True war and combat stories Books

Book SynopsisPaul Bruce was a tough, idealistic young trooper in the SAS when he was dispatched to Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles. His top secret mission was to execute IRA suspects in cold blood. Bruce and his SAS comrades shot down one terrified victim after another, leaving their bodies to be buried in deep, unmarked woodland graves. In this historic book, the author reveals where his victims lie secretly buried as well as chronicling the mental breakdown of crack SAS troops ordered to carry out the dirtiest job in a secret war.

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed author Andrey Kurkov gives powerful insight into life in Kyiv following the 2013 protests and before the 2022 Russian invasion.-16°C, sunlight, silence. I drove the children to school, then went to see the revolution. I walked between the tents. Talked with rev­olutionaries. They were weary today. The air was thick with the smell of old campfires. Ukraine Diaries is acclaimed writer Andrey Kurkov's first-hand account of the ongoing crisis in his country. From his flat in Kyiv, just five hundred yards from Independence Square, Kurkov can smell the burning barricades and hear the sounds of grenades and gunshot. Kurkov's diaries begin on the first day of the pro-European protests in November 2013, and describe the violent clashes in the Maidan, the impeachment of Yanukovych, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the separatist uprisings in the east of Ukraine. Going beyond the headlines, they give vivid insight into what it's like to live through - and try to make sense of - times of intense political unrest, on the path to the current crisis.Trade ReviewAndrey Kurkov's Ukraine Diaries offer a unique personal insight into one of the world's most complex trouble spots. The fact that Kurkov lives in the heart of Kiev, and the fact that he can write so well, give an eloquence and immediacy to his account of day to day life in the teeth of a crisis. This is history, with feeling -- Michael Palin[Kurkov writes] in the style of an informed but convivial flaneur, and his entries crackle with irony and humour -- Marcus Tanner * Independent *Controlled rage and wry wit, nicely captured in Sam Taylor’s translation… Kurkov’s diaries are valuable * The Economist *As his diaries make clear, real life has outstripped his blackly comic fiction for surreal detail, political cynicism and latent menace -- Ben Hoyle * The Times, Book of the week *The power...lies in the interweaving of the extraordinary and the mundane -- John Thornhill * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisJules Verne is the author of many classic, world-famous novels such as Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In this brand-new translation of The Blockade Runners, Verne moves seamlessly between Scotland and the southern states of the US during the American Civil War. With the southern harbours effectively sealed by the North, Scottish industrialist James Playfair must run a daring Federalist blockade of a Charleston harbour in an effort to trade supplies for cotton and to rescue a young girl's father, held prisoner by the Confederates. As the blockade grows tighter, will Playfair risk all to save the man, or will he head back to Scotland in safety with his hold full of precious cotton? The Blockade Runners is a translation of Les Forceurs de Blocus (1871). As a novella, it was originally included along with A Floating City in the first English and French editions.Trade ReviewThe Blockade Runners is a superbly constructed novella. - IAN THOMPSONThe Blockade Runners belongs to the period when the inspiration of the author was growing in power. - CHRISTIAN ROBIN, Verne ScholarVerne's is a tale of love and honour that also manages to concern itself with the abolition of slavery, though with the lightest of touches. It rockets along, aided by Karen Loukes's clean-limbed translation. - THE GUARDIAN This lively work… cuts a steam-powered dash through the Atlantic waves. - THE GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisThe RAF Halton Apprenticeship Scheme has a deserved reputation for excellence. The brainchild of MRAF Hugh Trenchard, the founder of the Royal Air Force, it took the ‘traditional’ idea of an apprenticeship and interpreted it in a novel way. It allowed teenage boys from any social background or geography to learn a technical trade that would equip them for their future lives, within and beyond the RAF. It also gave the best an opportunity to become pilots and break into the once public-school-dominated officer class. Of the 50,000 boys trained as apprentices, seventeen won the Sword of Honour at Cranwell, and more than 1,200 were commissioned with 110 achieving Air Rank. Eighteen have been knighted, with well over 1,000 others being honoured at various levels of state. More than a hundred Halton Boys served as pilots in the Battle of Britain (and many more as airframe/engine fitters and armourers), including the mercurial Don Finlay, the former Olympic hurdler. Others like Gerry Blacklock and Pat Connolly flew bombers on perilous missions over Western Europe or took part in the famous ‘Dams’ Raid. Then there were the three men murdered for their part in the Great Escape, and those who battled and survived years as prisoners of the Japanese in the Far East. In the jet era, ex-apprentice Graham Hulse became an ‘ace’ in Korea, serving with an American fighter squadron, and Mike Hines went on to become OC 617 Squadron after having first flown operations during the Suez crisis. Others like Charles Owen became a pioneer commercial jet pilot, and Peter Goodwin had the misfortune of being captured in the first Gulf War and used as a human shield. Some forged successful careers beyond the RAF, like Lawrie Haynes, who was on the main board at Rolls-Royce and is now chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, and Eugene Borysuik – one of the many Polish apprentices trained at Halton, who enjoyed a successful career at GEC. And there were many others beyond air and ground crew including policemen, government officials and even bishops whose careers started with the Halton family. This is the story of Halton told through and by the boys who were there and who are still proud to be called ‘Trenchard Brats’.

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller. A miraculous true-life Second World War survival story that is being featured on the BBC's ONE SHOW (The show attracts on average a daily audience of 5 million viewers) with a ten minute dramatised documentary to be broadcast in early October 2018. A Daily Mail true life story feature is in development. Further review and BBC radio coverage Trade Advertising to accompany the release `I could see that still no one had been able to get out from the cockpit. It must have been at this moment that I thought I was going to die because I became remarkably calm'. Trapped inside a burning Lancaster bomber, 20,000 feet above Berlin, airman John Martin consigned himself to his fate and turned his thoughts to his fiancee back home. In a miraculous turn of events, however, the twenty-one-year-old was thrown clear of his disintegrating airplane and found himself parachuting into the heart of Nazi Germany. He was soon to be captured and began his period as a prisoner of war. This engaging and compulsively readable true-life account of a Second World War airman, who cheated death in the sky, only to face interrogation and the prospect of being shot by the Gestapo, before having to endure months of hardship as a prisoner of war.

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Book SynopsisBased upon a series of true episodes & real characters, Dead Reckoning weaves the UK's forgotten WWII policy of internment of civilian enemy aliens, the destiny of the SS Arandora Star, and the top secret Operation Colossus into an astonishing tale of camaraderie, choices and consequences.

