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Sinclair McKay writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph and The Secret Listeners and has written books about James Bond and Hammer horror for Aurum. His next book, about the wartime Y Service during World War II, is due to be published by Aurum in 2012. He lives in London.
Author photo © Liam Bergin
Firstly, I'm no expert on history so can't answer for the accuracy of the text and the range of material used in writing this history. For me as a general (female) reader it was a gripping read, especially as the role of women – as noted in the subtitle is well-covered with some illuminating interviews describing their lives and new found freedoms and responsibilities. That the RAF routed the German Luftwaffe during WWII is well-known, less well-known perhaps is just how desperate the fight was and it was this struggle – against destruction and possible invasion that really held my attention. Sinclair McKay vividly conveys the benzedrine fuelled exploits of the pilots, the infighting between the brass-hats and he is especially good at the development of the technologies, the radar, guns and planes that helped the RAF as they progressed from a small force building their reserves to the triumphs of the Battle of Britain and on to the controversial bombing raids over Germany. Like for Like ReadingChurchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception 1914-1945, Nicholas Rankin Spies in the Skies: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence During World War Two, Taylor Downing
July 2015 Non-Fiction Book of the Month. Firstly, I'm no expert on history so can't answer for the accuracy of the text and the range of material used in writing this history. For me as a general (female) reader it was a gripping read, especially as the role of women – as noted in the subtitle is well-covered with some illuminating interviews describing their lives and new found freedoms and responsibilities. That the RAF routed the German Luftwaffe during WWII is well-known, less well-known perhaps is just how desperate the fight was and it was this struggle – against destruction and possible invasion that really held my attention. Sinclair McKay vividly conveys the benzedrine fuelled exploits of the pilots, the infighting between the brass-hats and he is especially good at the development of the technologies, the radar, guns and planes that helped the RAF as they progressed from a small force building their reserves to the triumphs of the Battle of Britain and on to the controversial bombing raids over Germany. ~ Sue Baker Like for Like ReadingChurchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception 1914-1945, Nicholas Rankin Spies in the Skies: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence During World War Two, Taylor Downing
The events of Dunkirk – the evacuation of the troops by the “little ships” has become part of the British myth. Here using commentary from the survivors together with archive material the story of Dunkirk is retold, bringing alive the desperate situation the hemmed-in troops faced together with the bravery and sacrifice of those who rescued them. With great effect, Sinclair McKay embeds the story of Dunkirk into the World War II narrative, giving us the behind-the-scenes military and political views of the situation, how the public seized on the event as a strengthening of national resolve, how it affected the progress of the war and finally how it remains lodged in the national subconscious. Like for Like Reading Dunkirk: The Men they Left Behind, Sean Longden Forgotten Voices of dunkirk: Joshua Levine
July 2013 Non-Fiction Book of the Month. The follow-up book to the bestselling Secret Life of Bletchley Park focuses on the men and women who were posted around the world to set up and run listening stations and pass back what they heard to Bletchley Park for decoding. Using interviews with surviving veterans, their remarkable human stories of love, hardship and danger are wonderfully told.
Bletchley Park was where one of the war's most famous - and crucial - achievements was made: the cracking of Germany's Enigma code in which its most important military communications were couched. This country house in the Buckinghamshire countryside was home to Britain's most brilliant mathematical brains, like Alan Turing, and the scene of immense advances in technology - indeed, the birth of modern computing. The military codes deciphered there were instrumental in turning both the Battle of the Atlantic and the war in North Africa. But, though plenty has been written about the boffins, and the codebreaking, fictional and non-fiction - from Robert Harris and Ian McEwan to Andrew Hodges' biography of Turing - what of the thousands of men and women who lived and worked there during the war? What was life like for them - an odd, secret territory between the civilian and the military?
The sequel to the Sunday Times bestseller Bletchley Park Brainteasers and perfect for fans of The GCHQ Puzzle Book. Whether you have linguistic flair, an instinct for technology or good old common sense, pit your wits against some of the greatest minds of our time with ingenious brainteasers including secret languages, sabotage themed brain bogglers, deadly countdowns and hidden codes. Weaving astonishing stories of the men and women who operate from the shadows, the secret heroes and heroines of MI5 and MI6 who have faced extraordinary and terrifying challenges and a wide range of mind twisting puzzles, Secret Service Brainteasers will test your mental agility to discover: Do YOU have what it takes to be a spy?
