Author:Robert Moore
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NOW OUT IN CINEMAS, STARRING COLIN FIRTH, MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS AND LEA SÉYDOUX
'It takes you through each nail-biting moment . . . heart-breaking, humane and, at times, all too vivid. I've rarely read such a gripping work of non-fiction' COLIN FIRTH
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At 11.30 a.m. on Saturday 12 August 2000, two massive explosions roared through the shallow Arctic waters of the Barents Sea. The Kursk, pride of the Northern Fleet and the largest attack submarine in the world, was hurtling towards the ocean floor.
In Kursk (originally published as A Time to Die), award-winning journalist Robert Moore vividly recreates this disaster minute by minute. Venturing into a covert world where the Cold War continues out of sight, Moore investigates the military and political background to the tragedy. But above all, he tells the nail-bitingly poignant human story of the families waiting ashore, of the desperate efforts of British, Norwegian and Russian rescuers, and of the Kursk sailors, trapped in the aft compartnemt, waiting for rescue, as a horrified world followed their battle to stay alive . . .
It takes you through each nail biting moment, willing it to turn out differently. Heartbreaking, humane and, at times, all too vivid. I’ve rarely read such a gripping work of non fiction.
—— COLIN FIRTHThe Kursk was once the pride of the Russian navy and a symbol of state power . . . her story, harrowingly detailed . . . stands as a testament to the bravery and loyalty of men to a nation that failed them
—— Martin Robson , THE TIMESGripping . . . a moving tragedy redeemed by acts of extraordinary courage . . . has the plot, the tension and the excitement of a film
—— Orlando Figes , SUNDAY TELEGRAPHA sensational book that is sure to move you.
—— Everybody's Reviewing, blogThe bravery of the man who risked all to tell the world about the Holocaust is truly staggering ... an extraordinary testament to Man's inhumanity to Man, and the even more remarkable courage required to resist it
—— Ben McIntyre , The TimesKarski's exploration of the moral fog in which he and his colleagues operated ... made me recall thrillers like Man Hunt and Hangmen Also Die ... two episodes resemble scenes tantalisingly directed by Hitchcock ... Karski's account of the systematic brutality of the Nazi regime is literally chilling
—— Peter Conrad , The ObserverReads like the screenplay to an incredibly exciting war movie - but it is all true
—— Andrew RobertsSeared with an urgency that pitches the reader into the heart of the horror
—— Ben Felsenburg , MetroHis story deserves not just revival but reflection ... Karski's electrifying words still speak only too eloquently for themselves
—— Marek Kohn , IndependentHis analyses of the criteria needed for success are succinct and... convincing. ... The mysteries of leadership in times of conflict probably evade ultimate explanation, but Roberts, the biographer of Napoleon and Churchill, does much to throw new light on them,
—— Nick Rennison , Sunday TimesIn a single volume, Andrew Roberts has captured the essence of one of the world's most impactful, most memorable statesmen. It is the crowning achievement of his career - and will become the definitive biography of its subject.
—— Henry KissingerIt is a rare writer who is not afraid to deal with the toughest conflicts, ask the hardest questions, show the darkest side of even heroes, and still manage to renew our faith in humanity.
—— Elif Shafak, author of The Bastard of IstanbulElliot Ackerman was a young Marine Corps officer during the battle of Fallujah in 2004. I was an embedded journalist with his unit, which lost 20 men in the first week of fighting. I remember him as clever, direct and sometimes playfully ironic, all qualities on display in his book about what he has seen of war, Places and Names. His account of how he won a Silver Star is gripping, the chaotic reality on the ground contrasting with the po-faced and supremely uninformative official citation. His descriptions of Syria, which he visited as a writer, were so painfully evocative for me that I had to stop reading for a time. His vivid, sparse prose bears comparison to that of Tim O'Brien in The Things They Carried or Norman Lewis in Naples '44; Places and Names has the same clear-eyed view of what war is.
