My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

I haven't seen the book myself yet, but am assured it looks as good as the proofs, which I approved last June. It should be available in Europe now, from the publisher Pen and Sword or the usual on-line sources. The US won't have it until the end of March, from distributor Casemate, on-line sources, or (with any luck) myself.

Here is description of the book taken from the jacket. (This is immodest, I know, but it's quick.)

The book is a detailed, comprehensive daily reference to the air operations flown by the Luftwaffe against the daylight strategic missions by the United States Army Air Force against the German Reich and the western zone occupied by Germany. It is a unique look at the German air defenses as they struggled to cope with the threat posed by the American 8th and 15th Air Forces, which were charged with destroying Germany’s critical war industries and wresting control of the air over the Reich from the Luftwaffe. The previous volume in this series, The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defense of the Reich is an award-winning narrative history of these defenses. The new book extends the story in an unprecedented fashion, and includes:

• A brief narrative and a table of statistics detailing every mission of every Luftwaffe unit defending the Greater German Reich or the western occupied zone against strategic raids by the USAAF.

• A summary of every 8th and 15th US Army Air Force strategic mission over this area in which the Luftwaffe was encountered.

• Tables of monthly sorties, losses and victory claims by the USAAF and the Luftwaffe over the Reich and the western occupied zone. The growth of the American juggernaut can be followed in detail, as can the ever more futile struggle by the Reich Defense Force. The data allow valihdity of USAAF and Luftwaffe victory claims to be estimated.

• Quarterly orders of battle and casualties for the Reich Defense Force, broken down by aircraft type. The unsuccessful struggle of the Luftwaffe to keep its fighter units up to strength while introducing superior types and the relative vulnerability of its various fighters can be seen at a glance.

• Maps for 32 major missions showing the tracks of the bombers and every defending Luftwaffe unit, including their points of attack on the bombers.

• 189 photographs of Luftwaffe personalities and aircraft, many previously unpublished.

• 72 combat accounts by Luftwaffe pilots, most previously unpublished and all readily available in English for the first time.

This unique and authoritative book is based on documents in the German, American and British government archives and German pilot logbooks and interviews from the author’s extensive collection. Caldwell is well known for his balanced presentations and the clarity of his writing. This book is a must-have for anyone with a serous interest in World War II aviation history.

The book completes the story begun by Caldwell and Dr. Richard Muller in The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defense of the Reich, which won the US Air Force Historical Foundation award for Best Air Power History Book of 2008. Critical praise for this earlier book has been widespread.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi Don!

It seems an age since we last met in London.

I shall order one of your new books immediately and look forward to it greatly.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Don, I bought your previous book "The Luftwaffe over Germany", could you tell me the difference between these two books? since that both books pretty much covers the same subject

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hello Mars --

The first book is a narrative history. The new book contains the data on which the first one was based. It is structured as a war diary, and includes mission lists for every mission the Luftwaffe flew against the 8th and 15th US Air Forces over the Reich and the western occupied zone, plus the additional material shown on the bullet list. It is intended as a supplement to the first book, and in no way duplicates it.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hello Don
a bit like your JG 26 and the 2 vol The JG 26 War Diary, I suppose.

Juha

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hello Juha --

A bit like all my books, but a lot less JG 26 and as many pilot's accounts as I could cram in.

Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hello Don
I understand, what I tried to say was that probably the ralationship between your new book and "The Luftwaffe over Germany" is a bit same that the relationship between your 2 vol The JG 26 War Diary and your JG 26 book.

Juha

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Thanks, Don, this is exactly what I want to know, will buy your book.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

I think my reply got lost in the ether. You are exactly right. There is too much material for one book, but I give the readers the option to stop with one, depending on the depth of their interest.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi Don
This book sounds really cool I will definetly read it one day. Your JG 26 books were also fine.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Just bought it on amazon... and tweeted it too ;-)

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Andreas --

Thanks for tweeting it, I guess, altho I don't have a clue what that means...

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hehe..

new option when you buy a book on amazon - after check out you will be opted a choice to add it to your Facebook page, tweet it using Twitter, or send an email to selected recipients...

Just wanted to test it

Regards,
Andreas B

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Andreas --

Hmmm... OK, this sounds more like an ad for Amazon than for the book, but please let me know if anything comes of it. There's probably a way for the author to access these things as well, but in my experience there's a sharp line in the USA between the book-buying generation and the social media generation.

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Sounds good, will keep an eye out for it

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Great news, Don.

Does this book contain the breakdown of losses by JG?

Chris

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

What!

Just got a message from Amazon customer support stating that the book is no longer available... and that my order has thus been cancelled

Strange?

Andreas B

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Chris -- The losses are broken down by JG.