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Book SynopsisA frontline eyewitness account of the Syrian Revolution from prizewinning journalist and activistHadi Alabdallah. Hadi Alabdallah was an emergency medicine student in his mid-twenties when he became a citizen journalist, covering the attack by Assad's forces on the city of Homs in 2013. He and his colleague were the first to document evidence Hezbollah was fighting for the regime. After breaking the story, which changed the course of the war as it became clear Iran and also Russia were in alliance with Assad, Alabdallah became a sought after and trusted voice on social media, where he joined the ranks of cyber-dissenters. His memoir tracks his experience upon leaving his studies to become a first responder during the Arab Spring uprisings, through 2020, by which time he had fled north to Idlib Province among the rebel factions, which posed their own dangers to young reporters. Astonishing for its rendering of friendships forged during the emotional impacts of war, Alabdallah's friends and colleagues collectively dedicated their lives to the truth and to each other, though they risked capture, prison, torture, or death every day. Using creative language and style, Critical Cases explores not only the political concerns of the author and his closest friends, but gives centrality to their feelings during the life-changing mission they undertook by challenging the authoritarian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Critically injured in an assassination attempt in Aleppo in 2016, Alabdallah spent months in recovery in Turkey, where he was interviewed for a multimedia feature on The New York Times. Later that year, he won the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Prize. Alabdallah's new Afterword remarks on the liberation of his country and the challenges that lie ahead.

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Book SynopsisWITH A FOREWORD BY PHILIPPE SANDS AND AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDREY KURKOV'If you read only one book about the war, this is the one to read.' -Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm'Unforgettable. An immediate history of a cruel war and a personal chronicle of unbearable loss' -Simon Sebag-Montefiore, author of The WorldKilled by shrapnel as he served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Olesya Khromeychuk's brother Volodymyr died on the frontline in eastern Ukraine. As Khromeychuk tries to come to terms with losing her brother, she also tries to process the Russian invasion of Ukraine: as a historian of war, as a woman and as a sister.In a thoughtful blend of memoir and essay, Olesya Khromeychuk tells the story of her brother - and of Ukraine. Beautifully written and giving unique, poignant insight into the lives of those affected, it is an urgent act of resistance against the dehumanising cruelty of war.'If you want to understand Ukraine's determination to resist, Olesya Khromeychuk's book is essential.' -Paul Mason, author of How to Stop Fascism[A] tender and courageous book... Khromeychuk's clear-sighted prose expresses the pain that thousands, even millions, have felt in every conflict, past and present. -The Literary Review Magazine'A touching and brilliantly written account about grief, and also about strength. I read it in one night.' -Olia HerculesTrade ReviewElegantly written... packed with the sharpness of moments when a death suddenly becomes real * Times Literary Supplement *I admire a book that invites me to grapple with knotty questions. Olesya Khromeychuk has written such a book - beautifully. * Professor Cynthia Enloe, author of Nimo's War *Moving, intelligent and brilliantly written, this is a sister's reckoning with a lost brother, an émigré's with the country of her childhood, and a scholar's with her own suddenly acutely personal subject matter. A wonderful combination of emotional and intellectual honesty. It even manages to be funny. * Anna Reid, author of Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine *In vivid, intimate prose and with unflinching honesty, Olesya Khromeychuk introduces us to the brother she lost in the war and found in her grief. Poignant, wise and unforgettable. * Dr Rory Finnin, University of Cambridge *[A] tender and courageous book... Khromeychuk's clear-sighted prose expresses the pain that thousands, even millions, have felt, not just in Ukraine now but in every conflict, past and present. * The Literary Review Magazine *With disarming candour and an arresting mix of the mystical and the everyday, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the impact of Putin's war on Ukrainians * Lucy Ash *A touching and brilliantly written account about grief, and also about strength. I read it in one night. * Olia Hercules *Heartbreaking, agonizing, poetical and unforgettable. An immediate history of a cruel war and a personal chronicle of unbearable loss, beautifully and vividly told by a superb historian and elegant writer in a work that brings every death in Ukraine alive with transcendent grief and love * Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History *A deeply moving and beautifully written account of her brother's death fighting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If you read only one book about the war, this is the one to read. * Henry Marsh, bestselling author of 'Do No Harm' *Khromeychuk is a scholar, and as such she brings an insight that is inseparable from her very personal story. She is able to frame the war in Ukraine with the rich particularity of human experience. It's the account only she could write. * Julie Durbin, Current *Khromeychuk shows that the experience of grief transcends individual circumstance and in fact, unites us * Los Angeles Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisPathway to the Stars takes readers on a remarkable journey spanning one hundred years of the Royal Canadian Air Force.Trade Review“[Pathway to the Stars] is a splendid new book … Over 250 pages, it is lavishly illustrated with photographs and covers the story of the RCAF from its origins to its future.” -- John Chalmers * Canadian Aviation Historical Society *Table of ContentsAbout the Authors Foreword Acknowledgements 1. The Origin Story of the RCAF: The First World War through to 1938 2. The Crucible of War: The RCAF and the Second World War, 1939–1945 3. The Cold War Deterrent Force: 1946–1991 4. Unification: Maintaining Canadian Sovereignty 5. Expeditionary Operations 6. Search and Rescue and Humanitarian Operations 7. The RCAF Today and Tomorrow 8. Reflecting on the Impact of the RCAF: Canada and the World Appendices 1. List of RCAF Commanders and Command Chiefs 2. RCAF Victoria Cross Recipients 3. List of Aircraft (Current and Historical) 4. RCAF Organization and Ceremonies 5. Timeline of the RCAF Bibliography Photo Credits Index

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Book SynopsisWinchester Lever-Action repeating rifles are an integral part of the folklore of the American West. Introduced shortly after the American Civil War, the very first Winchester, the M1866, would go on to see military service as far afield as Bulgaria, but it was in the hands of civilians that it would become known as ''The gun that won the west.'' Offering a lethal combination of portability, ruggedness and ammunition interchangeability with pistol sidearms, the Winchesters and their innovative and elegant breech-loading system represented a revolutionary design. They were used by a staggering variety of military and civilian groups - gold-miners, trappers, hunters, farmers, lawmen, professional gunmen and Native Americans. It equipped a whole generation of settlers and as such left an imprint on American culture that continues to resonate today. This book explores the Winchesters'' unique place in the history of firearms, revealing the technical secrets of their success with a full arraTable of ContentsIntroduction / Development: “The ability to shoot repeatedly” / Use: North, South – and West / Impact: The Winchester’s place in history / Conclusion / Select bibliography / Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the remarkable story of Donald Caskie, minister of the Scots Kirk in Paris at the time of the German invasion of France in 1940. Although he had several opportunities to flee, Caskie stayed behind to help establish a network of safe houses and escape routes for Allied soldiers and airmen trapped in occupied territory. This was dangerous work, and despite the constant threat of capture and execution, Caskie showed enormous resourcefulness and courage as he aided thousands of servicemen to freedom. Finally arrested and interrogated, he was sentenced to death at a Nazi show-trial, and it was only through the intervention of a German pastor that he was saved. After the war, Caskie returned to the Scots Kirk, where he served as minister until 1960. This inspiring story of selfless commitment to others in the face of extreme adversity is the legacy of a truly brave man.Trade Review'More thrilling than any adventure story' - The Scotsman

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Book SynopsisIn 1942, with a black-market chicken under his arm, Leo Marks left his father''s famous bookshop, 84 Charing Cross Road, and went to war. He was twenty-two and a cryptopgraher of genius. In Between Silk and Cyanide, his critically acclaimed account of his time in SOE, Marks tells how he revolutionised the code-making techniques of the Allies, trained some of the most famous agents dropped into France including Violette Szabo and ''the White Rabbit'', and why he wrote haunting verse including his ''The Life that I have'' poem. He reveals for the first time the disastrous dimensions of the code war between SOE and the Germans in Holland; how the Germans were fooled into thinking a Secret Army was operating in the Fatherland itself, and how and why he broke General de Gaulle''s secret code. Both thrilling and poignant, Marks''s book is truly one of the last great Second World War memoirs.

