In The Frenchman’s Table, Julie Lomax tells stories whose outlines are familiar. We know about concentration camps, the bombing of Europe, the occupation of France, the overrunning of Austria and Poland. We know that there was a Resistance movement, made up of men and women, many of whom gave their lives to stop or thwart the Nazis. Here, a table made by a French father and son records the comings and goings of people who are smuggled out of occupied territory and are passed along toward safety. Dates and initials are carved into the underside of the table as a means of remembering those who’ve found a temporary haven in the house of the Frenchman’s son, Yves. He is a member of the Resistance, and his wife Paula is more than willing to help shelter those who are on the run.
