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Birlinn Books – Notes from the Basement
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BookPick : Summer 2021
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BookPick : Summer 2021by BigJules |
With the warmer weather well underway in the Northern Hemisphere (albeit somewhat variable) one of the great pleasures at this time of year is relaxing outdoors with a good book – and a chilled beverage. There must be hundreds of thousands of books that have been written about various aspects of the Second World War, from high geo-political strategy to the famous battleships of the day to the role of secret intelligence services. I particularly enjoy reading memoirs of the seamen who fought in this terrible conflict. In this BookPick I have selected three titles dealing, not with the steel goliaths of the age, but with the small boats and their crews, indomitably venturing into Neptune’s realm on daring missions.
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One of the most dramatic forgotten chapters of the war
Veteran military historian Hastings’ first full-length narrative of war at sea measures up to his usual high standards … Vividly chronicling the sinking of the aircraft carrier Eagle, Hastings initiates 250 pages of gripping fireworks and insights … Another enthralling Hastings must-read
New titles for June!
FATHER’S DAY SALE
PICK UP THE PERFECT GIFT TODAY
With Father’s Day fast approaching, this is the perfect time to snap up a present. From the 11th to 18th of June we will be offering 20% off on a range of brilliant books.
This is going to be MEGA
Only two weeks to go!
On a volcanic island, in the middle of shark-infested waters, Larker is sent to the The Cruel School. The lessons are appalling, the school dinners are revolting and the teachers are terrifying – but the scariest thing is Doctor Doktur’s mysterious ‘Monsterfication Machine’. And soon, Larker comes face to face with a real life MEGAMONSTER!
Three Iconic Generals, One Holistic Theory
Q: What do Wellington, Spinola and Petraeus have in common and what can they teach us about war?
A: Each man commanded civilian and military forces and achieved a holistic command of war.
Johnnie Johnson’s 1942 Diary, The War Diary of the Spitfire Ace of Aces
In a generation of outstanding RAF fighter pilots, Johnnie Johnson was the top scoring Ace who survived the Battle of Britain and the fight for air supremacy, to stay on in the post-war RAF, to reach the rank of Air Vice Marshal. This book is based on his war diary of 1942 and provides a number of insights into life in the RAF Fighter Command of that period. – Most Highly Recommended
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, The ‘Warthog’ Ground Attack Aircraft
This is by far the best book yet published on the A-10 ground attack aircraft and it is hard to envision it being equalled. Dedicated ground attack aircraft rarely receive adequate attention from military aviation historians. – Most Highly Recommended
Stryker Interim Combat Vehicle, The Stryker and LAV III in US and Canadian Service, 1990-2020 LandCraft 4
A welcome addition to the very popular Land Craft Series and this Interim Combat Vehicle demonstrates the political folly of premature spending of ‘peace dividends’ by politicians. Aimed at model makers, this series has become popular with a much wider readership, due to the excellent text describing the subject vehicle and its deployment, including unit structures. – Very Highly Recommended