tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post8927277608234853916..comments2024-03-29T06:59:38.914-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: James Benn discusses The Wild PurgeJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75692400042162843772018-09-18T16:57:46.500-04:002018-09-18T16:57:46.500-04:00Thank you, James. I read your post with great inte...Thank you, James. I read your post with great interest. As you mentioned, my new novel, The Lost Vintage, also focuses on the épuration sauvage. I am glad to see more discussion about this horrific period of French history. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02338866736179525747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-33143670602170957392018-09-17T10:43:04.685-04:002018-09-17T10:43:04.685-04:00It should be noted that the story of the funeral w...It should be noted that the story of the funeral wreath maker in Toulouse came from a very informative article in Time magazine from June 2018, written by Ann Mah: http://time.com/5303229/women-after-d-day/<br />She is the author of The Lost Vintage, a recently published novel which deals with the Wild Purge and French wine; looks very interesting.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30630153837804562892018-08-24T11:32:49.757-04:002018-08-24T11:32:49.757-04:00I have learned so much about small pieces of WWII ...I have learned so much about small pieces of WWII from these well researched books. They are wonderful! holdenjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04563239351498816805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-89819154616664949262018-08-24T07:10:29.086-04:002018-08-24T07:10:29.086-04:00Thanks, Melanie. I appreciate it! Thanks, Melanie. I appreciate it! James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-82159622126445992052018-08-23T23:54:24.751-04:002018-08-23T23:54:24.751-04:00hey, SCSU alums, BA in English here. Qualified me ...hey, SCSU alums, BA in English here. Qualified me for a really fun career in audiobook publishing. I just loved the only other Billy Boyle book I've read--the one about the Tiger operation that went so badly wrong. Ok, now that I look at that sentence "loved" may not be so great for hundreds of people dead in a major c-k-up that was covered up. But such good writing, wonderful story set against this backdrop. Your characters are just wonderful. And I liked the moments when Billy just instructed us to look away and mind our own business (these were the romantic interludes). So, your latest is on my next Amazon purchase list. So much looking forward to it!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17946905881136839301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21790083148726296062018-08-23T19:56:07.870-04:002018-08-23T19:56:07.870-04:00Enjoyed your post James. Fascinating & scary.Enjoyed your post James. Fascinating & scary.Jana Leah Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07492395947508454607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11057000710940927252018-08-23T18:11:42.215-04:002018-08-23T18:11:42.215-04:00A murder in wartime is especially heinous - a life...A murder in wartime is especially heinous - a life that might have been well lived if it survived the carnage.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-19172201701358222712018-08-23T17:41:38.382-04:002018-08-23T17:41:38.382-04:00I've been watching X-Company about Canadian sp...I've been watching X-Company about Canadian spies in WWII France and reading Susan Elia MacNeal's books about British spies, some in France. It's certainly an interesting time period to set mysteries in. Sally from PAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649707016754971847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-4585705831938426132018-08-23T17:15:40.691-04:002018-08-23T17:15:40.691-04:00Wonderful! Thanks for the heads -up, Jim! Wonderful! Thanks for the heads -up, Jim! Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-63179126337889433982018-08-23T16:43:26.177-04:002018-08-23T16:43:26.177-04:00For those of you have may be intrigued, Soho Press...For those of you have may be intrigued, Soho Press has just put up the first chapter of SOLEMN GRAVES to read for free. Check it out if you want to get a head start...<br />https://sohopress.com/read-an-excerpt-solemn-graves/James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-91438639605166990362018-08-23T14:38:46.556-04:002018-08-23T14:38:46.556-04:00You are welcome. The Vel d'Hiv roundup was hor...You are welcome. The Vel d'Hiv roundup was horrifying, so much more since the France organized it and carried it out themselves.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77220437355301072732018-08-23T14:37:44.465-04:002018-08-23T14:37:44.465-04:00Thanks! I hope you enjoy it, and please thank your...Thanks! I hope you enjoy it, and please thank your library for ordering it!James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-65949743756535837152018-08-23T14:36:46.144-04:002018-08-23T14:36:46.144-04:00Kathy - You'll find a lot about Chanel in Les ...Kathy - You'll find a lot about Chanel in Les Parisiennes, and I believe there are a few biographies that go into depth, especially Hal Vaughan's Sleeping with the Enemy, which provides evidence that Chanel spied for the Nazis.<br />Chanel was thwarted in her attempt to take over the perfume firm owned by a Jewish couple. She claimed the company had been abandoned by the owners, unaware that they had taken the precaution of selling their company to a sympathetic businessman, who returned it to them when they returned after the war. Score one for the good guys.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-68773075832647571612018-08-23T14:21:44.911-04:002018-08-23T14:21:44.911-04:00I had read about the Vel d'Hiv incident in Fra...I had read about the Vel d'Hiv incident in France, but was unaware of most of what you touched on in your thought-provoking blog. Everything you wrote about has stayed on my mind all morning. Thanks for sharingCelia Fowlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02138257308552361041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-37691019097018365492018-08-23T14:19:30.782-04:002018-08-23T14:19:30.782-04:00Hello James, glad to hear the next Billy Boyle sto...Hello James, glad to hear the next Billy Boyle story is out soon. I'm on the waiting list at my local library, where I discovered your books about a year ago, and love them. Have learned so much about WW II from your books. Keep up the good work! jgalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13539644238476377899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-76025418684954550392018-08-23T14:18:56.412-04:002018-08-23T14:18:56.412-04:00Thanks Triss. I will have to search out that story...Thanks Triss. I will have to search out that story.