food and fighting off her father's debt collectors. As the eldest of four girls and with an English mother who found it hard coping with life in Paris, Pearl was imbued from an early age with a sense of responsibility; a responsibility that deprived her of a proper childhood. As soon as she was old enough, and following her father's death, Pearl went out to work to earn money, not for herself, but her mother and her sisters.
  
  Pearl met her future husband, Henri Cornioley, the son of prosperous parents, in 1933. But with war, six years later, came separation. Drafted into the army, Henri was not to see his sweetheart for over three years. Following the fall of France in June 1940, Pearl and her family, as British citizens, were still technically enemies of Nazi Germany and therefore had to flee. Following a circuitous journey lasting some seven months, they finally arrived in London in July 1941.
  
  Vehemently opposed to the occupation of France, Pearl felt impelled to help the Allied cause and being a fluent French-speaker was able to join the newly-formed SOE (Special Operations Executive). Established specifically to cause disruption and sabotage within Nazi-occupied territories, Winston Churchill hoped that the SOE would "set Europe ablaze".
  
  Like many SOE agents, Pearl was given an honorary rank of second lieutenant in the "vain hope that, if captured, the enemy would treat these `officers' as POWs according to the Geneva Convention". Pearl's SOE trainers were much impressed with her. Her weapons instructor referred to her as "probably the best shot (male or female) we have yet had".
  
  After months of training and preparation, Pearl was parachuted into France in September 1943 disguised as a cosmetics saleswoman. What follows is an account of her work in France, which includes, at one point, being shot at by the Germans. The tone is continually matter-of-fact and the descriptions of her adventures understated. But we know that here is a woman of immense courage, working under the most difficult of situations, fearful of arrest at every turn.
  
  Following France's liberation, Charles de Gaulle, "anxious to not credit the British for their help during the Resistance", ordered Britain's SOE agents to leave France within 48 hours. As French residents, Pearl and Henri did not fall into this bracket but nonetheless an even greater slight awaited them... Pearl was offered an MBE - the civilian version. Indignant, she refused it, stating that she hadn't done "anything remotely `civil' for England during the war". Her obstinacy paid off and in 1946, Pearl was duly awarded the military MBE.
  
  Code Name Pauline is an illuminating read. Atwood introduces each chapter with a summary or explanation written in such a way that, as the reader, you feel you are being gently guided. But at no point does Atwood's commentary detract from the main narrative.
  
  Atwood, who wrote an article especially for History In An Hour on editing Code Name Pauline, finishes with a number of useful appendices, including brief biographies of the key figures, figures from within Pearl's story, and national figures such as de Gaulle and Philippe Petain. Following this are extracts from an interview with Henri Cornioley, who died in 1999, a man who obviously enjoyed telling a story. His story of begging to be allowed back into the POW camp he'd inadvertently escaped from is an amusing highlight. The book has a number of photographs, including Pearl in uniform, beside Henri and in her latter years, including a photo taken in 2004 of Pearl alongside the Queen.
  
  In accidental tandem with Code Name Pauline, is a biography of Pearl called She Landed By Moonlight: The Story of Secret Agent Pearl Witherington: the real Charlotte Gray by Carole Seymour-Jones. (Pearl has often been stated as the source of Sebastian Faulks's eponymous heroine although Faulks denied the connection). Both titles, Atwood's and Seymour-Jones's, were published within a month of each other. She Landed By Moonlight has generally received favourable reviews and no doubt was intended to honour Pearl and her work during the war. But, rather strangely for a biography, it reads as a novel, using imaginary dialogue and imagined thoughts. For a woman who was so down-to-earth and fervently opposed to the romanticism of her story, one wonders what Pearl would have made of it.
  
  Pearl Witherington Cornioley died, aged 93, on 24 February 2008. Kathryn Atwood's finely edited book honours her memory in a manner I imagine Pearl would have thoroughly approved of.
• 
  Alex Baugh

  When most of us think special agents, the figure that most often comes to mind is that of James Bond, code name 007, part of the Secret Intelligence Service, or M16. Bond is fun, but he is nothing like real life. In reality, being a special agent can leave you cold, wet, dirty, hungry, and sometimes your stuff ends up in a lake when you parachute into an occupied country as you will discover when you read Code Name Pauline.
  