—— Paul Wood , The SpectatorBeautiful writing about combat and humanity and what it means to 'win' a war.
—— Mary Louise Kelly , NPR, All Things ConsideredGreen on Blue is harrowing, brutal, and utterly absorbing. With spare prose, Ackerman has spun a morally complex tale of revenge, loyalty, and brotherly love ... a disturbing glimpse into one of the world's most troubled regions.
—— Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite RunnerThis novel as a whole attests to Mr. Ackerman's breadth of understanding - an understanding not just of the seasonal rhythms of war in Afghanistan and the harsh, unforgiving beauty of that land, not just of the hardships of being a soldier there, but a bone-deep understanding of the toll that a seemingly endless war has taken on ordinary Afghans who have known no other reality for decades.
—— Michiko Kakutani, New York TimesElliot Ackerman has done something brave as a writer and even braver as a soldier: He has touched, for real, the culture and soul of his enemy
—— Tom Bissell, (The New York Times Book Review)Bouverie… retells [the story of appeasement] with gusto
—— Dominic Sandbrook , Sunday TimesBouverie gives a lucid account… [and] skilfully traces each shameful step to war… which he describes in moving and dramatic detail
—— Lewis Jones , Sunday TelegraphGripping.. Bouverie has written a searching, wide-ranging, and above all readable chronology of a shameful era of British history… a very cautionary tale
—— Nigel Jones , Spectator[An] impressive and very readable account
—— Tony Rennell , Daily MailTim Bouverie’s first historical work… is a well-argued, lucid case for the prosecution of the appeasers
—— David Aaronovitch , The Times, *Book of the Week*So assured is Bouverie’s writing, and so sound his judgments, that it is hard to believe that Appeasing Hitler is his first book. It is a wonderful debut that marks the arrival of a young historian to watch
—— Saul David , Evening Standard, *Book of the Week*[An] accomplished and lucid account
—— Josh Ireland , ProspectBouverie’s well-written Appeasing Hitler aims to provide a timeless lesson on the challenges of standing up to aggression.
—— Jo Johnson , Financial TimesBouverie has mined an impressive range of sources and quotes from them judiciously. His narrative is lucid, his prose efficient, his put-downs witty… [he] tells an important story well.
—— Lucy Hughes-Hallett , New StatesmanThe skill with which Tim Bouverie navigates here through the worlds of politics, officialdom and diplomacy is quite exemplary… his explanations of complex issues are always lucid; his narrative style is thoughtful, unshowy and always a pleasure to read… This is, quite simply, the best book ever to have appeared on this whole subject
—— Noel Malcolm , OldieBouverie’s Appeasing Hitler provides a meticulous picture of a Britain that faced very different problems from our own
—— Thelma Lovell , Catholic HeraldScrupulously fair, [and a] readable account… [an] excellent book
—— Marcus Tanner , TabletAppeasing Hitler…is a staggeringly good account of the build-up to the Second World War… gripping, dramatic and revelatory
—— Christian May , City AMBouverie’s prose is fluent and assured throughout. Those in search of an entertaining read will find one… an admirable retelling of traditional history
—— Robert Crowcroft , History TodayAn enthralling, nuanced tale… the narrative is absolutely compelling
—— Times Literary SupplementAn elegantly written account by a rising young historian
—— The Times, *Summer reads of 2019*This is a gripping account of the wishful thinking that led us to the precipice
—— Neil Armstrong and Hephzibah Anderson , Mail on Sunday, *Summer reads of 2019*There is a sure command of narrative and judgment in faultlessly lucid prose, with subtexts of pathos
—— Bruce Anderson , SpectatorA fascinating narrative on the politics of wishful thinking and the law of unintended consequences in international relations
—— Ali Ansari , History Today, *Books of the Year*[A] finely researched and well-argued book
—— Daily Mail, *Books of the Year*[A] phenomenal book
—— William Keegan , ObserverExcellent
—— Andrew Roberts , Wall Street JournalExcellent and compelling
—— William Leith , Evening Standard