`Gripping, gothic and deeply poignant' Mail on Sunday Standing four storeys tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, number 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house, whose tenants felt themselves to be on the rise in Victorian London. But beneath this genteel veneer lay a murderous darkness. For on 9th May 1879, the body of a former resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity, revealing violence, sex and scandal, and became the first celebrity case of the early tabloids. Someone must have had full knowledge of what had happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her. So how could the murderer prove so elusive? In this true story, Sinclair McKay meticulously evaluates the evidence and, through first-hand sources, giving a gripping account that sheds new light on a mystery that eluded Scotland Yard.
'A fascinating book, by turns riveting and unsettling, and wonderfully rich in period detail.' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday In 1860, a 70 year old widow turned landlady named Mary Emsley was found dead in her own home, killed by a blow to the back of her head. What followed was a murder case that gripped the nation, a veritable locked room mystery which baffled even legendary Sherlock Holmes author, Arthur Conan Doyle. With an abundance of suspects, from disgruntled step children concerned about their inheritance and a spurned admirer repeatedly rejected by the widow, to a trusted employee, former police officer and spy, the case led to a public trial dominated by surprise revelations and shock witnesses, before culminating with one of the final public executions at Newgate. This is the case Conan Doyle couldn't solve and, after confounding the best detectives for years, has finally be solved by author Sinclair McKay. Discover 'whodunit' as the real murderer is revealed for the first time exclusively in this captivating study of a murder case in the nineteenth century, a story never told before.
Would you love to master morse code? Could you have have outsmarted an enigma machine? Would your love of chess have seen you recruited into the history books? When scouring the land for top-level code breakers, the Bletchley Park recruiters left no stone unturned. As well as approaching the country's finest mathematicians, they cast their nets much wider, interviewing sixth-form music students who could read orchestral scores, chess masters, poets, linguists, hieroglyphics experts and high society debutantes fresh from finishing school. To assess these individuals they devised various ingenious mind-twisters - hidden codes, cryptic crosswords, secret languages, complex riddles - and it is puzzles such as these, together with the fascinating recruitment stories that surround them, that make up the backbone of this book. The code breakers of Bletchley Park were united in their love of a good puzzle. If you feel the same, why not dive in, put your mental agility to the test and discover: Would Bletchley Park have recruited YOU?
'A fascinating book, by turns riveting and unsettling, and wonderfully rich in period detail.' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday In 1860, a 70 year old widow turned landlady named Mary Emsley was found dead in her own home, killed by a blow to the back of her head. What followed was a murder case that gripped the nation, a veritable locked room mystery which baffled even legendary Sherlock Holmes author, Arthur Conan Doyle. With an abundance of suspects, from disgruntled step children concerned about their inheritance and a spurned admirer repeatedly rejected by the widow, to a trusted employee, former police officer and spy, the case led to a public trial dominated by surprise revelations and shock witnesses, before culminating with one of the final public executions at Newgate. This is the case Conan Doyle couldn't solve and, after confounding the best detectives for years, has finally be solved by author Sinclair McKay. Discover 'whodunit' as the real murderer is revealed for the first time exclusively in this captivating study of a murder case in the nineteenth century, a story never told before.
In 1945 the Second World War was over and a shattered world faced the future. For the men and women of the newly formed GCHQ, however, the next global conflict had already begun. Following on from the enormous success of his bestseller, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, renowned author Sinclair McKay uncovers the story of what happened after the end of the Second World War Once victory was declared, many of the individuals who had achieved the seemingly impossible at Bletchley Park by cracking the impenetrable Enigma codes and giving the Allies an invaluable insight directly into the Nazi war machine, moved on to GCHQ. This was the British government's new facility established to fight a different, but no less formidable foe - Stalin and the KGB. Fascinating and insightful revelations from deep within the archives of this secret organisation reveal the story of the tumultuous early years of GCHQ as it navigated its way through an era of double agents, deception and betrayals. From the defection of the Cambridge Five and the treachery of the atomic scientist Klaus Fuchs, to the collapse of the British Empire, the ascension of Chairman Mao and the emergence of the US as a superpower, McKay deftly explores the impact these events had on the fledgling organisation. During the years of the Cold War the men and women of GCHQ penetrated Soviet encryptions and gathered crucial intelligence from all over the world. The Spies of Winter tells the story of the codebreakers themselves and how they used new technology to expand the horizons of cryptography in order to defend the nation and maintain the fragile peace in a world now under the shadow of nuclear holocaust.