  In a series of interviews, Pearl Witherington Cornioley tells about her life in the SOE, or Special Operations Executive, whose purpose was to "locate, assist, supply and train willing resisters within occupied countries by sending them British-trained agents," (pg xxi) people who could speak the language of the occupied country with native fluency. The SOE was a top secret organization, so top secret no one in it knew its real name until after the war.
  
  Pearl Witherington Cornioley was a perfect candidate. Although she was a British citizen, she had been born and raised in Paris and so, naturally she spoke fluent French. When the Germans began their invasion of France in June 1940, Pearl, her mother and three sisters (her father had already passed away) needed to get out of France and back to England. It was a long, harrowing seven-month trip, but they luckily received help along the way and arrived back in London in July 1941.
  
  Morally opposed to the occupation of France by the Nazis, Pearl knew she could do more tho help the resistance working in France than doing paperwork for the Air Ministry in England and so she applied to the Inter-Services Research Bureau, which actually turned out to be the SOE, along with an old friend from France, Maurice Southgate, also a Brit.
  
  After a grueling training period and only three practice jumps, Pearl, at the age of 29, parachuted into France in September 1943 disguised as a cosmetics saleswoman. For the most part engaging in acts of sabotage to slow down and thwart the Nazis, Pearl recounts some of the small every day details of resistance work we don't usually hear about in fiction and about her close calls with the Gestapo where luck was on her side.
  
  Then, when her friend Maurice was captured by the Gestapo and sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Pearl took over the leadership of 3,500 resistance workers and assumed the code name Pauline for the remainder of her time with the Resistance.
  
  Pearl never spoke about her work in France with the Resistance after the war. She married Henri Cornioley with whom she had been involved even before the war and who she worked with during it, and lived a relatively quiet life. In 1994, she and Henri decided to give some interviews to French journalist Hervé Larroque, which were published in French under the name Pauline. Code Name Pauline is Kathryn Atwood's English translation of the work.
  
  Code Name Pauline is an interesting, exciting memoir about a woman I would love to have met. Pearl/Pauline is feisty, almost fearless, and very morally principled, but she is also stubborn, as you will discover when you read about why she refused an honor given to her by Britain for her work in the resistance. Bravo, Pearl!
  
  And because reminiscences aren't always linear, or clear and sometimes digress, Kathryn Atwood, who first introduced English readers to Pearl's story in her excellent work, Women Heroes of World War II, has written a comprehensive introduction to each chapter and has also included in her back matter a list of key figures, an extensive appendix and chapter notes, all very interesting and useful to the reader. There is also an insert of photographs of Pearl, her family, her forged documents and, of course, Henri.
  
  Pearl's intention for allowing herself to be interviewed was to hopefully inspire young people and to that end, this is indeed a fascinating book that will appeal to readers interested in WWII history as well as readers interested in women's history and it is most definitely inspirational.
  
  This book is recommended for readers age 12+
  This book was sent to me by the publisher
  
  This review was originally posted at
  The Children's War
• 
  Samantha Shank

  Growing up, Cecile Pearl Witherington didn't have an easy childhood. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother grew up in a well-to-do family and wasn't prepared for the struggles of being a "single parent." At a young age, Pearl took on a lot of responsibility that ultimately prepared her for her important role in World War II.
  Because of her British citizenship and her upbringing in Paris, Pearl spoke English and French. she became an SOE agent. When the Germans invaded France, Pearl and her family fled back to England.
  
  The SOE (Special Operations Executive) is one of those little-known yet fascinating events of World War II. It was so top-secret most had never heard of it until after the war. A British organization designed to help resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Europe, the SOE participated in sabotage, espionage, reconnaissance, and all types of guerrilla warfare. After grueling SOE training and three practice jumps, 29-year-old Pearl parachuted into Nazi-occupied France on a cold September night in 1943.
  
  Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman, Pearl began her resistance work by participating in little acts of defiance against the Nazis. Things take a turn for the worst when her boss Maurice Southgate was captured by the Gestapo (Nazi police) and taken to Buchenwald (a concentration camp) - leaving Pearl in charge of 3,500 resistance workers. For the rest of the war, she bravely led the 3,500 resistance workers under the name Pauline.
  
  After the war, Pearl settled down with her pre-war fiance, Henri Cornioley. She never spoke about her work in the resistance because she was afraid her story would be twisted with Hollywood-drama or exaggerations. Fifty years later, Pearl began to realize the impact her story could have on young people. She told a French journalist about their wartime experiences, and her story was published in France as Pauline. This book, Code Name Pauline, is the English translation, edited by Kathryn J. Atwood.
  