Andreas -- "No longer available?" Strange indeed. AFAIK, Pen & Sword just got the books from their printer. The only theories that come to mind are that Amazon fouled up (not unknown) or Pen & Sword rejected the books (shudder). I'll check with my contact Monday and post here.

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Chris -- Andreas's post shook me up so much that I messed up your reply. Losses are broken down by Jagdgruppe.

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

No worry.
Thanks.

Chris

PS - BTW, I have just ordered a copy from Amazon.fr, will see how things turn out.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi Don

Any news regarding the release of the book?. Really looking forward to its release. Regards. Rob

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi Rob --

I was waiting for definitive news before posting again. The last I heard, the book was definitely at the Pen & Sword warehouse and was "en route" to Amazon UK. No-one claims responsibility for Amazon canceling some orders. I'll post again when Amazon UK is shipping. The books are a month away from the USA.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Thanks to you Don for letting us know about the availability of your new book. I have contacted the distributor and will be offering them to our customers here. We will send out an emailer and let everyone know about it. Sounds like a great book!!!

Judy Crandall
Eagle Editions Ltd.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Thanks, Judy. I wish you great success selling the book. I still haven't seen it, and have no evidence that anyone in the UK (its home country) is selling it, but Pen & Sword says it was published 27 Feb. I can't get any answer from P&S or Amazon UK why the latter canceled their preorders a couple of months ago. All I can do is recommend folks try reordering.

In another example of the chaos in the book industry, the Military Book Club (US) has it -- it's #16 on their best seller list. They're not just making this up; they've got the book, and are offering a "quick peek". I've ordered a supply from them. Take a look at:

http://www.militarybookclub.com/page...uId=1073739285


-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi all,

i have received an email today from bookdepository that this book is available now and will be delivered to me in the next days. Hurra!

Stefan

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Checking the bookdepository page, gave me status that this book is unavailable... :( I preordered it from P&S but returned my order as not available...did not answer to my query if they keep my order or cancelled it for good...hmmm. Anyone has the book in hands already ?

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hi,

I also got a mail from Amazon UK stating that the book is now possible to order.

Regards,
Andreas B

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Me too.
Available in my mail-box on 13 or 14 March.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

The book arrived today via bookdepository.

Stefan

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Stefan--

Congratulations! You may have been the first to get a book! I hope you like it. Publisher Pen & Sword assures me that the main UK stores have copies. Unfortunately they got "too busy" to air mail me an author's copy, so mine are on the boat with most of the US supply.

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

What a farsighted business approach — why would publishers need authors, after all?

Seriously Don, that's thoughtless of them.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Hello Don,
Is possible attached some sample page here?

T.

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Tomas --

Go to the Military Book Club site and click the "quick peek":

http://www.militarybookclub.com/page...uId=1073739285

Folks in the USA might want to throw an order their way to reward them for being able to get books so soon -- AFAIK, these are the first to cross the pond. (I've placed an order with them, but their tracking system says my shipment is held up in a Post Office warehouse 100km from here. So it goes...)

Nick --

This is typical of my treatment by Pen & Sword. My book is actually by an imprint, Frontline, but its "publisher" is on sabbatical, managing the London Gefiltefish Festival, among other things, and IMHO P&S is treating my Frontline title as an orphan. Publishers have historically disrespected authors -- their only reason for existence. P&S is the 7th publisher I've dealt with WRT my 7 books, and there will soon be an 8th, as the JG 26 War Diaries are being brought out in softback by someone other than Grub Street, their original publisher. I think I've discussed this here before, but authors need to form a cooperative to produce and market their own books. Self-published books have never been able to break into the conventional distribution system, but that system is permanently broken anyway. My problem is that my interest is in researching and writing, not all that other stuff necessary to get a finished book into a reader's hands.

-- Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Another possible model is this: http://unbound.co.uk/about

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

Nick --

An interesting concept. Do you know anyone who's tried them? Unbound is definitely a step up from what's called in the US a vanity press, but I see several weak points, especially for authors of specialty titles such as ourselves. First, potential readers must proactively seek out the site and make a contribution -- i.e., sponsor the book. How do we herd a global, thinly spread herd of buffs to the site? And the entire burden of marketing is left to the author, as tho he was self-published or has a garage full of books from a vanity press. It looks like Unbound is meant for unpublished authors with a large circle of friends. I've never had trouble finding legitimate publishers, who all do what they do very well -- they've always been my first choices, based on my evaluation of their product and the opinions of others. The problem has been their willingness to communicate with their authors once they have the signed contract and the MS. They don't respect their authors' opinions, and IMHO this is a universal problem.

--Don

Re: My new book Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich in the UK now
 

I heard about it via the news that Terry Jones (of Monty Python) had published a book, "Evil Machines, via this method.