Safe Passage

More about the book

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.