  This book, since it is aimed at a young adult audience, is pretty easy to follow along. The story is straightforward and told solely as it had happened - very little drama is present. Pearl gracefully took all of life's challenges. The beginning of each chapter fills us in with some historical background, which really helps the reader, especially if you've never heard of the SOE.
  
  I have always loved strong female protagonists, especially in true stories. I loved Kathryn Atwood's book Women Heroes of World War II and I was so excited to hear she was in the process of editing another book (this book). Our culture does not put enough emphasis on true heroes, like Henri and Pearl. We need to show young girls courageous females like Pearl and do exactly what she would have wanted - share her story to encourage young people facing trials in their life.
  
  Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review.
• 
  Sheila

  A fascinating look at an amazing woman. Pearl (whose code name was Pauline, hence the title of the book), was a British subject who grew up in Paris – making her an ideal candidate for working in occupied France.
  
  The book is a translation from a series of interviews that Pearl did in French, and Pearl’s requirement that her story be told as she shared it precisely made for some structural challenges for Atwood. However, I think Atwood does an excellent job of arranging the interviews in a coherent arc, and of including introductory material for each chapter to set up the story that Pearl tells in that chapter. I also enjoyed Henri’s interview in the appendix – he also had some amazing experiences!
  
  If you liked the fictional book Code Name Verity and would like a nonfictional look at events, I think Code Name Pauline would be an excellent choice. While “Pauline” isn’t a pilot, her intelligence work in France is still close enough to some of the events in Verity that it provides a compelling counterpoint.
  
  
  Review originally posted here
• 
  Christie

  Peal Witherington Cornioley served as a British SOE agent in France during WWWII, ferrying messages for the British and assisting resistance leaders in their fight against the Nazis. Her code name was Pauline and she was remembered fondly by all who came in contact with her during the war.
  
  After reading
  Code Name Verity, I was interested in the history behind the British SOE, a secret organization that supported resistance against the Germans in Nazi-occupied countries. Very few women worked for the SOE, and Pearl was one of them. The book is fascinating as it allows Pearl to tell her story with a series of interviews. The editor adds in some history snippets at the beginning of each chapter which give Pearl's story context in the events of the wider world. The maps and photographs were great additions to the book.
  
  My only complaint is that book seemed very one-sided being just Pearl's story. I found the appendices very interesting as they included Henri's perspective on events. It would have been nice to have had some other perspectives here and there.
  
  I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed
  Code Name Verity, as it is a great companion piece to the fictional story. If you are interested in women's history at all, especially their roles in WWII, it is a great book to read. It is an inspiring story of a girl who struggled through early life to become essential to France's fight against occupation.
  
  Paranormal scavenger hunt: Full moon
  Scavenger hunt: Australia
• 
  Apryl Anderson

  This was such the tiniest hint of an unforgettable period of history that's so quickly slipping away. I can respect that Mme. Cornioley refrained from telling her story for the fear of misrepresentation, but what a shame that she kept silent for so long. She held a key of truth that's worth remembering. Thankfully, we can read at least a part of what she knew.
  
  For instance, we don't often go into the difference between the Gestapo and the German Army. They were 2 completely opposing forces! On page 100, she rightly says, "Personally I think that someone who hasn't lived through this type of war can't understand what it was really like; it's impossible." Yet, it is worth the effort. One can't over-explain to those of us who've grown up surrounded by the luxury of peace. Unfortunately, this book was far from detail. In consequence, I may be more likely to turn to embellishments in search of context.
  
  In the Conclusion, Cornioley writes: Nothing is completed easily in life, and this book took a lot of time and dedication from both Henri and me. We wanted to tell our story as it happened and as we experienced it.
  I hope this testimony will help young people get over the problems and difficulties that happen in any life. Never lose hope, never give in, because life will not make things easy, but it knows how to reward those who approach it conscientiously, bravely, and with determination.
  We have both come to the end of our lives by facing life together and by creating a close circle of friends who were chosen for their humanity. We would like to thank them with all our hearts for being so wonderful.
  
  I recommend this short book to anyone who needs more heroes to teach them a thing or two.
• 
  Jane

  I received this book as a Goodreads First Read.
  