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Book SynopsisTE Lawrence focused the Arab revolt against the Turks in 1916 and helped ensure victory for the Allies in the Middle East. This is his story.

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Book SynopsisFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat comes the gripping untold story of one of the most heroic units that fought in World War IIOn December 7th 1941, the Japanese Navy bombed Pearl Harbor. For many Americans, the surprise attack was a call to arms - but for the soldier sons of Japanese-American immigrant parents, it brought prejudice and scrutiny over where their loyalties lay. In Facing the Mountain, Daniel James Brown tells the unforgettable story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Japanese-American heroes who displayed incredible courage on the brutal battlefields of Europe. Achieving the impossible in often near-suicidal missions, including rescuing a 'lost battalion' surrounded by Nazis in the French mountains, the 442nd went on to become one of the most decorated units in history. Yet at the same time, their parents were put in camps and stripped of their livelihoods, and an equally brave battle was being fought in the courtroom back home.Trade Review'My favourite kind of history book: grippingly written, full of incredible drama, and focussing on individuals rather than numbers and statistics. The 442nd Nisei Regiment who fought so brilliantly up through Italy really were forgotten heroes of a forgotten campaign, but through painstaking research and brilliant story-telling, Daniel James Brown has put the flesh back onto these men. Facing the Mountain is a terrific book' -- James HollandMasterful and beautifully written. Facing the Mountain is truly revelatory - secret history at its very best. Daniel James Brown's book tells of untold courage and sacrifice that should celebrated and never forgotten -- Damien Lewis'Extraordinary ... the author is to be congratulated for bringing to life the story of these "forgotten heroes" of the Second World War. I can see the movie already' -- Saul David * The Times *'This is the campaign diary of the one of the most forgotten, and important, minorities in the Allied Forces in the Second World War. Japanese-American soldiers and units fought across the Mediterranean, Western Europe and South East Asia, though more than 120,000 of their kin were detained as enemy aliens back home in the States. The book evokes the setting for desperate fighting with a terrific sense of location, and there are stories of heroism, danger, desperation and little deeds of common humanity - extraordinary actions by ordinary people, in the web of extraordinary times. The book is a wonderful testament to them all' -- Robert Fox, author of We Were There'A masterwork of American history that will change the way we look at World War II. You don't just read a Daniel James Brown story - you go there. Facing the Mountain is lump-in-the-throat territory, page after page' -- Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call'Daniel James Brown has done it again. A must-read contribution to the history of the 20th century. I'll never look at the World War II story in the same light' -- Timothy Egan'Facing the Mountain arrives at the perfect time, to remind us of the true meaning of patriotism. In Daniel James Brown's gifted hands, these overlooked American heroes are getting the glory they deserve. Read this book and know their stories' -- Mitchell Zukoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La'Riveting. Facing the Mountain is book that is as much about the present as it is about the past. In it are vital lessons about courage, truth, justice, and an abiding love of country. Drawing on impeccable historic research, the narrative movingly shines the light of history on prejudice and discrimination and the unfinished struggle for a more just future' -- Ann Burroughs, President & CEO, Japanese American National Museum'This virtuoso history weaves together the experiences of Japanese-American soldiers fighting in Europe and their interned families back in the U.S. to create an illuminating and spirited portrait of courage under fire' (Starred Review) * Publishers Weekly *'A must-read. You will not be able to put it down' -- Scott Oki'A deft and ambitious storyteller' * New York Times Book Review *'Daniel James Brown tackles this important story with the same impressive narrative talent and research that made The Boys in the Boat, an enduring bestseller ... The centerpieces of Facing the Mountain are the wrenching, on-the-ground descriptions of battles fought by the 442nd in Europe... every reader will admire the resilience that allowed these soldiers to create communities within the internment camps and to play such a pivotal role in the defeat of the Nazis' * BookPage *'Facing the Mountain is more than just the story of a group of young men whose valor helped save a country that spurned them, it's a fascinating, expertly written look at selfless heroes who emerged from one of the darkest periods of American history - soldiers the likes of which this country may never see again' * NPR *'Brown combines history with humanity in a tense, tender and well-researched study of the lives disrupted and disregarded by misperceptions and misinformation. Ain't no mountain high enough to keep young men such as Rudy Tokiwa of Salinas; 'Kats" Miho of Kahului, Hawaii; Fred Shiosaki of Spokane, Wash.; and Gordon Hirabayashi of Seattle from doing what is morally right' * San Francisco Chronicle *'Rich storytelling and deep historical research about the Japanese American experience are the essence of Facing the Mountain. Although the book graphically describes the horrors of battle, it spotlights stories of heroism and endurance' * Christian Science Monitor *

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Book SynopsisThe gritty and engaging story of two brothers, Chuck and Tom Hagel, who went to war in Vietnam, fought in the same unit, and saved each other''s life. One supported the war, the other detested it, but they fought it together.1968. It was the worst year of America''s most divisive war. Flag-draped caskets came home by the thousands. Riots ravaged our cities. Assassins shot our political leaders. Black fought white, young fought old, fathers fought sons. And it was the year that two brothers from Nebraska went to war.In Vietnam, Chuck and Tom Hagel served side by side in the same rifle platoon. Together they fought in the Tet Offensive, battled snipers in Saigon, chased the enemy through the jungle, and each saved the other''s life under fire. Yet, like so many American families, one brother supported the war while the other detested it.Tom and former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel never set out to be heroes, but they epitomized the best, and lived thr

