Atwood tells the stories of heroic women from eight different countries, women who served as couriers, spies, rescuer, and correspondents. She includes the stories of many famous women, like Corrie ten Boom and Marlene Dietrich, and many unsung heroes, like Hannie Schaft, the Dutch woman with “the red hair.”  The book is very text-dense; a few photos and sidebars are included but not many. At the end of each bio there is a short list of books by or about the hero. I found the stories fascinating and inspiring, how each of the women decided to help the cause and their reasons for risking their lives to help others. I was aware of Josephine Baker’s career as a singer, dancer and actress. But I had no idea that she also served as a spy for the French government. Students could easily use this book as the first step in research on the Resistance during WWII, on the lives of specific women, or on heroes in general. The book does not have to be read cover to cover and does include a glossary at the end.