The Indomitable Florence Finch by Robert J. Mrazek. The research that went into this book was amazing and I loved that the family was a huge part of the research! Florence without a doubt, is a hero in every sense of the word. Florence who lives in Manila in WWII, was married. Her husband died in battle and she faced having to care for herself, her niece and ultimately other family. Once she heard about Americans being held captive she found ways to get them the medicine and money they needed to survive. But that wasn't enough for Florence. She found other ingenious ways to help the Americans and hurt the Japanese cause at the same time. She suffered greatly for her bravery, and ultimately she survived and thrived. I have read books about the battle in the Philippines, the Bataan Death March, and numerous other WWII books, but this one read like a fiction novel and at times I had to remind myself that this was Florence's story. I caught myself many times dropping my jaw, getting angry and by the time the book was over I had tears streaming down my face. This book will be published tomorrow... Please go out and buy a copy and read for yourself what a hero truly is. 5⭐
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Thank you Netgalley, Hachette Books and Robert J. Mrazek for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mrazek's work is well-written, engaging, and unlike many bios, keeps the reader interested from start to finish.

I have read numerous texts about the female resistance fighters of WWII but never one as compelling told about a woman resisting on the Pacific front. Finch's tale of courage and determination alongside the brutality of the (not gratuitously told) Japanese invasion of the Philippines. Mrazek doesn't sugar coat Finch's life from the start, and he does not change that position when discussing the battles, hardships, and all-out war those in the Philippines experienced during WWII. He sticks to his thesis and successfully carries it through to the end.

My only complaint is that Florence's story takes a backseat during much of the middle of the book, but I can understand this one thing as necessary for setting and historical context that readers may need to truly understand just how formidable and "indomitable" Florence Finch was during the war. This book makes it clear why Ms. Finch won the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I would recommend this book to history buffs, readers looking for strong female inspiration, and those simply wanting to know more about the human condition.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for the DARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

This biography shines light on a forgotten hero that saved many lives in the Philippines during World War II. I had never heard of Florence Finch, but after listening to this book, I definitely will not forget her, as she truly defined what a hero is.

I can’t speak for anyone else’s K-12 education, but my education about the Pacific Theater in World War II was limited almost exclusively to the endpoints: Pearl Harbor, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Obviously, the endpoints are crucial to history, but there is more to the story. In The Indomitable Florence Finch, the reader follows the experiences of Florence Finch and E. Carl Engelhart. The titular Florence Finch was a Filipina woman with an American father, married to an American soldier. Using her position within the Japanese-controlled Phillipine Liquid Fuel Distribution Union, Florence diverted thousands of gallons of fuel either for sale or for direct use by resistance forces. Proceeds from the sales were then used to purchase essential supplies for prisoners of war held by the Japanese. One of those prisoners was Engelhart, her former supervisor in US Army Intelligence. He was one of only a few survivors of the battles of Baatan and Corregidor to live through the subsequent transports and prison camps to see the end of the war, with his own memoirs and notes about his time in captivity.

Florence Finch was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and the only woman in the US Coast Guard awarded the Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon. She raised two children, was active in her community and her church, and lived a completely separate life after moving to the United States. In 1995, the Coast Guard named their Pacific Headquarters building in Hawaii after Finch, and her children finally learned about their mother’s wartime experience. A few years later, her son videotaped eighteen hours of his mother’s stories, and those tapes were foundational to writing this book. Don’t expect heart pounding action on every page, and know that the first portion of the book details Florence’s early life before diving into the World War II experience.I definitely recommend this book for World War II enthusiasts, and think it is an excellent partner for Hampton Sides’ Ghost Soldiers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review via NetGalley.

Mrazek made this book about difficult but heroic acts easy to read by focusing on the story of one individual per chapter. This way I was able to just skim the chapters focusing on MacArthur and his extra-ness. I understand the chapters on Carl provided context on what Florence did, how small things like her care packages smuggled into POW camps can lead to bigger effects, but MacArthur has had enough coverage by historians and we didn't need to read about his ego crashing Florence's story. (My grandfather survived the Bataan Death March and I carry his grudges.) The book starts with details about how Florence's father came to even be in the Philippines, taking on wives knowing that such a thing would have been frowned upon back home but was something he could get away with while the Philippines was an American commonwealth (typical colonist dick move). Focusing on how mestizas/hapa children were discriminated against was also a great storytelling element. If it weren't for early events in the book, or Florence's correspondence with her aunt Mabelle, Florence could very well have ended up as another broken promise lefr behind by the United States like the Filipino WWII vererans of the US Army. Florence and by association Carl's stories were riveting, and I'm glad more people can learn about it now. (I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.)