  This book is aimed at young adults but can be read by anyone. It's the true story of Pearl Witherington, told by her to Herve Larroque, this is the English language adaption by Kathryn J. Atwood. It's an inspiring book showing a woman's determination to fight for a country she loved.
  
  Pearl joined the SOE in London. She was described as ‘probably the best shot (male or female) we have yet had’ and ‘completely brave’ by her instructors. After being parachuted into France she became a courier, carrying and delivering secret messages. This was dangerous work but Pearl got on with her job showing great courage.
  
  The message she gives to young people is to be determined. It is compelling to read, some areas would have benefited from more information but that perhaps would have lost the spirit of Pearl who shines through in this book.
  
• 
  Pauline

  I have read quite a bit about female spies and résistante workers in WWII. It’s been my unofficial theme this year in reading. I chosen this book, firstly, because we share a name. Secondly, it’s a young adult book and often you get cleaner more condensed story that might be written for adults. I wanted to know about her but didn’t want to go into the depth an adult book would. True to it’s word, the book was vivid and engaging and a “treasure trove of primary source.” I’m glad we read this account and the post war responses and treatment of a woman were very interesting. No matter what age—it’s a good, simple read.
• 
  Ivy

  5 stars
  
  Very good book. Nice to have a first-hand experience of what happened during World War 2. RIP Pearl Witherington Cornioley.
  
  
• 
  Jess

  Amazing woman! I was intrigued by this after reading the biography of two sisters who became SOE agents -
  Sisters, Secrets and Sacrifice. However this autobiography by SOE agent Pearl Cornioley is more interesting than riveting. I was hoping for a more detailed intimate account of her experiences. Instead it’s quite sketchy, even feels a bit rushed as if she was writing this memoir with a degree of reluctance, which made it difficult to get close to the events and people described.
• 
  Ann Bossen

  It is amazing how women of this generation nonchalantly carried out tremendously dangerous liaisons as part of their roll in the Resistance. The casual writing in this book exemplifies their attitudes. The writing subtly captures these hero's Resistance efforts without dramatization.
• 
  Lois

  The appeal of this gripping tale of the exploits of a leading member of the resistance movement in Occupied France during the World War II lies not only in the fast and fluent pace of the straightforward first-hand narrative itself, but in the valour and integrity of Pearl Witherington Cornioley, the memoirist, herself. At all times she is shown to have been a forthright and honest person, who was prepared to stick up for her principles, despite any opposition that she encountered.
  
  In Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent, Kathryn J. Atwood, the editor of this stirring memoir, has transformed the transcripts (published in French under the title Pauline) of numerous interviews that were conducted between the French journalist, Hervé Larroque, and Pearl, in the last decade of the 20th century, into a narrative account, by linking together common themes that emerged during the course of the interviews. The intention with the original Larroque manuscript was to inspire young people in difficult circumstances.
  
  By keeping very much to the author’s own words and to her distinctive style of speaking, Atwood has succeeded in retaining the impetus of the original, while contextualising the whole, though providing valuable insights into where, and how, Pauline’s role in the war effort fitted into the overall picture of World War II, as it was waged on the European continent. This she has masterfully attained by starting each chapter with an explanation of the context within which the following action transpires. In this way, Atwood has helped to ensure that, even if a young reader has not previously been much aware of the resistance efforts that took place in Occupied France, they will definitely be able to follow the story with ease, making it all the easier for them to come to admire Pauline as an outstanding heroine of the last century.
  
  Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent includes both front and back matter that the reader is encouraged to see as an integral part of the text. The front matter consists of the “Editor’s Note” (in which Atwood explains both her own approach to the original source material, as well as Pauline’s somewhat reluctant approach to being interviewed) and a Preface by Hervé Larroque (who explains the importance of Pauline’s work, evincing great respect, not only for her personal courage and intelligence, but also for the longevity of her marriage to Henri Cornioley, which lasted over half a century). The back matter is of equal importance to the text as a whole, comprising, as it does, verbatim extracts from interviews with Henri (which reveal his humorous and compassionate character, and include valuable insights into Pearl’s own character), as well as several pages of notes on the text, a two-page bibliography, and a relatively detailed index.
  
