Author:Rowland White
'Utterly brilliant: a fantastically exciting book... This really does read like the best kind of thriller. His best book yet'
James Holland, author of Normandy '44
April 1982. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.
In response, Britain despatches a naval task force. Eight thousand miles from home, its fate hinges on just twenty Sea Harriers against the two hundred-strong might of the Argentine Air Force.
The odds against them are overwhelming.
The MoD's own estimates suggest that half the Harriers will be lost in the opening days of the conflict. They need backup. Within three weeks 809 Naval Air Squadron is reformed, trained and heading south, ready for war.
Not since World War Two had so much been expected of such a small band of pilots.
A story of skill, courage and imagination that resembles a miniature Battle of Britain ... a military adventure, written with expertise, a tale of initiative, skill and courage, of pushing beyond the rules ... A thrilling account
—— The SpectatorHarrier 809 is a truly insightful study of this iconic British aircraft at war, and a tremendous account of the personal experiences of those who flew it in battle. By turns exciting, moving and enlightening; Rowland White has crafted yet another brilliant account of aerial warfare.
—— JOHN NICHOL, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SPITFIRERowland White has scored again. Harrier 809 reads like a fast-paced military adventure novel only better because every word is true. White has brought us an up-close, inside-the-cockpit saga of a band of heroes in the Falklands air war. Riveting.
—— Robert GandtSet against the broader context of the Falklands War, Harrier 809 brings the squadron’s story to life in fine and highly readable style.
—— Garth EnnisDeeply researched and written with Rowland White's trademark brio, Harrier 809 is the thrilling story of the ‘forgotten' Sea Harrier squadron of the Falklands War, one that arrived late to the party yet played a key role in Britain’s unlikely victory. A superb book.
—— Saul DavidThis is utterly brilliant: a fantastically exciting book about those amazing Harrier jets in the Falklands War but so much more besides. White has a richly drawn cast of unforgettable characters ... this really does read like the best kind of thriller. His best book yet.
—— James HollandUtterly thrilling and totally absorbing. White conveys brilliantly the spirit of a great aircraft - and the men who flew it
—— Patrick BishopRowland White has done it again! A compelling, fast-paced narrative that thrusts us into a fascinating cockpit-view of the Falklands War. Harrier 809 provides a true window into a conflict that shaped the modern path of Argentina and the United Kingdom; a "must read" for serious military aviation enthusiasts and historians alike!
—— Dan HamptonA compelling narrative, brought to life through vivid personal accounts and told in the author's usual lucid style
—— SoldierWhite writes narrative history like a novelist ... a story of politics, invention, determination and courage.
—— Navy NewsYou do get what's on the rather stylish tin; it is a pacy and thrilling read...Taken with his Vulcan 607, to which this book is essentially a sequel, Rowland White has written a fine popular history of the air war for the Falklands
—— The TimesStaggering
—— Oliver Franklin-Walles , Wired[Mance's] lively first book argues for a profound reassessment of humans' relationships with other species ... He is a skilful writer who never shies away from painful stories, and leavens even the grimmest episodes with humour. He also has a rare ability to couch strenuous ethical arguments in terms that are warmly familiar.
—— EconomistA brilliant book of moral philosophy, environmental insight, and compelling argument... [this] book...deserves the widest possible audience.
—— Edward Davey , Resurgence & EcologistWise, funny, moving and incisive. I loved it.
—— Tim HarfordA whip-smart, thought-provoking and thrilling investigation into one of the most essential moral issues of our time. Eye-opening as well as moving, challenging as well as frequently amusing, How to Love Animals surprised and fascinated me.
—— Lucy JonesHenry Mance believes that the bad things we do to animals are the result of our failure to think through the consequences of our actions. How to Love Animals will remedy that failure, in a highly readable, informative and entertaining manner.
—— Peter SingerThis clearsighted book offers a clarion call to not only foster greater sensitivity toward the animal world as a whole, but to recognize the Earth as more than just a "human-shaped" space. An urgent, humane, and exceptionally well-documented book.
—— Kirkus ReviewsEntertaining and thought-provoking, even if you loathe vegan sausage rolls.
—— Piers MorganA panoramic overview of our current relationship with those with who we share our planet.
—— Lucy Kehoe , GeographicalHow to Love Animals is compassionate, funny and utterly readable. What's more, Mance does something of enormous value: he surprises himself and the reader, too... In marrying this openness with his clarity of vision, Mance offers a new window on the climate emergency - one of the most pressing issues of our time.
—— Clea Skopeliti , iIntensely researched and carefully woven... varied and fascinating, and at times even funny. Mance...has a lively style; if the subject matter is heavy, his prose slips down effortlessly... I was gripped and provoked.
—— Emma Beddington , SpectatorChallenging, but also funny and refreshingly low in sanctimony, this book is no frothing polemic. It will doubtless alter many readers' understanding of the systems we all participate in and lead them to make different choices. For others, it should prompt the difficult moral reasoning that those of us who love animals but also profit from their suffering cravenly manage to avoid... Mance is an amiable guide: curious and open-minded.
—— Melissa Harrison , Financial TimesMance...is spot on to make us confront the horrible truth... [How to Love Animals] will force its readers to stop and think about the incomprehensible scale of unnecessary suffering we impose on our fellow creatures.
—— Julian Baggini , Literary Review