Firstly, I'm no expert on history so can't answer for the accuracy of the text and the range of material used in writing this history. For me as a general (female) reader it was a gripping read, especially as the role of women – as noted in the subtitle is well-covered with some illuminating interviews describing their lives and new found freedoms and responsibilities. That the RAF routed the German Luftwaffe during WWII is well-known, less well-known perhaps is just how desperate the fight was and it was this struggle – against destruction and possible invasion that really held my attention. Sinclair McKay vividly conveys the benzedrine fuelled exploits of the pilots, the infighting between the brass-hats and he is especially good at the development of the technologies, the radar, guns and planes that helped the RAF as they progressed from a small force building their reserves to the triumphs of the Battle of Britain and on to the controversial bombing raids over Germany. Like for Like ReadingChurchill's Wizards: The British Genius for Deception 1914-1945, Nicholas Rankin Spies in the Skies: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence During World War Two, Taylor Downing
This is beautifully slipcased presented collector's edition of the best selling title, The Lost World of Bletchley Park, a comprehensive illustrated history of this remarkable place, from its prewar heyday as a country estate, its wartime requisition and how it became the place where modern computing was invented and the German Enigma code was cracked, to its post-war dereliction and then rescue towards the end of the twentieth century as a museum. Removable memorabilia includes: 1938 recruiting memo with a big tick against Turing's name Churchill's `Action this day' letter giving code breakers extra resources Handwritten Turing memos Top Secret Engima decryptions, about the sinking of the Bismark, German High Command's assessment of D-Day threat and the message announcing Hitler's suicide A wealth of everyday items such as call-up papers, security notices and propoganda posters Newly redesigned interiors with 25% new content, high end slipcase package featuring removable facsimile documents, this is an essential purchase for everyone interested and wanting to experience the place where code-breaking helped to win the war.
During the dark days of 1940, when Britain faced the might of Hitler's armed forces alone, the RAF played an integral role in winning the Battle of Britain against the Luftwaffe, thus ensuring the country's safety from invasion. The men and women of Fighter Command worked tirelessly in air bases scattered throughout the length and breadth of Britain to thwart the Nazi attacks; The Secret Life of Fighter Command tells their story. From setting up the ground - breaking radar systems along the coast of the Southeast of England, to the distribution of spotters of bombing waves coming along the Thames Estuary, the boffins who designed and built the guidance and detection structures to organise a winning defence umbrella, to the Wrens who plotted enemy movements and then conveyed this to the various RAF squadrons stationed in the UK's zonal defence system - - - - all of them played a part in maintaining the security over Britain. Through exclusive interviews with various members of this unique and world famous organisation, bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the human story of how Britain survived the Nazi onslaught and enabled our Hurricanes and Spitfires to triumph over the German airforce.
The ` absurd epic' of Dunkirk - told here through fresh interviews with veterans, plus unseen letters and archival material - is the story of how an old-fashioned island was brutally forced into the modernity of World War Two.
From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Secret Life of Bletchley Park When Churchill made one of the most inspiring speeches of the 20th century - 'we will fight them on the beaches' - he was giving thanks for the miracle of deliverance, the harrowing and breathless evacuation of over 338,000 troops from the beaches and harbour at Dunkirk. Churchill was determined it shouldn't be labelled a victory. He was already too late. Hours later, broadcaster JB Priestley was to call it 'an absurd English epic'. Those days of Dunkirk are still invoked now whenever the nation finds itself in any kind of crisis. But there is a wider story too that involves a very large number of civilians - from nurses to racing enthusiasts, trades union leaders to dance hall managers, novelists to seaside cafe owners. And even wider yet, a story that starts in September 1939: of young civilian men being trained for a war that was already 25 years out of date; and the increasing suspense - and occasional surrealism - of the Phoney War. The 'absurd epic' of Dunkirk - told here through fresh interviews with veterans, plus unseen letters and archival material - is the story of how an old - fashioned island was brutally forced into the modernity of World War Two.
