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An Axe and Four Balloons
Brian Franks – tough, capable, charismatic, and as loved by soldiers as he was by officers – is largely unknown outside the Special Operations world, but he has been credited by David Stirling as being one of the five founding fathers of the SAS. Set against the backdrop of World War II and the Cold War, this biography tells the story of Franks’ fascinating life.
An Axe and Four Balloons
Tim Spicer
Barbreck Publishers, hbk, 400pp (£25)
ISBN 978-1999589172
The Fifth Crusade: a history of the epic campaign to conquer Egypt
In 1217, the Crusader states were in a highly fragile condition. The Fourth Crusade had failed, and Jerusalem had not been recovered. The Crusaders now set their sights on Egypt. Looking at a wide range of sources, Smith tells the gripping story of this Crusade, and sheds new light on the brutal reality of medieval combat on land and water.
The Fifth Crusade: a history of the epic campaign to conquer Egypt
Thomas Smith
Yale University Press, hbk, 304pp (£25)
ISBN 978-0300283952
Trinity: an illustrated history of the world’s first atomic test
Both a military proof-test and an elaborate, well-documented scientific experiment, the Trinity operation on 16 July 1945 brought under the control of humankind a new fire: the energy of the atom. In this expertly curated publication, hundreds of carefully restored photographs, still frames, and once-secret documents bring new and vivid focus to a watershed moment in science and history.
Trinity: an illustrated history of the world’s first atomic test
Emily Seyl
University of Chicago Press, hbk, 344pp (£32)
ISBN 978-0226848402
Stealing Hitler’s Rocket
In 1944, members of the Polish Resistance and the Allies managed to steal one of Hitler’s top-secret V-2 rockets – the world’s first long-range ballistic missile – and to smuggle its parts across Nazi-occupied Europe and into Britain. Drawing on newly uncovered intelligence files and Resistance records, Guy Walters tells the story of this daring mission.
Stealing Hitler's Rocket
Guy Walters
Bloomsbury, hbk, 304pp (£25)
ISBN 978-1035910854
The Sea-King and the Sorceress: life and death in the Viking Age
Most of us are familiar with the seafaring marauders who raided, traded and settled the coasts of Europe between the 8th and 11th centuries, but these warriors made up only a small minority among a diverse people. Neil Price takes us on a journey across the Viking world, revealing the complex lives of those who inhabited it through the intimate context of their burials.
The Sea-King and the Sorceress: life and death in the Viking Age
Neil Price
Allen Lane, hbk, 448pp (£25)
ISBN 978-0241611333
The Battle of the Somme through German Eyes
The first day of the Battle of the Somme is famous as the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army; consequently, most histories of the battle have been focused on the British experience. This is the story of the German soldiers who manned those deadly machine-guns on 1 July, and who were then forced to fight a losing battle until its remorseless end.
The Battle of the Somme through German Eyes
Jonathan Trigg
Amberley, hbk, 256pp (£22.99)
ISBN 978-1398132627
PODCASTS
Secrets of British Intelligence
In this series of video-podcasts, Dr Helen Fry sits down with a wide variety of guests to discuss various aspects of British military intelligence. Featuring interviews with intelligence specialists, former officers, and historians, Secrets of British Intelligence explores topics ranging from how aerial intelligence shaped the D-Day landings to the work of the Special Operations Executive in Italy during World War II, the eventful life of Airey Neave, Bayesian theory and its relationship with military intelligence, and much more. Episodes are available on the YouTube channel of the Military Intelligence Museum, or in audio-only format on Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Secrets of British Intelligence
Helen Fry
www.ncmi.co.uk/videos
The Age of Napoleon
The Age of Napoleon is a podcast focused on the life and career of Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as the general context of Europe between the early 18th and early 19th century. With almost 150 episodes to date, the monthly podcast explores big trends and the grand sweep of history, as well as the smaller, individual stories that bring them to life. Episodes cover the events that brought about Napoleon’s rise to power, before exploring in great detail his military successes and failures around the world; others discuss elements of his personal life, the lives of his contemporaries, and other related topics, such as the connection between art and power, or Spanish America and the Wars of Independence.
The Age of Napoleon
E M Rummage
https://ageofnapoleon.com