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Book Synopsis''Essential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today'' Michael Morpurgo1.5 million Indians fought with the British in the First World War - from Flanders to the African bush and the deserts of the Islamic world, they saved the Allies from defeat in 1914 and were vital to global victory in 1918. Using previously unpublished veteran interviews, this is their story, told as never before.Trade ReviewThe Indian Empire at War is a pioneering study that looks at 1914-18 from the perspective of South Asia. Beautifully written, Morton-Jack's book provides a vital corrective to accounts of the Great War and its aftermath that only look at the world of Europe, from Europe -- Peter FrankopanEssential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today. A much needed book * Michael Morpurgo *Extraordinarily original -- Max HastingsThe Indian Army was of absolutely crucial importance to Britain in the First World War, but that simple fact has too often been neglected. Impeccably researched and very well written, George Morton-Jack's book should go a long way to rectifying this case of historical amnesia -- Gary SheffieldRevelatory . . . fluent and colourful . . . This book describes the war as a worldwide conflict involving a million Indian soldiers [and] shows how crucial they were to Allied success * Telegraph *Morton-Jack skilfully presents the reader with the first comprehensive telling of the Indian story and places it in a global context . . . Morton-Jack's work is magisterial and yet immensely readable. This is the book for anyone interested in an authentic broad-based account of the role played by India and its soldiers in the defining conflict of the twentieth century . . . The book is remarkable in having used, for the first time, thousands of pages of interview transcripts of Indian veterans of the war, recorded in the 1970s * India Today *Readable, important, and fills a gap that should have been dealt with long ago -- Professor Sir Michael Howard, author of The First World WarA splendid book . . . A multi- layered, rigorously researched and empathetically interpreted account of the Indian contribution to the Great War. The author's objective of shining "a more filtered light on the Indian soldiers" is luminously met . . . Morton-Jack, to his credit, does not shy away from recording the cruel face of the colonial ruler * Hindustan Times *A tour de force . . . Morton- Jack writes with an easy flowing grace to expose a veritable chasm of under- explored Great War history: The Indian Empire at War incisively summarises the entirety of India's contribution to the British war effort, excels in its treatment of the Western Front, and challenges many shibboleths. Overall Morton- Jack brings refreshing new perspectives on the Indian Army as a war- winning machine, exposing the cruel nature and sheer brutality of the British colonial regime the Indian soldiers served, and laying bare the endemic racism they shamefully suffered -- Peter HartQuite a story with an excellent cast of characters - the deserter brothers Mir Dast VC and Mir Mast, the tragic figure of General Willcocks, and so many more fill out the vast canvas -- Peter WeirEloquent, scholarly and impressive -- David GilmourMeticulously researched and robustly argued, George Morton- Jack's The Indian Empire at War not only secures the Indian soldiers and non- combatants a firm foothold on the military map of the First World War but reconfigures the very contours of that map in its imperial contexts and extra- European theatres. Erudite and expansive, this deeply impressive military account of the Indian Army is at once a labour of love, an important intervention and an engrossing read -- Santanu DasWonderfully written and authoritative . . . Global in reach and packed full of fascinating stories -- Alexander WatsonA highly original account of the First World War. For a hundred years India, as the British Empire's "jewel in the crown" and principal garrison, has not been accorded a dedicated history of its own military contribution to the global war that broke out in 1914. Now George Morton- Jack's extremely readable narrative provides the first -- Hew StrachanFits the Indian experience superbly into the overall Great War narrative * BBC History *An outstanding book that brings to life the experiences of Indian soldiers in all of the theatres of the First World War... Morton- Jack restores the Indian Army to its rightful place in the history of the Great War -- Eugene RoganAbsorbing and welcome . . . explores a remarkably diverse fighting force of 1.5 million men of all castes and creeds . . . This book is a fitting testament to the sacrifices they made * Observer *An outstanding book that brings to life the experiences of Indian soldiers in all of the theatres of WWI, from German colonies in China and Africa to the Middle East and the Western Front. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, George Morton-Jack restores the Indian Army to its rightful place in the history of the Great WarAn impressive, humane, and myth-busting book -- Allan Mallinson * Spectator *A lively history of the Indian Army in all its tragedies, difficulties and occasional triumphs . . . reveals the touching humanity of the Indian soldier -- Ian Jack * Guardian *Morton-Jack has given a voice to hundreds of thousands of soldiers who fought overseas for an Empire and would be widely forgotten from the UK to India and Pakistan. Important and moving -- Dan SnowEvery chapter contains a wealth of evocative contemporary reflections from and about men who represented a "uniquely multicultural" army . . . A fascinating socio-cultural history * BBC History Magazine *Morton-Jack puts in painstaking effort into piecing together the lives of these intrepid warriors who lived in a tumultuous, topsy- turvy age . . . This historian's account is thorough and painfully blunt . . . The indictment of British rule in India is readily apparent * New Indian Express *The Indian Army's role in World War I is perhaps the least understood dimension of that global conflict. Although the centenary of the war sparked off some interest in the stories of these soldiers, there has been no sustained examination of their experiences. Army of Empire fills this void in our historical understanding admirably and comprehensively. Widely researched and vividly written, George Morton-Jack's account of the Indian Army's crucial contribution to the Allied victory is unlikely to be surpassed any time soonSuperb . . . utterly compelling -- Jessie Childs * History Today *

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Book SynopsisFirst-hand accounts from the last days of the Third Reich: these are honest and striking accounts from the front line.

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Book SynopsisA treasure-trove of previously unpublished letters and first hand accounts from British tommies' of life and death in the trenches during the First World War. This is the story of the men who held the front line in France and Flanders. It is a graphic account of a strange and seemingly unending style of life and death in all their facets. It is a unique approach, an anthology interwoven with a continuous commentary so that the reader is always kept aware of the context of the writing. The balanced and un-emotive approach cannot, however, fail to leave the reader deeply moved. Domestic life in the line: accommodation, food and drink, wiring and carrying, the whole day and night routine are investigated, as are the operational aspects of trench life raiding and patrolling in no-man's-land and the German lines. Actual battle experience is also featured, but one of the most interesting parts of the book is devoted to the attitudes of front line soldiers, officers and their men, to each ot

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Book SynopsisThrough his letters home, combat reports, and extensive interviews with author Bill Cullen, Bob Harper describes his harrowing experiences on board the Flying Fortresses of the Eighth Air Force.