  The numerous black-and-white photographs of Pearl pre-, during and post-World War II (including an informal shot that was taken of her standing chatting with Queen Elizabeth II, on the former’s receipt of the Commander of the British Empire [CBE] in 2004), and the many clearly drawn maps of the areas in France where she was mainly active should also help to keep the reader’s unflagging attention.
  
  Definitely recommended for all youngsters, no matter their gender, Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent deserves a place in any school media resource center, and on the shelves of any young reader who loves a story of true-life adventure and heroism.
  
• 
  Viridian5

  This is the understated account of a woman who was a secret agent working in France with the French Resistance during World War II, starting as a courier but eventually becoming a network leader of 3,500 fighters for the resistance. Sometimes she’s so understated that the enormity of what she did and the life she lived then gets a bit lost, but that’s just who she is and a condition of her telling her story. The unsung heroes, especially the women, deserve more attention.
  
  Her husband is a bit of a character too.
• 
  Sarah

  Full review posted
  HERE.
  
  I don’t know about you, but every time I read a book about World War II, I learn something new. I don’t know if it’s possible to ever know every detail, and I certainly know I have no chance of understanding or comprehending what happened, what it was like, and all that was involved.
  
  I normally read a lot of WWII fiction, which prompts me to wiki-search and research more to weed through the facts and the fiction. This time, though, I read Code Name Pauline, from the Women of Action series (Chicago Review Press), about a British SOE operative named Pearl Witherington, who parachuted into France and aided and, even at times, led resistance efforts. She began as a courier and stayed on through the war with false papers in France to disrupt German efforts. Since she was born to English parents but lived in Paris, she knew the language and knew more than enough to pass herself off as a Frenchwoman. I knew this sort of thing happened, but Pearl’s firsthand account delves into more detail than I was aware of. Sometimes it’s hard to believe everything that went on during WWII — that it actually happened — yet I know it did. Even while reading Pearl’s account felt like reading a novel. But it wasn’t.
  
  The book is Pearl’s first-hand account, originally done in French by Hervé Larroque by interviews in 1994 and 1995, and just now recently translated into English as Code Name Pauline. Very little was done to change Pearl’s words. Each chapter is introduced with a summary of historical context, since Pearl’s account is less history lesson and more personal experience. I appreciate the personal nature of it, peppered with her own history and relationships. It was much more relatable than anything else I could have read.
  
  The thing that stands out to me most from the entire book is Pearl’s demeanor, her smarts, her leadership qualities, and her confidence. Those qualities put her in the unique position she was in during the war, they ensured that she succeeded, and they kept her and those working with (and, eventually, for) her alive. There must have been such a fear of capture, of being found out, of being killed, that went along day-to-day for her, and yet it was just part of her life. She didn’t question it and didn’t look back on it with any sort of “pity me, please” attitude. It was like this: this is what I did and why I did it and I wouldn’t have done anything any differently. I admire that in her.
  
  This is the first book I’ve read in the Women of Action series, a series of historical accounts of great women in history, geared toward and written for young adults. I think it’s important for young women to read about normal women who did great things, about women like them, like us, who made a difference in ways that maybe we never realized. I’ve read a lot of fiction and other accounts from WWII — it’s a thing I do — and Pearl’s story is one of those that I’m very glad to see hasn’t been lost in the great mass of history. I’m glad she finally decided to take the time to tell her story, and I’m glad I had the chance to read it.
• 
  Jessica

  This book does not read like a story at all. It's a rather unemotional telling of events. I did enjoy this book though. People exaggerated her part in the war.. so she only listed the facts. This book includes a perspective on WW2 that is unlike the others. She is blunt and honest and extraordinary.
• 
  Jennifer

  My rating is 4.5/5 star rating.
  
  Excerpt from interview:
  
  Do you think that during the war you had to set yourself certain challenges, do extraordinary things, counting only on yourself?
  
  Pearl: Partly, but I don't consider I did anything extraordinary. Even today when people say, "You know, you did some incredible things, they weren't easy," I still don't believe it's true. I did it because I wanted to, because it was useful, because it had to be done.
  
  ---
  
  Pearl Witherington Cornioley (who went by Pauline during WWII) is a personifed heroine. She came from humble beginnings and when France was occupied by Germany, she found a way for her family to escape to England. There, she found a job at the embassy to support her family. Since she could speak French and English, she became an SOE agent. Her experiences in the war are intense, but she is determined to succeed because it's the right thing to do.
  
