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Train to Nowhere : One Woman's World War II, Ambulance Driver, Reporter, Liberator by Anita Leslie (2018, Trade Paperback)

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You are purchasing a Good copy of 'Train to Nowhere: One Woman's World War II, Ambulance Driver, Reporter, Liberator'. Condition Notes: The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued.

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherBloomsbury Publishing USA

ISBN-101448216680

ISBN-139781448216680

eBay Product ID (ePID)239529641

Product Key Features

Book TitleTrain to Nowhere : One Woman's World War II, Ambulance Driver, Reporter, Liberator

Number of Pages336 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicWomen, Military / World War II, Personal Memoirs, Military

Publication Year2018

IllustratorYes

GenreBiography & Autobiography, History

AuthorAnita Leslie

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.9 in

Item Weight10.1 Oz

Item Length7.8 in

Item Width5.3 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

Reviews"Train to Nowhere is the most gripping piece of war reportage I have ever read: particularly affecting is Anita Leslie''s account of the Battle of Colmar, where her descriptions are almost too unbearable to take in. What a writer! Her observations, mixed with dry humour and compassion, place her at the heart of the conflict and somehow apart from it, as a good historian should be. Remarkable." - Joanna Lumley "A vivid memoir, beautifully crafted, by a remarkable woman at a unique period in modern history. Her skills of observation are penetrating and make this book a marvellously accessible account of WWII. Unputdownable." - Mary S. Lovell, Author of The Mitford Girls "Anita Leslie was a lionhearted heroine of the first order, whose extraordinary bravery and sangfroid knew no bounds...An astonishing life and a fascinating book." - Anjelica Huston "A triumph of a memoir. Anita Leslie bears testament to the many courageous women who lived and fought in World War II." - Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire "For every distressing episode there is the leavening effect of Anita Leslie''s indomitable spirit, her canny observations and wry sense of humour in the face of unimaginable adversity, all of which turned the book into something quite unexpected and extraordinary." - Dovegreyreader "A vivid reminder that a woman can experience and write about a war, and seventy years on, her words stand the test of time: precise and compelling." - Kate Adie, BBC Broadcaster "It''s glorious! Had me utterly gripped, I couldn''t put it down. I wish I''d been able to meet her and ask her a thousand questions about the war." - Caroline Wyatt, BBC War Correspondent "The emotional truths of front-line war revealed - a charming writer, bold, female and brave." - Fay Weldon, Author of Death of a She Devil "Train to Nowhere speaks of another mood, a different time and a grittier generation...This, surely, is the second world war we want to rediscover in print." - Robert McCrum, Observer "If Evelyn Waugh''s Mrs Algernon Stitch had been possessed of a heart, a sense of humour, and a glorious prose style, it could be said that she was a dead ringer for Anita Leslie. Train to Nowhere is a glorious book, brought back to vivid life." - John Banville, Booker Prize winning author of The Sea "Gripping...concise, brisk, funny, vivid and honest." - Ysenda Maxtone Graham, Daily Mail "Anita Leslie''s dispassionate account of her own extraordinary role in World War II is a rediscovered gem, and her harrowing description of the fighting in Alsace particularly stands out as one of the finest pieces of war reporting to come out of that or any other conflict." - Ray Moseley, Author of Reporting War How Foreign Correspondents Risked Capture, Torture and Death to Cover World War II "A sharply observed account of one woman''s unique war. Surreal, funny, dark, and profoundly moving. Gold dust." - Rick Stroud, Author of Lonely Courage "Train to Nowhere is a delightful read and very enlightening, Anita''s obvious bravery and dedication is evident. I finished it with a feeling of admiration for Anita." - Victor Gregg, author of Rifleman "Nobody else has written about the war like this, a mixture of savagery and fun; perhaps Evelyn Waugh comes closest." - Penny Perrick, Author of Telling Tales: The Fabulous Lives of Anita Leslie "It remains one of the most remarkable insights into life on the frontline, offering a sometimes harrowing, sometimes heartwarming, but always candid account of five years fighting the Nazis." - Dan Townend, Daily Express "Calm, youthful candour ... forthright acceptance of the whole duty of war service." - Observer, 1948 "A terse, keen reticence and the summing up of deadly situations in a line or two." - The Times, 1948, "Train to Nowhere speaks of another mood, a different time and a grittier generation...This, surely, is the second world war we want to rediscover in print." - Robert McCrum, Observer " If Evelyn Waugh's Mrs Algernon Stitch had been possessed of a heart, a sense of humour, and a glorious prose style, it could be said that she was a dead ringer for Anita Leslie. Train to Nowhere is a glorious book, brought back to vivid life." - John Banville, Booker Prize winning author of The Sea "Train to Nowhere is the most gripping piece of war reportage I have ever read: particularly affecting is Anita Leslie's account of the Battle of Colmar, where her descriptions are almost too unbearable to take in. What a writer! Her observations, mixed with dry humour and compassion, place her at the heart of the conflict and somehow apart from it, as a good historian should be. Remarkable." - Joanna Lumley "A vivid memoir, beautifully crafted, by a remarkable woman at a unique period in modern history. Her skills of observation are penetrating and make this book a marvellously accessible account of WWII. Unputdownable." - Mary S. Lovell, Author of The Mitford Girls "Anita Leslie was a lionhearted heroine of the first order, whose extraordinary bravery and sangfroid