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Book SynopsisThe reigns of Augustus and his successor Tiberius saw an epic struggle between the Romans and local peoples for the territory between the Rhine and Elbe rivers in what is now Germany. Following two decades of Roman occupation, Germania Magna erupted into revolt in AD 9 following the loss of the three legions commanded by Publius Quinctilius Varus to the Cheruscan nobleman Arminius and an alliance of Germanic nations in the dense forests of the Teutoburger Wald. The Romans' initial panic subsided as it became clear that Arminius and his allies could not continue the war into Germania Inferior on the western bank of the Rhine, and Imperial troops poured into the region as the Romans decided how best to resolve the situation. Featuring full-colour artwork, specially drawn maps and an array of revealing illustrations depicting weapons, equipment, key locations and personalities, this study offers key insights into the tactics, leadership, combat performance and subsequent reputations of thTable of ContentsIntroduction /The opposing sides /Teutoburg Pass: Summer AD 9 /Idistaviso: Summer AD 16 /Angrivarian Wall: Summer AD 16 /Analysis /Aftermath /Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable story of seven African-American soldiers denied the Medal of Honor for more than 50 years due to their race, and their extraordinary acts of bravery. In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades.But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machine guns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearheaded his tank unit''s advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Trade ReviewImmortal Valor tells the story of America’s unsung heroes in a moving and insightful narrative. The research is meticulous and detailed, making each character rise up off the page. * Martin J. Dugard, New York Times bestselling co-author of 'Killing Patton' *The contributions and sacrifices made by African-Americans during World War II were endless, and many times unheralded unless you served alongside and depended on these courageous men in battle. War does not discriminate, but people do. These seven Medal of Honor recipients rose above that prejudice, and this well-written book shares their incredible stories that the public needs to hear. * Tim Gray, Founder and President, The World War II Foundation *This is the only comprehensive narrative written about the African American Medal of Honor recipients of WWII to date. Extremely well written, with very little personal background on some of these men to work with, Child manages to bring each of these heroes’ stories to life on a personal level. Child carefully reconstructs each recipient’s life prior to his act of valor, demonstrating the character traits that made each an example of integrity, sacrifice and courage. This is a must-read book about seven black soldiers and their bravery at the highest level and the racial injustice that took over four decades to acknowledge. Well done! * Arthur Collins, President, 5th Platoon, the black World War II education and reenactment group *In Immortal Valor, Robert Child celebrates the lives of seven men whose valor, personal character, and love of country took them above and beyond the call of duty. We learn not just what they did to earn the Medal of Honor--an honor they were denied for far too long--but who they were as human beings, so that their examples can continue to touch us today. * Edward G. Lengel, Ph.D., Chief Historian, National Medal of Honor Museum *Immortal Valor tells the story of seven courageous Americans who deeply loved their country at a time when America did not love them back. When it counted most, these men risked their lives in a manner above and beyond the call of duty, proving that patriotism is not defined by skin color, but by a person’s willingness to put cause and comrades first. Robert Child’s inspiring book conveys a valuable lesson to anyone wishing to understand the full extent of the American character. * Gregory J.W. Urwin Professor of History Temple University *Child is able to mould the emotional and military experiences of each soldier in this novel, allowing the prose to flow easily as we are enraptured in tumultuous and heroic battle scenes. * Aspects of History *Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note List of Illustrations Introduction PART ONE – CHARLES L. THOMAS Chapter 1: Graduation Day Chapter 2: Last Stop USA Chapter 3: A Hell of Fire PART TWO – VERNON J. BAKER Chapter 4: The Boy from Cheyenne Chapter 5: The Italian Front Chapter 6: Storming the Castle PART THREE – WILLY JAMES JR. Chapter 7: A Fifth Platoon Chapter 8: Crossing the Rhine Chapter 9: Into the Lion’s Mouth PART FOUR – EDWARD ALLEN CARTER JR. Chapter 10: Baptism by Fire Chapter 11: A Mercenary Man Chapter 12: March to the Rhine PART FIVE – GEORGE WATSON Chapter 13: Picnic at a Hanging Chapter 14: Off to War Chapter 15: Operation Lilliput PART SIX – RUBEN RIVERS Chapter 16: Black Gold Chapter 17: A New Esprit de Corps Chapter 18: Patton’s Panthers PART SEVEN – JOHN FOX Chapter 19: Transfer Student Chapter 20: Shipping Out Chapter 21: Give ’em Hell Epilogue: The Rest of the Story Afterword: The Long Road to Recognition Acknowledgments Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe miraculous story of the Walkers, six siblings who survived Blitz, battle and internment and whose incredible experiences tell a new social history of WW2, told by historian and Walker descendant Annabel Venning.

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Book SynopsisThe gripping, vividly told story of the largest POW escape in the Second World War – organized by an Australian bank clerk, a British jazz pianist and an American spy.In August 1944 the most successful POW escape of the Second World War took place – 106 Allied prisoners were freed from a camp in Maribor, in present–day Slovenia. The escape was organized not by officers, but by two ordinary soldiers: Australian Ralph Churches (a bank clerk before the war) and Londoner Les Laws (a jazz pianist by profession), with the help of intelligence officer Franklin Lindsay. The American was on a mission to work with the partisans who moved like ghosts through the Alps, ambushing and evading Nazi forces.How these three men came together – along with the partisans – to plan and execute the escape is told here for the first time. The Greatest Escape, written by Ralph Churches' son Neil, takes us from Ralph and Les’s capture in Greece in 1941 and their brutal journey to Maribor, with many POWs dying along the way, to the horror of seeing Russian prisoners starved to death in the camp. The book uncovers the hidden story of Allied intelligence operations in Slovenia, and shows how Ralph became involved. We follow the escapees on a nail–biting 160–mile journey across the Alps, pursued by German soldiers, ambushed and betrayed. And yet, of the 106 men who escaped, 100 made it to safety. Thanks to research across seven countries, The Greatest Escape is no longer a secret. It is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of the last century.

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Book SynopsisBlack Tulip is the dramatic story of history's top fighter ace, Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann. It's also the story of how his service under Hitler was simplified and elevated to Western mythology during the Cold War. Over 1,404 wartime missions, Hartmann claimed a staggering 352 airborne kills, and his career contains all the dramas you would expect. There were the frostbitten fighter sweeps over the Eastern Front, drunken forays to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, a decade of imprisonment in the wretched Soviet POW camps, and further military service during the Cold War that ended with conflict and angst. Just when Hartmann’s second career was faltering, he was adopted by a network of writers and commentators personally invested in his welfare and reputation. These men, mostly Americans, published elaborate, celebratory stories about Hartmann and his elite fraternity of Luftwaffe pilots. With each dogfight tale put into print, Hartmann’s legacy became loftier and more secure, and his complicated service in support of Nazism faded away. A simplified, one-dimensional account of his life – devoid of the harder questions about allegiance and service under Hitler – has gone unchallenged for almost a generation. Black Tulip locates the ambiguous truth about Hartmann and so much of the German Wehrmacht in general: that many of these men were neither full-blown Nazis nor impeccable knights. They were complex, contradictory, and elusive. This book portrays a complex human rather than the heroic caricature we’re used to, and it argues that the tidy, polished hero stories we’ve inherited about men like Hartmann say as much about those who've crafted them as they do about the heroes themselves.

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Book SynopsisOn May 2, 2011, at 1:03 a.m. in Pakistan, a satellite uplink was sent from the town of Abbottabad crackling into the situation room of the White House in Washington, D.C.: 'Geronimo, Echo, KIA'. These words, spoken by a Navy SEAL, put paid to Osama bin Laden's three-decade-long career of terror. This is the story of Bin Laden's relentless hunters and how they took down the terrorist mastermind, told by Chuck Pfarrer, a former assault element commander of SEAL Team Six. After talking to members of the SEAL team involved in the raid, Pfarrer shares never-before-revealed details of the historic raid and the men who planned and conducted it in an exclusive boots-on-the-ground account of what happened during each minute of the mission - both inside the building and outside. Pfarrer takes readers inside the operation as the SEALs flew over the wall of Bin Laden's shabby compound and then penetrated deeper and deeper into the terrorist's lair, telling us just what it looked, sounded, and smelled like in that sweltering Pakistani suburb. He takes us to the exact spot where the al-Qaeda leader was cowering when the bullet entered his head. SEAL Target Geronimo is an explosive story of unparalleled valour, clockwork military precision, and deadly accuracy carried out by one of the most elite fighting forces in the world - the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team Six.Trade Review'A marvelously engrossing account of the military operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden' Kirkus Reviews. * Kirkus Reviews *'It's an amazing story, written about a world no one knows better than Chuck Pfarrer himself' Doug Stanton, author of In Harm's Way and Horse Soldiers. * Doug Stanton *'Richly told in broad, cinematic strokes, this is catnip for readers who enjoy special-ops tales' Kirkus Reviews. * Kirkus Reviews *Table of ContentsNeptune's Spear: The Bigger Picture. Abbottabad: May 1, 2011 - Late That Night. THE SEAL ROAD TO ABBOTTABAD: Men with Green Faces. An Invisible Empire: The Birth of the Joint Special Operations Command. Team Jedi. Going Solo. Maersk Alabama. BIN LADEN'S ROAD TO ABBOTTABAD: The Day the World Changed - September 11, 2001. Rich Kid. Learning to Hate. The Making of a Jihadi. Hero of the Lion's Den. The Emir. Weapons of Mass Denial. NEPTUNE'S SPEAR: Continue to Plan, Plan to Continue. The Man Without a Country. Neptune's Spear. Thirty-eight Minutes. What Came After. How This Book Was Written. Acknowledgments. Glossary.

