The Mistress of the Ritz, Benjamin - B

             This rather interesting novel is inspired by a true story.  It is primarily about the marriage of Claude and Blanche Auzello, he a Frenchman and she an American. They were married in 1923 just before Claude became manager of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. The hotel became his life and he served successfully for decades, including the four years of occupation from 1940-44. The occupation was a challenge as the German high command lived at the hotel and Claude served them throughout the four years. Unbeknownst to each other, both Blanche and Claude undertook dangerous missions for the Resistance. Blanche was imprisoned for months just before the city's liberation. Probably the most important take away here is the role of the famous hotel in Paris' always enduring mythology.