knew no bounds...An astonishing life and a fascinating book." - Anjelica Huston "The emotional truths of front-line war revealed - a charming writer, bold, female and brave." - Fay Weldon, Author of Death of a She Devil "A vivid reminder that a woman can experience and write about a war, and seventy years on, her words stand the test of time: precise and compelling." - Kate Adie, BBC Broadcaster "Anita Leslie's dispassionate account of her own extraordinary role in World War II is a rediscovered gem, and her harrowing description of the fighting in Alsace particularly stands out as one of the finest pieces of war reporting to come out of that or any other conflict." - Ray Moseley, Author of Reporting War How Foreign Correspondents Risked Capture, Torture and Death to Cover World War II "A sharply observed account of one woman's unique war. Surreal, funny, dark, and profoundly moving. Gold dust." - Rick Stroud, Author of Lonely Courage "Train to Nowhere is a delightful read and very enlightening, Anita's obvious bravery and dedication is evident. I finished it with a feeling of admiration for Anita." - Victor Gregg, author of Rifleman "Nobody else has written about the war like this, a mixture of savagery and fun; perhaps Evelyn Waugh comes closest." - Penny Perrick, Author of Telling Tales: The Fabulous Lives of Anita Leslie "A terse, keen reticence and the summing up of deadly situations in a line or two." - The Times, 1948 "Calm, youthful candour ... forthright acceptance of the whole duty of war service." - Observer, 1948 "It's glorious! Had me utterly gripped, I couldn't put it down. I wish I'd been able to meet her and ask her a thousand questions about the war." - Caroline Wyatt, BBC War Correspondent "Gripping...concise, brisk, funny, vivid and honest." - Ysenda Maxtone Graham, Daily Mail "It remains one of the most remarkable insights into life on the frontline, offering a sometimes harrowing, sometimes heartwarming, but always candid account of five years fighting the Nazis." - Dan Townend, Daily Express, "A remarkable memoir . . . A wonderful saga of one brave young woman''s war experiences." - Publishers Weekly "Train to Nowhere is the most gripping piece of war reportage I have ever read: particularly affecting is Anita Leslie''s account of the Battle of Colmar, where her descriptions are almost too unbearable to take in. What a writer! Her observations, mixed with dry humour and compassion, place her at the heart of the conflict and somehow apart from it, as a good historian should be. Remarkable." - Joanna Lumley "A vivid memoir, beautifully crafted, by a remarkable woman at a unique period in modern history. Her skills of observation are penetrating and make this book a marvellously accessible account of WWII. Unputdownable." - Mary S. Lovell, Author of The Mitford Girls "Anita Leslie was a lionhearted heroine of the first order, whose extraordinary bravery and sangfroid knew no bounds...An astonishing life and a fascinating book." - Anjelica Huston "A triumph of a memoir. Anita Leslie bears testament to the many courageous women who lived and fought in World War II." - Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire "For every distressing episode there is the leavening effect of Anita Leslie''s indomitable spirit, her canny observations and wry sense of humour in the face of unimaginable adversity, all of which turned the book into something quite unexpected and extraordinary." - Dovegreyreader "A vivid reminder that a woman can experience and write about a war, and seventy years on, her words stand the test of time: precise and compelling." - Kate Adie, BBC Broadcaster "It''s glorious! Had me utterly gripped, I couldn''t put it down. I wish I''d been able to meet her and ask her a thousand questions about the war." - Caroline Wyatt, BBC War Correspondent "The emotional truths of front-line war revealed - a charming writer, bold, female and brave." - Fay Weldon, Author of Death of a She Devil "Train to Nowhere speaks of another mood, a different time and a grittier generation...This, surely, is the second world war we want to rediscover in print." - Robert McCrum, Observer "If Evelyn Waugh''s Mrs Algernon Stitch had been possessed of a heart, a sense of humour, and a glorious prose style, it could be said that she was a dead ringer for Anita Leslie. Train to Nowhere is a glorious book, brought back to vivid life." - John Banville, Booker Prize winning author of The Sea "Gripping...concise, brisk, funny, vivid and honest." - Ysenda Maxtone Graham, Daily Mail "Anita Leslie''s dispassionate account of her own extraordinary role in World War II is a rediscovered gem, and her harrowing description of the fighting in Alsace particularly stands out as one of the finest pieces of war reporting to come out of that or any other conflict." - Ray Moseley, Author of Reporting War How Foreign Correspondents Risked Capture, Torture and Death to Cover World War II "A sharply observed account of one woman''s unique war. Surreal, funny, dark, and profoundly moving. Gold dust." - Rick Stroud, Author of Lonely Courage "Train to Nowhere is a delightful read and very enlightening, Anita''s obvious bravery and dedication is evident. I finished it with a feeling of admiration for Anita." - Victor Gregg, author of Rifleman "Nobody else has written about the war like this, a mixture of savagery and fun; perhaps Evelyn Waugh comes closest." - Penny Perrick, Author of Telling Tales: The Fabulous Lives of Anita Leslie "It remains one of the most remarkable insights into life on the frontline, offering a sometimes harrowing, sometimes heartwarming, but always candid account of five years fighting the Nazis." - Dan Townend, Daily Express "Calm, youthful candour ... forthright acceptance of the whole duty of war service." - Observer, 1948 "A terse, keen reticence and the summing up of deadly situations in a line or two." - The Times, 1948, In this remarkable memoir, originally published in the UK in 1948 and appearing in the US for the first time, Leslie writes with wit and candor of fulfilling her patriotic duty as a female ambulance driver