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30964912913032877192018-08-23T14:18:24.347-04:002018-08-23T14:18:24.347-04:00Yep. Probably in her mind there was only one side ...Yep. Probably in her mind there was only one side of the street - the Chanel side.<br />James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88389281839135684332018-08-23T14:15:18.834-04:002018-08-23T14:15:18.834-04:00What a gut punching statement at the end, "on...What a gut punching statement at the end, "only six went to women" in talking about the awarding of medals. I was aware of the head shearing of French women suspected of being involved with German soldiers, but I wasn't aware of how large a number it was. 20,000! That's a horrifying number, as, since you mentioned, James, it only took a whiff of suspicion or even a desire to settle an old score. I've seen the pictures you posted and some others, and your noting of the mob mentality and look of the mob on the faces of those doing this shaming are disturbing. I wasn't aware either of the number of people killed in "the wild purge" or that it was called that. And, I did know that Coco Chanel lived at the Ritz courtesy of her German "connections." I'm curious if there's a book you'd recommend, James, about this collaboration of hers, with her feelings about it included. I have to assume she expressed remorse at some point. Did she? And, as it is now, it was then that having money enabled one to escape the humiliations and punishments that the less moneyed suffered. <br /><br />As someone who is highly interested in WWII and novels that have it as a setting, I can't believe I've been ignorant of your books, James. I plan on rectifying that lapse in my reading. And, I'm putting the Anne Sebba book on my TBR list, too. Thank you for the informative and interesting reading today about this time period after D-Day. Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51064718791289789102018-08-23T13:52:10.399-04:002018-08-23T13:52:10.399-04:00Hi Jenn - Librarians who write, unite!
Thanks for...Hi Jenn - Librarians who write, unite!<br /><br />Thanks for your kind words, and you're spot on about remembering the worst of the past as we deal with what the present offers up to us. I am continually surprised at how many parallels and lessons there are for us.James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67352906897636184982018-08-23T13:48:45.030-04:002018-08-23T13:48:45.030-04:00Pat, Italy was certainly riven by factions fightin...Pat, Italy was certainly riven by factions fighting against each other - the fascist diehards who stuck with Mussolini and the partisan bands who fought them and the Nazis. But it seems that Italy accepted its role, first as an Axis member and then as an Allied partner. The Italians didn't seem to need to reinvent their story the way the French did.<br />Interestingly, my mother's cousin was a German soldier in Italy. He was on the convoy retreating north to the Alps at the end of the war, with Mussolini and his party in tow. They were stopped by partisans who said they didn't want a fight, they just wanted Mussolini, and if the Germans gave him up they'd let them continue. Uncle Willi said his officers conferred for about twenty seconds and then basically said, "He's in that truck."James R. Bennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15072061423701742747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59526297080658837932018-08-23T12:35:05.915-04:002018-08-23T12:35:05.915-04:00Hello, James! First let me say, howdy as a fellow ...Hello, James! First let me say, howdy as a fellow alum from SCSU with a degree library science! Go Owls! Sadly, I am woefully ignorant about the history of WWII beyond D-Day. This blog post was fascinating and horrifying. It reminds me of the Salem witch trials and the mob mentality that was unleashed upon anyone at any time, but, of course, this was on a much bigger scale. Of course, I am not surprised that the Frenchwomen were not recognized for their efforts. *sigh*<br />Solemn Graves sounds very timely and I am really looking forward to reading it. Thank you for bringing "the wild purge" into mystery fiction - it is so important to remember the past, especially now. Jenn McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13589365995413467367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-44902413939263396452018-08-23T12:07:39.194-04:002018-08-23T12:07:39.194-04:00It sounds like Salem, Massachusetts all over again...It sounds like Salem, Massachusetts all over again. And the French revolution. And the Balkans. It seems wherever there is war and upheaval there are people to take advantage of it to settle old grudges. So very human and so tragic. Was there anything similar in Italy when it switched sides from the Axis to the Allies? Pat Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12732230586783432052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-55181728084729269742018-08-23T11:29:15.364-04:002018-08-23T11:29:15.364-04:00That sounds very scary, Jim! That sounds very scary, Jim! Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15880129151900315602018-08-23T11:04:14.516-04:002018-08-23T11:04:14.516-04:00Happy to know someone else does. It was in a colle...Happy to know someone else does. It was in a collection of stories, and I have no idea of either title. He wrote a few that stuck with me. I had a better memory in those days!Trisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08058396345946250313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-42255837273894220162018-08-23T10:49:01.367-04:002018-08-23T10:49:01.367-04:00Fascinating topic, and what a setting for a myster...Fascinating topic, and what a setting for a mystery! I knew bits and pieces of the story - the myth of the widespread Resistance, the shaving of women's heads, but I didn't know there was a whole period of mob violence following the liberation. Purge is a good word for it - both getting rid of "enemies of the state" and purging the collective guilt and rage of the men involved.<br /><br />It feels as if all of WWII is so well documented - I'm impressed by your ability to find such a riveting but little-known event in which to set a novel!Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553268569509053159noreply@blogger.com