What an incredible biography. I was engrossed from the moment I began. Florence's childhood was complicated by her father's relationships. She was well educated and married, then WWII began. She lost her first husband, was a revel afaomst the Japanese, survived a prison cap for two years, then moved to the US and found a new life. Florence's determination, grit, and tenacity is truly inspiring. Like many who lived through the war her children knew nothing about her former life. I'm glad Florence was able to share her story and readers get to celebrate this extraordinary woman.

As readers, we are so lucky that this account is finally being published. I am sure that there are many accounts of incredible bravery and fortitude about the Philippines and World War II that were never documented, but to have the personal letters, journals and published works of three of the major players, and then the final incredible videotaping by Finch’s family before her passing, lend such vibrancy to this book that I found it hard to put down. Florence Ebersole Smith Finch was an incredibly strong, incredibly loyal person, who was willing to reenlist even once she reached the safety of America. This perspective on the loss and then return to the Philippines is one I think armchair historians will wish to devour.

The Indomitable Florence Finch is an amazing true story of an unassuming resistance fighter during WWII. I have read several historical fiction books about WWII, so it was fascinating to read about a real person who showed such bravery and courage. The book is very well researched and almost reads like a narrative piece of work. I highly recommend this book to readers of both fiction and nonfiction.

The Indomitable Florence Finch by Robert Mrazek

Florence Finch was already a remarkable young woman when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. You’ll soon come to find out how much more outstanding she becomes.

Florence was willing and able to do any job available to her. Widowed after a short marriage, she saw a chance with her job to help the Philippine resistance and very capably formed a scheme to divert Japanese diesel and other fuels to help the rebel cause. She also garnered local aid to send clothing, medicine, money and supplies to military prisoners being treated cruelly by the Japanese.

I enjoyed the first part of this story about Florence, her family and her life in Manila. The leap to military strategies,battles, POW camps and the cruelties of war were not what I expected in the second half, though it filled in any gaps I may have had in my knowledge of WWII in Asia. Many chapters are devoted to the barbaric treatment of Filipino and American POWs with graphic details of beatings,starvation and cruelty.

Charged with war crimes, though she admitted nothing, Florence herself ends up in a prisoner of war camp and is equally punished as a man for her deeds against the Japanese. Near death, she awaits liberation by the Americans.

After her rescue, Florence moves to the United States to continue being of service to special causes, and eventually receives the Medal of Freedom in 1947 on behalf of President Truman.

Thanks to #HatchetteBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC for my review.

I read this in January, and it was one of my favorite books that month--a good opening to the new year.

The title belongs to Florence, and she ties everything together, but this is as much about the invasion of the Philippines by Imperial Japan as it is about Florence.

Florence was working at the G-2 (Intelligence) Headquarters in Manila under the command of Lt. Colonel E.C. (Carl) Engelhart when she met and married Charles (Bing) Smith, USN. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bing reported to his PT boat and was involved in the defense of Corregidor where he died in action. They had been married for only six months.

Engelhart was captured after the fall of Corregidor and sent to a POW camp in Cabanatuan, where he began keeping a record of his time in captivity and the help provided by Florence and others to the POWs.

Disturbing to me was the failure of General MacArthur to act according to the strategic plan in place (a when, not if, the Japanese continued their encroachment in the Pacific). Had he done so, the outcome in the Philippines may have been different.

Florence managed to obtain work with the Japanese-controlled Philippine Liquid Fuel Distributing Union, and working with the Philippine Underground, she was able to divert fuel supplies to the resistance. She also worked with others to smuggle in food and medicine to the POWs. The consequences of being caught meant torture and probable death.

In 1944, the Japanese finally caught on. Florence was arrested and tortured. When finally rescued by American forces in 1945, she weighed only 80 pounds.

I've only touched briefly on some of the events in the book, but it was well-written and fascinating. The documentation of the work is extensive, and in large part, from primary sources.

Highly recommended!

Read in January; blog review scheduled for June 1, 2020.

NetGalley/Hatchette Books
Biography/Memoir/WWII. June 16, 2020. Print length: 368 pages.

This is a really good fascinating read. It's well written and researched. I really liked the fast pace. I am so glad I got to read Florence Finch's story, she's a real hero.

This well written, well researched account is heartbreaking and hopeful. I had never heard of Mrs. Finch but I am so glad I was able to read this one. It was so well written and quick paced. A wonderful book about a true hero.