"A fascinating account of the research undertaken to identify one of the main contributors of Operation Mincemeat, the attempt to fool Hitler regarding the Mediterranean invasion during the Second World War."
It feels a little surreal, that a musical based on Second World War Operation Mincemeat, in turn led to a dedicated team of people researching those who would have otherwise remained in the shadows of history. Books have been written, and films and even a musical made, based on Operation Mincemeat, the bizarre but ultimately successful attempt by MI5 to fool Hitler into believing the allies were going to invade Sardinia instead of Sicily. A number of the people involved, through choice or the passage of time, were not a part of the records that surfaced after the Official Secrets Act was relaxed. This book is not so much about Operation Mincemeat but rather the investigation into those unknown people. An author is not mentioned on the front cover, instead a number of different contributors have chipped in with their findings. The Mincefluencers as they became known, were avid fans of the musical, and felt it only fair that Hester should be celebrated, and so #FindingHester was born. The amount of research undertaken is surprising, the amount of information found is absolutely incredible. I can’t help but wonder what Hester would have made of the book, would she have wondered what all the fuss was about, or would she have been delighted that people were taking such an interest in her life? The photos at the back help add a connection, and serve as a link to those compelling days. I found this book about a very specific area of research, about links and ties and small but important facts, absolutely fascinating and the infectious enthusiasm of the researchers certainly infected me. Finding Hester is an unusual book, that not only sheds light on, it also celebrates one heck of an interesting moment in history.
| Primary Genre | Biographies & Autobiographies |
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