The first comprehensive illustrated history of a remarkable Victorian mansion in Buckinghamshire that played such an important role in British history. From its prewar heyday as a country estate under the Liberal MP Sir Herbert Leon, through its wartime requisition with the addition of the famous huts within the grounds, to become the place where modern computing was invented and the German Enigma code was cracked, its post-war dereliction and then rescue towards the end of the twentieth century as an engrossing museum of wartime codebreaking whose visitor numbers have more than doubled in the last five years. Featuring over 200 photographs, some previously unseen, this is a complete and comprehensive guide to a country estate that played in pivotal role in winning the war against the Nazis.
July 2013 Non-Fiction Book of the Month. The follow-up book to the bestselling Secret Life of Bletchley Park focuses on the men and women who were posted around the world to set up and run listening stations and pass back what they heard to Bletchley Park for decoding. Using interviews with surviving veterans, their remarkable human stories of love, hardship and danger are wonderfully told.
This fascinating ramble through the history of walking delves into our relationship with the British countryside. `Ramble On' tells the story of how country walks were transformed from a small and often illegal pastime to the most popular recreational activity in the country. From the brave band of hikers who scaled the off-limits peak Kinder Scout in 1932, via the intricate Lake District guides of Alfred Wainwright, to the resistant landowners (including the notorious Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Madonna and Jeremy Clarkson) who have done their level best (and worst) to keep walkers off their land - this is the definitive history of rambling. Perfectly capturing the sense of exhilaration on reaching the summit of a blustery hill-top path, `Ramble On' is for anyone who has ever pulled on a pair of walking boots or is partial to the taste of Kendal mintcake.
Behind the celebrated code-breaking at Bletchley Park lies another secret...The men and women of the 'Y' (for Wireless') Service were sent out across the world to run listening stations from Gibraltar to Cairo, intercepting the German military's encrypted messages for decoding back at the now-famous Bletchley Park mansion. Such wartime postings were life-changing adventures - travel out by flying boat or Indian railways, snakes in filing cabinets and heat so intense the perspiration ran into your shoes - but many of the secret listeners found lifelong romance in their far-flung corner of the world. Now, drawing on dozens of interviews with surviving veterans, Sinclair McKay tells their remarkable story at last.
A history of walking and our relationship with the British countryside. On the afternoon of Sunday April 24, 1932, a group of approximately five hundred men and women set out for the summit of Kinder Scout, the highest point in Derbyshire's Peak District. They were not here to take in the fresh air and breathtaking vistas: they were here to make a stand. Kinder Scout, like almost every other site of natural beauty in Britain at that time, was privately owned and fiercely guarded. This wild, open landscape was one that they had absolutely no right to visit. Ramble On tells the story of how country walks and rambling were transformed from a small and often illegal pastime to the most popular recreational activity in the country.But the story of rambling is not so much about parliamentary acts as it is about the remarkable people who campaigned for (and in some cases against) the pastime. There was a Lancastrian town council accountant called Alfred Wainwright, who in the 1950s changed his life, and the lives of many others, when he popularised walking in the Lake District with his series of guides. And any history of rambling would be incomplete without mentioning the resistant landowners - from the notorious Nicholas Van Hoogstraten to celebrities such as Madonna and Jeremy Clarkson - who have done their level best (and worst) to keep walkers off their land. Above all, this tale is about the exhilaration of a gusty hill-top path; the curious unease that a labyrinthine dark forest floor can induce; the feel of different soil, peat and rock; the sight of alternating sunlight and shadow sweeping across vast valleys. Both a biography of Britain's favourite outdoor pursuit and a celebration of our wonderful countryside, Ramble On is for anyone who has ever pulled on a pair of walking boots or is partial to the taste of Kendal mintcake.
Bletchley Park was where one of the war's most famous - and crucial - achievements was made: the cracking of Germany's Enigma code in which its most important military communications were couched. This country house in the Buckinghamshire countryside was home to Britain's most brilliant mathematical brains, like Alan Turing, and the scene of immense advances in technology - indeed, the birth of modern computing. The military codes deciphered there were instrumental in turning both the Battle of the Atlantic and the war in North Africa. But, though plenty has been written about the boffins, and the codebreaking, fictional and non-fiction - from Robert Harris and Ian McEwan to Andrew Hodges' biography of Turing - what of the thousands of men and women who lived and worked there during the war? What was life like for them - an odd, secret territory between the civilian and the military?
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