Muriel's War: An American Heiress in the Nazi Resistance
"Terrible times can elicit extraordinary deeds even from ordinary people, and Muriel Gardner was anything but ordinary…[Author Sheila Isenberg sets] the story straight about this intrepid American heroine.”—The Boston Globe"Performed an act of historic justice”--The Jerusalem Post“It is simplest to put it this way: privilege, exotic friendships, intellectual adventure, international intrigue, and danger marked the life story of American heiress Muriel Gardiner. But that doesn’t cover this woman’s contribution to the history of World War II, the magnetism that drew a fascinating string of lovers to her, nor her nerve in using her wealth to save countless lives from the rolling Nazi juggernaut in the 1930s and 40s. It seems like the stuff movies are made of. And in Gardiner’s case, maybe it was.”—America inWorld War II Magazine“Muriel Gardner was a beautiful, electrifying woman who mixed with high society, was a part of Sigmund Freud's inner circle, and eventually joined the Austrian underground, where she helped thousands of Jews and anti-Fascists escape the Nazis. Her remarkable life story continued after the war with philanthropy and preservation of Freud's memory.”—Library Journal“In many ways, Muriel Gardiner's existence was the embodiment of the American dream … With a keen eye for detail, Isenberg explores Gardiner's life and admirable sacrifices.”—Kirkus Reviews“The life of Muriel Gardiner … is truly heartwarming – the number of lives she saved, or at least had a hand in saving, was incredibly great. And the saga of her long, adventurous life makes thoroughly fascinating reading … Biographer Sheila Isenberg delves quite deeply into Muriel’s personality, drawing on Muriel’s own writings and the recollections of her wide circle of acquaintances ... the narrative tells not only a detailed story of her life, but also adds greatly to our knowledge of life in Europe as events marched inexorably toward the catastrophe of World War II.”—San Diego Jewish World“A long overdue biography of a remarkable woman. Mining hitherto unpublished material Sheila Isenberg skillfully weaves together the complex threads of Muriel's life into a riveting story of her many loves and unassuming heroism.”—Brenda Webster, author ofVienna Triangle “Sheila Isenberg tells Muriel Gardiner’s extraordinary story exceedingly well.  Muriel’s Warportrays the energetic idealism and exceptional generosity of its subject with admiration, even devotion. Through careful attention to every available source, Isenberg details the remarkable achievements of a life filled to overflowing with benevolent action and unflinching reflection.”—George Rupp, President, International Rescue Committee "Beautiful, brilliant, rich, brave, Muriel Gardiner could have been a character in a potboiler novel -- but she was a real-life heroine of the Nazi resistance and Sheila Isenberg has done an extraordinary job of documenting her remarkable life both conscientiously and suspensefully in this absorbing biography."—Amanda Vaill, author ofEverybody Was So Young:Sara and Gerald Murphy —A Lost Generation Love Story"This is an utterly absorbing book. Exhaustively researched and thoroughly documented, it is dramatic, suspenseful, and movingly inspirational."—Arthur Zitrin, M.D., Professor emeritus of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, Co-producer of the documentary film, "The Real Julia: The Muriel Gardiner Story”"Isenberg puts Gardiner's life in sharp focus--what twists in her life brought her to Vienna and ultimately to underground resistance work during and after Hitler's 1938 takeover of Austria. We see what makes Gardiner human, and what makes her a hero, but most of all we see how one woman can make a difference in the lives of many. Muriel Gardiner looked fear in the face, and as Eleanor Roosevelt has said, 'we must do that which we think we cannot.'"—JoAnn Myers, chair of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center, professor of Political Science & Women's Studies at Marist College