Meticulously researched, this book paints a disturbing picture of collaboration and artistic co-habitation. Crushed militarily, Petain's Vichy government was eager to show that France was not defeated culturally. Riding provides a roll call of the famous and not-so-famous actor, writer or artist who had to choose whether to stay or go. The show did go on, but not so as to displease Hitler, who chillingly remarked "Let the French degenerate. All the better for us."
(Jeremy Miller - bwl 65 Summer 2012 ) |
