The Battle of Britain

by Matthew Parker

Book by Parker, Matthew

Genres: History, World War II, Battle Of Britain, Military History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

I'm the author of a number of books including Monte Cassino, about the Western Allies' hardest battle against Germany in WWII, Panama Fever/Hell's Gorge, the epic story of the building of the Panama Canal, The Sugar Barons, about the rise and fall of the British West Indian sugar empire, Willoughbyland, the story of the forgotten English colony in Suriname, exchanged with the Dutch for New York and Goldeneye, about the influence of Jamaica on Ian Fleming's creation of James Bond. My new book is called One Fine Day: Britain's Empire on the brink. It is a snapshot of one day - 29 September 1923 - when the British Empire reached what would turn out to be its maximum territorial extent. It was the sole global superpower, but it was also an empire beset with debts and doubts.

When not reading, writing or staring out of the window, I love making sushi, pubs, growing stuff and visiting remote places.

I'm a member of the Authors Cricket Club, and wrote a chapter of A Season of English Cricket from Hackney to Hambledon. I am also a contributor to the Oxford Companion to Sweets.

I live in East London with my wife, three children and annoying dog.

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving & insightful account of 4 months of fear, danger & sacrifice experienced by a swathe of the population of southern England through the summer of 1940.

The account accompanies contemporaneous accounts with fascinating morsels of historical perspective for example Hitler's future intentions for the British male population of fighting age once Britain had been defeated.

[John Mchale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent blend of narrative and inclusion of comments from all walks of life involved at this time.

[Roy Szweda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read his book on Monte Cassino I picked this one to read next. Sadly it has so far been a disappointment. The style and content are very different and it came across to me as more vox pop. If you like to read personal accounts then it will have appeal but sadly maybe I have read too many BoB books for this one to stand out.
No it is going back to the library... there are too many others in the queue.

[Tom Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that draws you in, it doesn't simply slap you round the face with facts. The people in it were and are real, alive. I even shed a tear when it was revealed that a young pilot was killed, leaving his sweetheart with a picture and memories.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome account