Staff Pick of the Month — December

Reviewed by Jana Cruse, Museum Shop Associate

As someone who enjoys World War II histories, I was especially interested in reading A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell. I already knew a little about Virginia Hall, but this biography offered a much fuller picture of her life and the impact she had. Hall’s work as an American spy in occupied France—while managing a prosthetic leg and constant danger—was remarkable, and the book does a strong job showing just how much she accomplished.

I happened to be reading this at the same time as a WWII fiction novel, Saving Rebecca, and it was interesting to see the timelines overlap. Moving between the fictional story and Hall’s very real experiences gave me two different views of the same historical moment, which made Hall’s story feel even more grounded.

American Wartime Spy, Virginia Hall

The book doesn’t read like a dry biography; it moves steadily through her missions, her role in building resistance networks, and even her escape over the Pyrenees. Purnell’s research really shows, and I appreciated the balance between detail and readability.

If you like well-told history or want to learn more about an often overlooked figure from the war, this is a solid choice. It’s available in the shop and online for 20% off throughout December. Feel free to stop by if you want to talk more about it—I always enjoy discussing a good history read.