Mary Burchell Libri

Leonora Culpane found herself transported from having almost nothing in her puse to the heights of unimaginable wealth. And even more incredible, a grim and unknown guardian had been given authority over her. Lora found it difficult to believe she was an heiress, but she would have traded every penny to have her father back! But, if the fortune brought with it excitement, pleasure and luxury, it also brought bewilderment, doubt, and - most astonishingly - real danger. Most important, can it bring lasting happiness?

Gala opera evenings, sudden wealth, and dangerous undercover missions into Nazi Germany define the extraordinary lives of Ida and Louise Cook—two ordinary Englishwomen from a quiet London suburb. Their journey began in 1923 when a chance hearing of an aria from Madame Butterfly ignited a passion that led to both personal joy and the rescue of numerous Jews facing persecution. This memoir, first published in 1950, recounts the sisters' inspiring adventures during World War II, showcasing their zest for life and genuine goodness that endeared them to leading opera singers of their time. Despite Ida's success as a romance novelist, the sisters remained committed to their values of thrift, hard work, self-sacrifice, and moral conviction. They made their own clothes, traveled third class, and bought the cheapest opera tickets, directing all their resources, courage, and ingenuity toward saving lives from Hitler's death camps. Uplifting and charming, this account serves as a powerful testament to what can be achieved through conscience and compassion in a collapsing world.