  Pearl was interviewed by a French journalist Herve Larroque for a magazine series in France. Then the series was translated by John Atwood and his wife, the editor Kathryn J. Atwood, worked on putting together the interviews into this memoir. Pearl wanted her experiences to be shared with young people who may be going through a hard time and could perhaps find inspiration in her experiences.
  
  The editor took great pains to make sure that Pearl and her husband Henri's voices came through in the memoir. The reader gets the sense that Pearl was a straight-forward, no nonsense type of person, but she also had a strong sense of justice and empathy as well. In the appendix, the reader mets Henri and it's obvious that Henri complemented Pearl's personality with his humor and charm. If they were still alive, I would have loved to sit and listen to these talk about their experiences for hours.
  
  Since the book is intended for an YA audience, it is a quick read and it does not go into great detail about WWII. There is an excellent bibilography included to help supplement further reading about WWII and women's roles in the war. This would also make an excellent supplemental reading to WWII units in the classroom. The chapters aren't very long, the pacing is good, and there is a section that includes actual photographs of Pearl and Henri during the war.
  
  I would recommend this for readers thirteen and up. There isn't any violence described or explicit language. Some of the concepts might be lost on a younger audience who is not familiar with WWII history. I don't know if the urgency of the situation and the consequences if Pearl had been caught by the Gestapo would have an impact on young readers who do not have background information about the Nazis, SS soldiers, and concentration camps.
• 
  Helle M.

  I have received this book as a giveaway from Goodreads First Reads
  
  About the book
  Code Name Pauline is the true life story of special agent Pearl Witherington who was sent into France during World War II to help the French Resistance. The story is told in Pearls own words and tells of her childhood and youth, how she met her future husband Henri, and how she got involved with the British Special Operations Executive – The SOE, and how she parachuted into France to aid the French Resistance.
  This book is primarily aimed at young adults and Pearl wanted her story to be an inspiration to young people.
  
  My thoughts
  The book has an enlightening and detailed notes-section, a list of key figures as well as an appendix with featuring extracts from interviews with Pearl and her husband Henri.
  - All of which I made good use of.
  
  All of these features bring extra dimensions to Pearls story and the references in the notes-section inspire the reader to further reading about the subject.
  
  I must admit that I had never heard of Pearl Witherington prior to reading this book. But I found her story to be very inspiring and it makes me want to know more about the many other women of the Resistance.
  
  I thought this book was very interesting and an uncomplicated read. As this book is primarily meant for younger readers than me, I have rated it by that standard. Meaning that by my rating, I express my opinion that I think this book is very well written for young readers.
• 
  Cheryl M-M

  It is fact-filled, dry and unemotional. Something you tend to see/read often in first hand accounts of wartime and/or combat situations.
  I don't think people really comprehend the level of fear, anxiety and trauma that soldiers and non-military went through and indeed still go through. The only thing that differs is the amount and level due to the type of conflict or country it is taking place in. So with that in mind I can understand how Pearl's account can appear devoid of emotion or a little dry.
  I know it was her own wish to not let the events be depicted in an overly dramatic way. Pearl makes her experiences seem completely normal and ordinary. They are far from that and how could a reader looking back at those events not think they were an extraordinary feat of bravery in such dire times.
  I think Pearl attempts to equal the playing field by making everyone and every event seem almost casual because she doesn't want to elevate her own role in those events. No person is more important than any other. I admire that in her but at the same time think she should and can own her bravery and courage.
  As most eyewitness accounts of wartime events this counts as part of history and although it may not be a work of literary prowess it is a work that should be read for posterity.
  I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
• 
  Stephanie F.

  I really enjoyed "Code Name Pauline." It was a subject that I really knew nothing about. I had never heard of the SOE group before, but now I want to research and learn more.
  
  This book is about a woman, Pearl, who was a secret agent during WWII. She parachuted into France and worked within a group that fought to keep information, materials, communication, and movement from the Germans.
  
  This book is inspiring because the reader is able to see the bravery in this woman. More than anything, I think that is what I have taken away from reading this book - some people are REALLY brave. She states in the book that she never thought of it as anything except something that she just had to do and that was that - end of story.
  
  I love that this is written in a way where young adults can read, understand, and learn easily. This is the kind of book I would have loved to read in middle school and I think that it has the possiblity of teaching people about caring for others, sticking up for what is right, and perseverence.