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Book SynopsisThe Nearly Man is the true, yet almost unbelievable, story of one man's incredible life, beginning in rural Scotland in the reign of Queen Victoria, and ending on the west coast of Canada in the 1970s. In one of the 20th century's great untold stories we travel with Francis Metcalfe on an amazing journey from the great estates of Scotland to the battlefields of Flanders, and the trenches of the Somme. His associations with the soon-to-be famous and his brushes with death were followed by his heroics in the ice fields of Arctic Russia, wasted years in post-war London, and a narrow escape from being murdered by Sinn Fein in Ireland. After a spell in prison for fraud, Metcalfe became a fugitive from Scottish Law as he engineered a daring escape to France, while the attention of the police was diverted. After hiding in Paris during the 1920s, among the 'Lost Generation' of writers, Metcalfe was arrested at gunpoint and thrown in France's most notorious jail. In his own words, Metcalfe tells the astounding story of his flight from justice, his subsequent trial, imprisonment, followed by release, his second escape from the police, his capture and his decision to start a new life in Canada. . . . only to become embroiled in Communist riots, the hardship of the depression, the infamous 'Ottawa Trek', and the impending war. The Nearly Man tells the story of one man's adventures through some of the last century's lesser- known conflicts, and his encounters with the famous thinkers, writers and soldiers of his time. But it also shows how his exploits impacted the people around him. Francis Metcalfe almost became one of Britain's notable war heroes, poets, writers, adventurers, businessmen and criminals. If Metcalfe had succeeded, he would doubtless be immortalised in history. Instead, his incredible adventures through some of history's forgotten events had become lost in time, until his story was painstakingly unearthed for this book.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisWhat is it like to drive a Challenger tank over desert terrain for six days in a row? Or hover an Apache AH1 attack helicopter a hundred metres above enemy ground? How quickly can a Sapper clear a field of unexploded devices, or build a bridge - or blow one up? What is it like to fix bayonets, and engage in hand to hand combat, or train a 5.56 mm SA80 sniper sight on an enemy soldier, and pull the trigger? How do you find out what a soldier must learn on his way to war...? Ask him.In this extraordinary book, Danny Danziger interviews the people who fight our wars for us, providing a unique insight into the reality of what we ask of our armed forces. Groundbreaking and utterly compelling, WE ARE SOLDIERS takes the reader to the heart of the 21st century soldier''s experience.Trade ReviewJust as Rudyard Kipling gave Queen Victoria's Tommies a voice, Danny Danziger does the same for the soldiers of today. If you want an insight into the modern British soldier, read this book Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisA twenty-year battle-seasoned pilot who flew 151 combat missions in the world's most iconic fighter plane - the F-16 Fighting Falcon - the Viper as its pilots call it. A fighter pilot who came of age at the end of the Cold War, Dan Hampton was one of the flyers scrambled into the skies on 9/11. This title tells his story.Trade Review"A rare riveting memoir of a highly decorated fighter pilot that's packed with grit, swagger, and great humor. Do not miss this one!" -- W.E.B. GRIFFIN & WILLIAM E. BUTTERWORTH IV "Hampton's one of the most decorated pilots in Air Force history. ... We may never see his like again." -- New York Post "Offers a gripping cockpit view of modern air combat ... Hampton is a vivid writer and an unabashed warrior. ... An outstanding work." -- Booklist (starred review) "Viper Pilot is an awesome adrenaline rush. If you love action packed modern day war stories then strap yourself in and get ready for a gut-wrenching, g-force defying thrill ride!" -- ALEX KERSHAW, bestselling author of The Liberator and The Few "Viper Pilot is fantastic. Lt. Col. Dan Hampton offers a personal, irreverent, no-holds-barred look into the life of an Air Force fighter pilot. A great read!" -- DALE BROWN, former USAF Captain and New York Times bestselling author of A Time for Patriots "Viper Pilot is an instant aviation classic. Dan Hampton's thrilling portrayals of combat missions kept me glued to the story, and he has captured the essence of Wild Weasel fighter operations as no one has before." -- BRIGADIER GENERAL DAVID L. MOODY (Retired USAF) "Dan Hampton's Viper Pilot truly impressed me--if you're a combat vet, it's sweaty palms again; if not, strap in and get ready. Filled with lots of action, here's a real and up-close look at modern fighter combat, told straight from the cockpit." -- COLONEL JACKSEL BROUGHTON (USAF, Ret.), recipient of the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism and author of Rupert Red Two: A Fighter Pilot's Life "Dramatic. ... Viper Pilot delivers 300 pages of aviation fireworks." -- Kirkus Reviews "The best air combat memoir I have ever read... An incredible look into the unique culture of Wild Weasels." -- Tyler Rogoway, Foxtrot Alpha, a Gawker Media site

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Book SynopsisInspired by the incredible true story of the most decorated servicewoman of the second world war. Nancy Wake was an Australian girl who, aged, 16 ran away from her abusive mother to the other side of the world.Nancy Wake was a wife who, when her husband was snatched by the Gestapo, fought to be trained by SOE and returned to France to take her revenge.Nancy Wake was a soldier who led a battalion of 7,000 French Resistance fighters who called her Field Marshall. Who had a 5-million Franc bounty on her head. Who killed a Nazi with her bare hands. Who defeated 22,000 Germans with the loss of only 100 men. Who sold her medals because, I''ll probably go to hell and they''d melt anyway.Discover the roots of her legend in a thriller about one woman''s incredible quest to turn the tide of the war, save the man she loves and take revenge on those who have wronged her.Trade ReviewHer extraordinary story has been told before, but Kealey uses the freedom of fiction to breathe new life into it . . . exciting and well-written * The Times *What a story, and Imogen Kealey tells it brilliantly. This is more than a heart-stopping and exciting adventure thriller: Nancy Wake is a heroine for our times, as well as for hers. The most extraordinary thing of all is that in its essentials, the story is true. * Andrew Taylor *A fresh, original, breathless thriller. Nancy Wake may be drawn from history but she is a heroine for our times * Erin Kelly *Big on high stakes action . . . exciting * Daily Mail *Imogen Kealey has written a proper page-turning thriller, remarkably based on the true story of one of the Second World War's truly great heroines. * Ben Fergusson *The White Mouse is a Resistance heroine of legendary courage, daring and cleverness. Imogen Kealey conjures her rebellious, passionate character with conviction, insight and gritty detail. * Amanda Craig *I absolutely raced through this, based on the incredible Nancy Wake, a real-life superhero. An astonishing, heart-thudding and unforgettable story, brilliantly told. * Jill Mansell *A bold, blazing account of an astonishing woman in an extraordinary time, by a master storyteller. Vivid, harrowing, engaging, but above all compelling. A rare treat. * Robyn Young *Brims with heart-pounding tension * Sunday Mirror *A thrilling debut . . . featuring plenty of espionage and a memorable female lead, this is a cinematic treat for fans of wartime adventure novels * Publishers Weekly *A blistering, gripping, and absolutely fascinating novel. Set aside plenty of quality time as I was consumed, and read it all in one heady, breathtaking go. * Love Reading *

