As The Bombs Fell


Book Description

You almost never get to hear the other side of the story. What was it like to be a child living in Germany as the country descended into war? What did kids do while their dads were away fighting and the rest of the family was living in either privation or terror, or both? As the Bombs Fell is a treasure-trove of information about life as a child in Nazi Germany, told by a man who actually lived the experience. Otto Schmalz allows us to see, through the innocent eyes of a child, the realities of German life in several different circumstances – the regimentation and camaraderie of the Jungvolk and the boys camp that children were sent to to get them out of harm’s way in the cities, the pastoral and relatively idyllic life of the agrarian countryside even though there was a war on, the sheer terror of living in a bombed-out city that continues to experience nightly raids. Hannover was a strategic centre and as such received the attention of nearly one million Allied bombs of every kind. His charming yet nerve-wracking tale is enhanced with numerous historical photos, of Otto, his family and friends, and of the destruction wreaked upon his city as he paints another fascinating yet seldom-seen up-close picture of many German lives in war time. As the Bombs Fell is a straightforward telling of the other side of the story of the Second World War, with the author’s insights, as he’s learned, into human nature.




The Terror Raids of 1942


Book Description

Meticulous research provides the fullest insight yet into the impact of this bombing campaign on Britain’s home front during the Second World War. “We shall go out and bomb every building in Britain marked with three stars in the Baedeker Guide,” the German Foreign Office announced in April 1942 as the Luftwaffe attacked Exeter, Bath, Norwich, York and Canterbury. Over a thousand people died. These raids were direct retaliation for RAF raids on equally historic German cities. Hitler had ordered that “Preference is to be given . . . where attacks are likely to have the greatest possible effect on civilian life,” and in this narrow aim—as Jan Gore shows in the first full history of the raids to be published for over twenty years—they certainly succeeded. She explains the Luftwaffe’s tactics, the types of bombs that were used—high explosive, parachute mines and incendiaries—and records the devastating damage they caused. Her main focus is on the effect of the bombing on the ground. In graphic detail she describes the air raid precautions, the role of the various civil defense organizations and the direct experience of the civilians. Their recollections—many of which have not been published before—as well as newspaper articles and official reports give us a vivid impression of the raids themselves and their immediate aftermath. “One can never understand what either side hoped to achieve by destroying historic cities and killing and maiming their citizens during a conflict such as the second world war. Jan Gore attempts to explain the thinking behind it, and the awful consequences . . . A terrific account.” —Books Monthly




When Bombs Fell on Bath


Book Description

It is 1939. Anthony Roberts is just a schoolboy when his parents welcome the Blumfeldts, a Jewish couple and their young daughter, refugees from Germany, into their home in Bath. But Anthony has to grow up fast as the Nazis bring the war to their very doorstep and his elder brother Henry joins up to fight.Serving in war-ravaged Italy, Anthony falls in love with the beautiful Isabella Fortuno, but their dreams are shattered when tragedy strikes.In the years that follow, secrets connecting the families are gradually uncovered, revealing a tale of love, jealousy and betrayal. The search for truth extends across Europe, but one thing becomes clear: all roads lead back to Bath and those terrible nights when the bombs fell. This engrossing story of each family's struggle to find answers, peace and love will grip you to the very last page. Original artwork by Maggie Rayner




Shoot the Widow


Book Description

The first rule of biography, wrote Justin Kaplan: “Shoot the widow.” In her new book, Meryle Secrest, acclaimed biographer (“Knowing, sympathetic and entertainingly droll”—The New York Times), writes about her comic triumphs and misadventures as a biographer in search of her nine celebrated subjects, about how the hunt for a “life” is like working one’s way through a maze, full of fall starts, dead ends, and occasional clear passages leading to the next part of the puzzle. She writes about her first book, a life of Romaine Brooks, and how she was led to Nice and given invaluable letters by her subject’s heir that were slid across the table, one at a time; how she was led to the villa of Brooks’ lover, Gabriele d’Annunzio (poet, playwright, and aviator), a fantastic mausoleum left untouched since the moment of his death seventy years before; to a small English village, where she uncovered a lost Romaine Brooks painting; and finally, to 20, rue Jacob, Paris, where Romaine’s lover, Natalie Barney, had fifty years before entertained Cocteau, Gide, Proust, Colette, and others. Secrest describes how her next book—a life of Berenson—prompted Francis Steegmuller, fellow biographer, to comment that he wouldn’t touch the subject with a ten-foot pole. For her life of British art historian Kenneth Clark, Secrest was given permission to write the book by her subject, who surreptitiously financed it in the hopes of controlling its contents; we see how Clark’s plan was foiled by a jealous mistress and a stash of love letters that helped Secrest navigate Clark’s obstacle course. Among the other biographical (mis)adventures, Secrest reveals: how she tracked Salvador Dalí to a hospital room, found him recovering from serious burns sustained in a mysterious fire, and learned that he was knee-deep in a scandal involving fake drawings and prints and surrounded by dangerous characters out of Murder, Inc. . . . and how she went in search of a subject’s grave (Frank Lloyd Wright’s) only to find that his body had been dug up to satisfy the whim of his last wife. A fascinating account of a life spent in sometimes arduous, sometimes comical, always exciting pursuit of the truth about other lives.




The Memory of All that


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Reports


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When The Whistle Stops


Book Description

'When the whistle stops' is the first collection of biographies, stories, facts and photos produced as a result of two years exploring the dusty old boxes and long forgotten files that make up the history of Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Supported by 83 photographs and drawings - many of which have never been published before - you will find stories of bravery, bereavement, humour, intrigue and love. With direct quotes from original statements and old handwritten poems about life on the beat this is a novel collection this is a 'must have' for anyone with an interest in history, policing or great true stories. With stories dating from 1836 to the 1970s there is something for everyone in what is a celebration of the rich history of policing in the West Country.




Lumen Seek the Light


Book Description

Berlin, the heart of Nazi Germany, is the home of a young woman, Lieselotte Emma Berte Knoll. The darkness calls Lilo to learn how to pray with the same intensity of love as her mother,Heddy, whose prayer has moved the Heart of God to produce many miracles in their lives at a time when only miracles could keep them alive.







The Sketch


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