Dewey Edition23

Dewey Decimal940.548141

Table Of ContentIntroduction by Penny Perrick Part I: Middle East 1. Mechanized Transport Corps2. Step Off3. Cape to Cairo4. Souls in Khaki5. Desert's Edge6. Eastern Times7. Beirut Base8. Syrian Kaleidoscope9. Transjordania10. Ladies of Lebanon11. Good Works and Bad12. Goodbye Middle East Part II: Italy 13. Spring in Italy14. 'Air Evac'15. ' Simple Soldat' Part III: France and Germany 16. My Kingdom for an Ambulance!17. Debut in the Vosges18. Le Repos 19. Alsace at Last20. Beside the Rhine21. Christmas 194422. Winter Wait23. Hospital24. Battle of Colmar - Snow25. Battle of Colmar - Thaw26. Aftermath27. Home28. Bullets in Our Bonnets29. We Finish Pétain's Wine30. The Murder of Lucette and Odette31. ' Der Krieg ist Beendet ?'32. Occupation33. Extermination Camp34. And so to Potsdam35. White Wine on the Moselle36. All Change A Note on the Author Index

SynopsisA World War II memoir following the adventures of a female ambulance driver as she serves across four fronts witnesses the best and worst of humanity, and navigates the barriers imposed by sexism in the British Army. Train to Nowhere is a war memoir seen through the sardonic eyes of Anita Leslie, a funny and vivacious young woman who reports on her experiences with a dry humor, finding the absurd alongside the tragic. Daughter of a Baronet and first cousin once removed of Winston Churchill, Anita joined the Mechanized Transport Corps as a fully trained mechanic and ambulance driver during WWII, serving in Libya, Syria, Palestine, Italy, France, and Germany. Ahead of her time, Anita bemoans "first-rate women subordinate to second-rate men," and, since the English army forbade women from serving at the front, joined the Free French Forces in order to do what she felt was her duty. Writing letters in Hitler's recently vacated office and marching in the Victory parade contrast with observations of watching friends murdered and a mother avenging her son by coldly shooting a prisoner of war. Unflinching and unsentimental, Train to Nowhere is a memoir of Anita's war, one that, long after it was written, remains poignant and relevant. With a new introduction by Penny Perrick., A World War II memoir following the adventures of a female ambulance driver as she serves across four fronts witnesses the best and worst of humanity, and navigates the barriers imposed by sexism in the British Army. Train to Nowhere is a war memoir seen through the sardonic eyes of Anita Leslie, a funny and vivacious young woman who reports on her experiences with a dry humor, finding the absurd alongside the tragic. Daughter of a Baronet and first cousin once removed of Winston Churchill, Anita joined the Mechanized Transport Corps as a fully trained mechanic and ambulance driver during WWII, serving in Libya, Syria, Palestine, Italy, France, and Germany. Ahead of her time, Anita bemoans first-rate women subordinate to second-rate men, and, since the English army forbade women from serving at the front, joined the Free French Forces in order to do what she felt was her duty. Writing letters in Hitler's recently vacated office and marching in the Victory parade contrast with observations of watching friends murdered and a mother avenging her son by coldly shooting a prisoner of war. Unflinching and unsentimental, Train to Nowhere is a memoir of Anita's war, one that, long after it was written, remains poignant and relevant. With a new introduction by Penny Perrick., A World War II memoir following the adventures of a female ambulance driver as she serves across four fronts witnesses the best and worst of humanity, and navigates the barriers imposed by sexism in the British Army.

LC Classification NumberD811