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Book SynopsisA reissue of this classic World War II novel.Trade Review‘ Remarkable’ NEW YORK TIMES ‘There are surprisingly few ‘classic’ novels of World War II, A Midnight Clear joins the best.’ VILLAGE VOICE ‘Sad and witty, even profound.; SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE ‘It has mythic quality.’ CHICAGO TRIBUNE ‘Belonging to a class entirely of its own’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

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Book SynopsisPrison on Wheels is a remarkable diary kept by a young Hungarian woman, Eva Dános, during sixteen horror-filled days and nights of deportation by the Nazis in 1945. It is an eyewitness report of a 700-kilometre rail journey from Ravensbrück, north of Berlin, to Burgau, near Munich, one of the countless such operations that took place within Nazi Germany''s vast network of labour and concentration camps. What makes this account of particular interest is the fact that the author had been a member of a small, underground group in Budapest led by Gitta Mallasz, and her fellow-prisoners included some of these same comrades. Their humanity helped to sustain them.

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Book SynopsisMention female spies, and most people think of Mata Hari. But during the Roaring Twenties, Marguerite Harrison and Stan Harding were the cause celebre: two beautiful, accomplished women whose names were splashed across newspapers around the world. Almost a century later, it is easy to understand the fascination with these two remarkable women. Marguerite was a highly respectable and recently widowed American journalist and socialite from Baltimore; Stan was a runaway, a bohemian artist and dancer of British heritage who left her wealthy, religious family to make a life for herself in the expatriate community in Florence. The two women were very different, yet both were strong-willed, independent and highly ambitious women unafraid of taking risks. And both, as the Great War ended and Central Europe dissolved into violent chaos, were looking for adventure. Their paths first crossed in war-ravaged Berlin during the Armistice and the the Spartacist Uprising in 1919. Fellow travellers, they became friends and, the evidence suggests, lovers. Dodging bullets and interviewing colourful characters in war-torn Europe led these intrepid women, separately, to Bolshevik Russia, a country closed to outsiders since the October Revolution of 1917. Their fateful meeting had repercussions that spanned three decades, involving heads of state and politicians in Britain, the United States and Soviet Russia. The Lady is a Spy tells their forgotten story: that of two women who, far in advance of their time, worked as foreign correspondents, who operated as spies in dangerous shadowlands of international politics, and who were both imprisoned in Lubyanka, one of the most desperate places on earth. Their lives are reconstructed through numerous primary sources, not only the poems, diaries and letters of their friends and lovers, but also government documents (including newly declassified US State Department papers) that reveal the truth about their espionage careers and - in one case - evidence of a shocking betrayal.Table of ContentsPrologue - Lubyanka, October 1920 - Part One – 1879-1919 - Chapter One - Born for Trouble - Chapter Two - Agent `B’ - Chapter Three - The Beauty and the Beast - Chapter Four - Mrs Harding, I Presume? - Chapter Five - The Convergence of the Twain - Chapter Six - Agent `B’ Redux – Part Two – 1920 - Chapter Seven - An Unkindness of Ravens - Chapter Eight - With a Gleam in her Eye - Chapter Nine - The Death Ship - Chapter Ten - A Completely Crazy Plan - Chapter Eleven - The House of Suspicion - Chapter Twelve - A Dust Heap of Lies - Chapter Thirteen - Prisoner 3041 - Chapter Fourteen - Freedom – Part Three – 1921-1924 - Chapter Fifteen - Probably Undesirable to Call Attention to Her - Chapter Sixteen - America Will Protect Its Agent - Chapter Seventeen - The Bane of Our Lives - Chapter Eighteen - Back in the USSR - Chapter Nineteen - Very Definite Proof of her Real Character - Chapter Twenty - The Bugbear of the Foreign Office - Chapter Twenty-One - I am a Nuisance – Part Four – 1925-1967 - Chapter Twenty-Two - The Underworld of State - Chapter Twenty-Three - Life’s Ugly Gestures - Chapter Twenty-Four - The Lonely Trench - Chapter Twenty-Five - Hope Thou Not Much, Fear Not at All – 231 - Appendix - Acknowledgements - Dramatis Personae - Glossary - Endnotes - Bibliography – 263 - Index

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Book SynopsisDeath was our companion

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Book SynopsisFrom the best-selling author of The Commando and Born to Fight comes a fascinating investigation of modern warfare that combines methodical research and the fast-paced action of battle with the personal stories of the combatants on both sides of the line. Taking us from the suburbs of western Sydney and Australia''s military army bases, to the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, this is a remarkable book that reveals the as-yet untold story of the battle for Mosul and the secret involvement of Australians on both sides of the war - both our Commandos and Australian ISIS fighters. Mosul details the rise of ISIS influence in Australia, the Iran and Australia allegiance to fight Daesh and shows what led up to the battle and the ramifications that are still being felt at home - by our soldiers and the victims of that war. Ben Mckelvey has extraordinary access to SOOCOMD/2COMMANDO units - the most decorated modern Australian

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Book SynopsisJohn Holmes was a schoolboy when World War II broke out in 1939, but even then he knew his destiny lay in the skies. 'Boys from these parts don't join the RAF', he was told on more than one occasion. But they were wrong. After many months undergoing selection and training he eventually made it into the air crew of 196 Squadron. It was there he embarked on a love affair with the Stirling Bomber, and it was there that he met up with his crew - his brothers in arms. With in-depth research, Steve Holmes' inspirational, harrowing and at times humorous book charts the wartime exploits of his father, John 'Sherlock' Holmes, and his flight crew. Through many hours of research and contact with living relatives of 'Sherlock's Squadron' Steve has pulled together a unique and personal insight into the most brutal and devastating armed conflict in history. Verified and independently confirmed by the MOD, War Office Bomber Command and preserved navigator's records and pilots' log books of the time, this is a comprehensive and compelling account of World War II from the eyes of a group of young RAF men from distant corners of the globe.

