Manilla Press wins eight-way auction for “gripping” untold WWII story, The Nine
Bonnier Books UK imprint Manilla Press has acquired The Nine, a “gripping” WWII story by author Gwen Strauss, following a heated eight-way auction.
Margaret Stead, publisher, Manilla Press, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights including audio from Kerry Nordling at SMP.
The Nine: A True Story of Nine Daring Women and their Escape from the Third Reich tells the thrilling, cinematic untold story of nine young women, WWII resistance fighters, captured by the Nazis, who launched a breathless escape from a death march to reach enemy lines.
“I’m honoured that Manilla Press is publishing my book and grateful to be in such capable, experienced hands.”
Gwen Strauss
The story is an account of the enormous acts of bravery which led to the capture of nine French resistance fighters. They were interrogated by the Gestapo and sent to a forced labour camp that was part of Buchenwald. They survived till the end of the war, when they were sent out on a death march, from which they launched a breathless escape and made it back to Allied lines.
Author Gwen Strauss is the great-niece of one the nine extraordinary women.
“For too long the stories of courage from WWII have been about men – here now is a story about women heroes who fought fearlessly against the Germans and lived to tell the tale.”
Margaret Stead, publisher, Manilla Press
Gwen Strauss said: “I’m thrilled to be part of Bonnier’s new imprint Manilla Press and to know that the story I have worked so hard to tell won’t be lost in a crowd of other titles. It’s important to write a good book, but a writer also needs a dedicated support team to allow the work to come to life, to find readers. I’m honoured that Manilla Press is publishing my book and grateful to be in such capable, experienced hands.”
Margaret Stead, publisher, Manilla Press said: “The Nine is the gripping and vivid account of nine young women who risked their lives to join the French resistance, took part in brave acts of sabotage against the German occupiers, were captured and survived interrogation and incarceration at Buchenwald, making a daring escape from a death march to a life of freedom back in France.
For too long the stories of courage from WWII have been about men – here now is a story about women heroes who fought fearlessly against the Germans and lived to tell the tale.
We are delighted to be working with Gwen Strauss in publishing her wonderful book.”
The Nine: A True Story of Nine Daring Women and their Escape from the Third Reich by Gwen Strauss will publish in Autumn 2020.
