For the first time, The Battle of Britain tells this most epic of stories from a 360 degree perspective, drawing on extensive new research from around the world that challenges some of the long-held myths about the battle. Holland paints a complete picture of that extraordinary summer - a time in which the fate of the world truly hung by a thread.
The Nazi Blitzkrieg was unlike any invasion the world had ever seen. It hit Europe with a force and aggression that no-one could counter. Within weeks the German armies were at the French coast and looking across at Britain, a country still reeling from the opening salvoes of the war. It seemed impossible that she would be able to resist invasion. But between the Nazis and glory stood more than just the pilots of Fighter Command. There was Bomber and Coastal Command, the Royal Navy and the incredible Auxiliary Patrol Service. In this darkest hour, Britain's defence was truly a national effort, and one that had been considerably better prepared for than the German attack.
James Holland was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and studied history at Durham University. He has worked for several London publishing houses and has also written for a number of national newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of a work of history, Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege, 1940-43, and two previous novels. Married with a son, he lives near Salisbury.