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From master storyteller Andy McNab, this is the opening book in an adventure-filled and action-packed new series telling, for the first time ever, the true stories of Special Forces missions. 'McNab's first major non-autobiographical work of non-fiction ... The operation is told like a novel [...] and it is as refreshingly informal and compellingly immediate as his other books' Daily Express'Part history lesson, part military manual, part fixed-bayonets thriller. A must for Special Forces fans' The SunIt is the early 2000s and 9/11 is fresh in the world's memory. The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, and armed militants and explosive devices are terrorising the people. And now a new threat is emerging in the country: suicide bombings, ordered by military commander of the Taliban, Mullah Dadullah.Special Forces are sent in to stop him.The Hunt is the thrilling story of the secret mission to catch Dadullah, one of the most dangerous men alive. Using classified sources and his unique insight into the way the SAS works, Andy McNab gives a page-turning account of what it took the Special Forces to find their target and what they would have to do to take him down.An explosive story of hostage negotiations, undercovers missions and a final, epic assault on Dadullah's compound that could leave only one side alive, The Hunt is a powerful retelling of a real-life Special Forces mission.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Buzz Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights is an American classic. With The Mosquito Bowl, he is back with a true story even more colorful and profound. This book too is destined to become a classic. I devoured it.” — John Grisham “Take your pick: This is either the story of the most improbable game of football ever played, an anthem to immigrant America, or a brilliant tribute to an exemplary brotherhood that would be decimated at Okinawa. In every case it’s an indelible account of promising young men themselves hurled into history. Buzz Bissinger has stitched their story together as no one else could, powerfully and seamlessly, offering up a tender-tough tale in his signature high-octane prose.” — Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Witches: Salem, 1692 “Here may be the most uniquely fascinating story ever written about World War II. Like the best of Buzz Bissinger, it is about far more than a football game, or even the war. He’s a gifted narrator and prodigious researcher, and in this book his skills are all on display: indelible characters, a bizarre and remarkably distinct setting, action, drama. . . . A great story told with insight and humor and deep feeling. Do not pass this book by. It is magnificent.” — Mark Bowden, New York Times bestselling author of Black Hawk Down and Hue 1968 "Harrowing, profound, and illuminating, The Mosquito Bowl humanizes war and elevates athletic competition in one fell swoop. Bissinger is the master of showing us life in a single grain of sand, and he has done so brilliantly here. As familiar as the subject of World War II may seem, this book makes you see it in a fresh and exquisite way, with all its pain and triumph rendered in close detail." — Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of On Animals and The Library Book “Stephen Crane famously discovered ‘the rage of conflict’ while watching a college football game. For Buzz Bissinger, football is no metaphor; it is the way into one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Deeply researched, told with extraordinary empathy and verve, The Mosquito Bowl will break your heart.” — Nathaniel Philbrick, National Book Award winning author of In the Heart of the Sea and Travels with George “The Mosquito Bowl is savage, piercing and haunting. Buzz Bissinger has written an utterly heartbreaking saga that fuses the macho glory of college football with the brutality and futility of combat. It is a measure of Bissinger’s singular talent that his searing account is tragic, yet also inspiring and unforgettable.” — David Zucchino, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Wilmington’s Lie "[Bissinger] succeeds brilliantly, interweaving rich back stories of a few superior college football players whose sports careers and lives were upended and often ended by war . . . . it changed the way I thought about World War II." — New York Times Book Review “[This] remarkable work profoundly communicates the experience and importance of the United States Marine Corps while preserving a rich history that our Corps and Nation should never forget.” — From the Citation for the General Wallace M. Greene Award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation “A gripping real-life story.” — Washington Post “There simply aren’t enough ways to tell you just how good The Mosquito Bowl, Buzz Bissinger’s new book remembering a remarkable football game in the depths of the Pacific theater of World War II, is. Here’s one: it’s every bit as good—and maybe even better—than Friday Night Lights." — Mike Vaccaro, New York Post "The Mosquito Bowl adroitly resurrects a long-forgotten episode to explore American values across the generations." — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Bissinger effortlessly combines sports and military history in this gritty account of a football game played by U.S. Marines on Guadalcanal in December 1944 . . . . The book excels in its sweeping yet fine-grained portraits of how these Marines got to Guadalcanal and in the harrowing descriptions of Pacific Theater combat, including the bloody fight for Sugar Loaf Hill on Okinawa. This is a penetrating tale of courage and sacrifice." — Publishers Weekly "College football and World War II: not an obvious combination, but Bissinger handles it brilliantly." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “From the virtuoso of narrative nonfiction and author of Friday Night Lights comes an astounding story, plucked straight from the annals of the Greatest Generation. Bissinger creates, in intricate detail, a composite portrait of young men caught up in the Not-So-Good War. An inspiring tale of heroism and sacrifice.” — Oprah Daily "Fans of Bissinger’s previous books will find a rich character-driven narrative about two of the dirtiest and deadliest battlefields of World War II . . . . Bissinger has found a way to merge sports with World War II to give readers a heartbreaking narrative of what many young men went through in the last days of World War II. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review) "This well-researched and impassioned book not only chronicles a little-known moment in sports history but also offers a poignant snapshot of the tragedy of war." — Booklist "The Mosquito Bowl is not just a book about war. It is, instead, about the men who fought that war. The author brings us rich details about their lives, their hopes, their dreams, and their aspirations, many of which were either delayed, derailed, or destroyed on Okinawa." — New York Journal of Books "In exploring the hearts and souls of those who risked everything for their country, Bissinger’s book defines some of the qualities that make America great—then, now and forever. And such greatness characterizes exceptional men and women around the world. He also showcases the horrors of war and the blunders that cost lives on the battlefield." — Associated Press "While The Mosquito Bowl is seemingly about an ersatz football game, there is far more here than what occurred on a dirt and coral field on an island in the Pacific in 1944." — Bookreporter “The Mosquito Bowl is about so much more than a football game. Buzz Bissinger captures the heart of America in this brilliant story of young men in a brutal war that at once feels long ago but also a part of who we are today.” — Admiral James Stavridis, 16th Supreme Allied Commander and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation “Bissinger brings the Pacific Theater home in this masterpiece of a book, written by an indomitable author who has never been afraid to confront truth in the written word.” — Coast Weekend “Bissinger unearths a profound story during World War II that is much more than a book about a football game.” — Jacksonville First Coast News “This book shows a new side of WWII—and football for that matter—like we have never seen it before. Sports fans, history buffs, and fiction lovers can all find common ground in this captivating read.” — We Are The Mighty

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Book SynopsisOn 19 September 2023, war broke out once again in Nagorno-Karabakh, a tiny breakaway state nestled in the mountains at the very edge of Europe. For three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union, this battle-scarred geopolitical hotspot had been fought over in a bloody standoff that left tens of thousands dead and as many as a million people homeless. This time, though, things were different. Within 24 hours, Armenian forces surrendered in the face of an overwhelming Azerbaijani offensive, as Russian peacekeepers abandoned their positionsand the entire local population packed their bags to flee. Through the eyes of ordinary Armenians and Azerbaijanis, Gabriel Gavin chronicles how Nagorno-Karabakh went from an ancient home shared by both peoples to a land of empty houses and untended graves, as the world looked on. Ashes of Our Fathers offers unprecedented insight not only into a simmering ethnic conflict inside the Kremlin's self-declar

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