“An excellent book, unfailingly well
written. Ought to be recognised as one of the most successful
histories of the Western Desert and North African fighting
yet to have appeared... A remarkable achievement. It is nothing
less than a narrative of the whole war on the southern Mediterranean
shore from 1940 to 1943. Few historians write as fluently as
Bierman and Smith do; few journalists achieve their standards
of accuracy.”
Sir John Keegan, Daily Telegraph |
“A big pacey read which, as well as
being an account of the battle itself, is a panorama of the
desert fighting leading up to the sacking of General Auchinleck
and the arrival of Montgomery.”
Allan Mallinson, The Times |
“A first class account of the arduous
hunt to run Rommel to ground.”
John Crosssland, Sunday Times, best military history books
of 2002. |
“A new definitive account of the desert
battle”
Daily Mail |
“Bierman and Smith’s exploration
of the campaign is peppered with fascinating insights...and
the authors manage to fill the entire canvas of the desert
war”
Herald, Glasgow |
“A clear, near-encylopedic reconstruction...[the]. Few, if any, professional
historians may be able to attain the quality of [this] book.'
Los Angles Times Book Review |
“All aspects of the North African conflict are captured in [this] remarkable
new book... It is, quite simply, excellent, blending the big picture view of
the war... with fascinating details about the lives of individuals. Mr Bierman
and Mr Smith both have an eye for the quirky and poignant, and they have woven
the blood-red thread of individual humanity through the complex tapestry of a
campaign that involved millions of people. Their writing is excellent, spare
and witty, allowing them to cover a large chunk of history in a short space,
all the while maintaining a magnificent awareness of the people at the heart
of their story... Their work honours them, and enlightens and entertains us.
There can hardly be any higher praise than that.”
The Washington Times |
“This accomplished recounting of the
battle is a blend of lively reporting and judicious quotations
that doesn’t lose sight of the big picture and the overarching
strategy of both commands... a concise and fluently written
account, a refreshing change from the dry recording of tactics
and numbers that too often
passes for military history.”
Chicago Tribune |
“ A colorful history in the spirit
of Antony Beevor’s spectacular Stalingrad.”
The Washington Post |
“Vignettes and anecdotes that personalise
a larger story. The book is really about people and the bewitching
cast.”
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel |
“The descriptions of the battles are
well-crafted and easily accessible to the nonspecialist...
Major and minor personalities and fighting units come to life,
among them the British Special Interrogation Group and the
Axis spy Laszlo Almasy, whose exploits were very loosely adapted
for the novel and film ‘The
English Patient’.”
Publishers’ Weekly |
