Out and about with Pasha signings
So where am I now…?
by BigJules
Being an author with quite a few published books under my belt can sometimes be a bit of a strain on the old grey matter when a reader corners me at a book signing or talk and asks about a specific incident in a book I wrote five or ten years ago. They may have just read that particular book and vividly recall it while it might take me a few moments to bring it to mind!
Gatwick Airport: The First Fifty Years
By Charles Woodley
Publication: 14th October 2014
Paperback Original, £14.99, ISBN: 978-0-7524-8807-3
A comprehensive history of the first 50 years of the UK’s second largest airport
The first reaction to the book is WOW!! The amount of work that has gone into collecting all of the information and packing it tightly into 704 pages is impressive and has built a book that no serious enthusiast or historian can afford not to add to their existing library of essential works. 350 builders have been identified and recorded and the text is supported by 541 illustrations and 47 diagrams. In the process, it is possible that a builder has been missed, or a rare locomotive escaped inclusion, but it does not seem very likely.
Even the most knowledgeable enthusiasts and historians will find some surprises when reading this book, it really is that comprehensive. It is one of those rare reference works where it will answer every question, if the readers only know enough to ask.
This is a fully revised and updated edition of what must be the definitive reference on German U-boat losses. The author has conducted an exhaustive study and provides details of every U-boat sunk between 1939 and 1945, with the Allied units that sank them. This is an essential source for historians and enthusiasts, but it also provides a reference for anyone who is attempting to understand the enormous cost to the German U-boat service during WWII. Considering the effort expended in producing this highly detailed reference, the cover price is very aggressive, even before the traditional Pen & Sword discounting of newly published books and periodically to promote sales on multiple books relating to an anniversary or some other key event relating to the topics covered.
The author is an experienced military historian and this is a worthy addition to his catalogue. He has provided a compelling argument for the rapid rise and fall of Japan in the 1940s. There is good illustration in a photo plate section to compliment the readable and well argued text. There have been a number of attempts to explain the rise and fall of Japan by historians, military officers, diplomats and enthusiasts. This book stands well to the fore and this reviewer considers it the best available account. A very useful addition to the library of any enthusiast or professional.
The author was one of many combatants who ignored the orders prohibiting diaries and we must be grateful that he did. From this illegal personal record, he has drawn a book which captures the highs and lows of a soldier taking part in the most momentous amphibious assault in history, and the long slog from the beaches to Berlin. This is a delightful account of life in battle and between battles. It is by turns gripping, exciting, colourful, authentic and human.
With startling new findings, adventure presenter Dallas Campbell finally lifts the lid on the 3000 year old mystery that is the death of the most mythical of all the pharaohs…Tutankhamun.
Captain Macintyre was a distinguished participant on one of the most critical battles of WWII. This book can be regarded as a primary source and the author pulls no punches. The scale of the battle as it raged for much of WWII is unlikely to ever be adequately covered by a single book. This book demands a place in any library of the subject and provides an unparalleled account of the U-boat tactics and the way in which the Allies evolved their convoy tactics and then set up hunter-killer groups to take the war to the submarines.
The reputation justly built for the authors’ battlefield guides is such that anyone who has read any guide will immediately know that this is THE guide to buy for this particular battlefield. That this guide is now in its seventh edition speaks volumes for its accuracy and value. With each edition, the authors have further enhanced what was already a leading work in its field as a first edition. Some readers will already own several earlier editions, perhaps all of them. That again speaks volumes for the guide.
This is a guide that should be part of any enthusiasts library, an essential companion to family records and mementos, and an essential companion to any visit to the battlefield.
Ever wanted to get behind the scenes at Tower Bridge? Now is your chance. November sees the return of the Bridge’s annual Engineering Tours, offering visitors the chance to experience the inner workings of the most famous bridge in the world. With an increased number of tours this year due its popularity among visitors, tickets for the tours are priced at £50 per person and include exclusive access to areas normally off limits to the public. The Engineering Tours will re-commence on Saturday 15 November, taking place every weekend thereafter throughout December, January and March. Places are limited and sell out quickly, so early booking is advisable.