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The Flight Portfolio

Based on a true story, utterly gripping and heartbreaking World War 2 historical fiction
3.77 goodreads logo

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( 6,988 ratings, 976 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Flight Portfolio tells the story of Varian Fry, a young American journalist in 1940 France during World War II. Armed with limited resources and a list of artists, writers, and thinkers to rescue, Fry undertakes a perilous mission to save those targeted by the Nazis. As he smuggles them across borders and faces mounting dangers, he grapples with the unbearable choices of who to save amid humanity's darkest hour.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers of historical fiction with an interest in World War II, moral courage, and human resilience. Fans of Schindler's List, All the Light We Cannot See, or The Tattooist of Auschwitz will find this an engaging and heart-rending read.

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1940, Nazi occupied France. In the middle of a devastating war, how many lives can you save?

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

1940, France. In the middle of a devastating war, how many lives can you save?

Varian Fry, a young American journalist, arrives in Marseille armed only with three thousand dollars and a list of writers, thinkers, and artists he hopes to rescue - so long as the Nazis don't get to them first.

With borders closing around him, Varian tries to track down those on his list; renowned artists like Marc Chagall, who cannot believe that he will ever be unsafe in the country he loves. He smuggles them over the Pyrenees mountains and across the sea hidden in boats, but every day hundreds of ordinary Jewish refugees beg him for help. Does Varian have the right to choose who to save?

At home in New York, making a list seemed hard, but in the middle of humanity's darkest hour, Varian must do all he can to help. And as the Nazis begin to get word of Varian's secret operation, he must dig deep and find the courage to rescue as many innocents as he can.

Even though his own life may be in terrible danger.

An incredibly compelling and heart-wrenching historical novel, inspired by a powerful true story, about the extraordinary courage and friendships forged during humanity's darkest hour. If you loved Schindler's List, All the Light We Cannot See or The Tattooist of Auschwitz, you'll adore The Flight Portfolio.

What readers are saying about The Flight Portfolio:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Oh - it's FABULOUS!... The best historical novel I've read in a long time.' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I love this book so much I can barely breathe.' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Such a wonderful novel!!... Please do yourself a favour and read it!!' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Couldn't put this down. Beautiful writing and a riveting plot make this book an absolute page-turner!' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I did not want this book to end... Riveting. I loved it.' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An outstanding book for anyone who likes historical fiction, a gripping story, lyrical writing, or all three. It is one of those books that you never want to end.' Goodreads Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I can't begin to believe that I will read another book this year that will even come close to reaching its calibre.' Goodreads Reviewer

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as "magnificent" and "brilliantly conceived," Julie Orringer's novel is lauded for its masterful prose, vivid characterisation, and suspenseful storytelling. Critics highlight the book’s meticulous detail and emotional depth, celebrating its portrayal of courage and resistance. Esteemed authors like Michael Chabon and Andrew Sean Greer commend it as an ambitious and unforgettable historical novel.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349994154

Publisher: John Murray Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 August 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Dialogue Books

Contributors:

  • Translated by Priscilla Layne

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 42.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 388g

Pages: 576

About the Author

Julie Orringer is the author of three award-winning books: How to Breathe Underwater, The Invisible Bridge, and most recently The Flight Portfolio, soon to become a Netflix series. She is the winner of The Paris Review's Plimpton Prize and has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Cullman Center at the New York Public Library, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard, the MacDowell Colony, and Yaddo. She teaches at New York University and lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, where she is at work on a new novel.

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