A Woman of No Importance

The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II

By: Sonia Purnell

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE • A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, the Seattle Times, the Washington Independent Review of Books, PopSugar, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, BookBrowse, the Spectator, and the Times of London

Winner of the Plutarch Award for Best Biography

“Excellent…This book is as riveting as any thriller, and as hard to put down.” -- The New York Times Book Review

"A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance." - NPR

"A meticiulous history that reads like a thriller." - Ben Macintyre

A never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine.

In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her."

The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it.

Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day.

Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.

Read the actual book instead

Great story of an amazing woman. But I did not enjoy the narrator at all.

When! Is the movie coming out?!

Juliet Stevenson is stellar, as usual.
This story is almost unbelievable. In fact, if it were fiction you would swear it contained exaggerations but as we know, it is often the case that truth is more remarkable than fiction.

I am so happy I bought this listen. Wonderful that the story of this brave person is being told finally.
I am not surprised that a woman could pull this off just glad that the story is finally being told.
I would feel the same if the deeds had been accomplished by men but most often the stories of men have been told.

Great story, but ...

I was unaware of Virginia and her incredible story. Amazing. Made me want to learn more.

Pity it is told by a distracting narrator with very poor imitation accents. Especially American. If we really sound like that, no wonder the rest of the world hates us. Plus spotty research like pronouncing Dulles as “Dulls”.

Extremely interesting

In many cases it demonstrates how arrogant people are and they fail because of it, also demonstrates how one can overcome and do great things despite the interference of others. It also explains misogyny of the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and today. It also explains the Bay of Pigs and other CIA failure

Astounding

This bio reads like a thriller but also offers insights into the origins of intelligence agencies in the US and abroad. The character of Virginia Hall leaps off the page- just like the original woman. This book dovetails and deepens the truth surrounding other popular resistance stories such as Lost Girls of Paris and Code Name Lise. A breathtaking story.