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  • Three Ordinary Girls

  • The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins and WWII Heroes
  • By: Tim Brady
  • Narrated by: David de Vries
  • Length: 7 hrs
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (13 ratings)

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Three Ordinary Girls cover art

Three Ordinary Girls

By: Tim Brady
Narrated by: David de Vries
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Publisher's Summary

May 10, 1940. The Netherlands was swarming with Third Reich troops. In seven days it's entirely occupied by Nazi Germany. Joining a small resistance cell in the Dutch city of Haarlem were three teenage girls: Hannie Schaft, and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, who would soon band together to form a singular female underground squad.

Smart, fiercely political, devoted solely to the cause, and "with nothing to lose but their own lives", Hannie, Truus, and Freddie took terrifying direct action against Nazi targets. That included sheltering fleeing Jews, political dissidents, and Dutch resisters. They sabotaged bridges and railways, and donned disguises to lead children from probable internment in concentration camps to safehouses. They covertly transported weapons and set military facilities ablaze. And they carried out the assassinations of German soldiers and traitors - on public streets and in private traps - with the courage of veteran guerilla fighters and the cunning of seasoned spies.

Tim Brady offers a never-before-seen perspective of the Dutch resistance during the war. Of lives under threat; of how these courageous young women became involved in the underground; and of how their dedication evolved into dangerous, life-threatening missions on behalf of Dutch patriots - regardless of the consequences.

©2021 Tim Brady (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

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good war story

Interesting WW2 resistance story. I found myself with images flashing in my mind, based on the descriptive language. I like that when it happens.

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  • Joe
  • 17-09-2022

God bless these girls.

My mum or my older uncle never spoke of the war. My Oma, Joanna Maria Bonekamp/ m Goedhart was Jans sister. I am so proud to be part of the family and have his blood in my veins, and after hearing this book, I will make a trip to NL to visit their graves. Joe Goedhart

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3.5 stars

<b>3.5 Stars </b>
I read this book during one of my dives into the Holocaust. This is probably the fourth audiobook in a row that I listen to within the span of less than a month. I was particularly looking for stories of World War II and the Holocaust in the Netherlands because it is something that I hadn't really heard of before, except for in the case of Anne Frank.

This is the story of three young girls who during the war were either in their teens or early 20s who were actively involved in the Dutch resistance. The girls were involved in hiding Jews, stealing ration cards, executions which were known as liquidations, sabotage and so on.

I think what I enjoy about these particular stories is how they are about every day people who see an injustice and feel like they must do something. Each of these three girls were very left leaning politically, and where associated with the Communist party and were very antifascist. They all felt it was their duty to protect the Netherlands from fascist rule.

I think it's amazing what these three young girls managed to accomplish and save so many people. Even those in their own resistance group doubted their abilities because they were girls. These girls were feminists before the second wave of feminism. They were required to do some horrific things for their country and they did them almost unquestioningly.

I think what is particularly sad about these girls stories is that one of them gave her life for their country, and at her funeral her name was pronounced wrong. Not only that, but because their resistance group was Communist or left-leaning after the war they were essentially disregarded. And once when they were going to march for their fallen comrades and they were prevented with force by the police.

Overall very well written and researched, my only issue was I sometimes found it difficult to follow some of the girls and characters because some of the names were very similar and one of the girls names was used mum was referred to by both her real name her nickname and her coat day which I found a little bit confusing.

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