Battle of britian books?

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

By far the best analysis in my view is Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy" (available in paperback).

For a day-by-day account there is Mason's book (mentioned by AMC) which was a pioneering work but has been improved on since by "The Battle of Britain Then and Now". (However, Mason did also discuss the raids on Britain in The Great War and how that experience affected preparations for the next conflict.

Alfred Price also wrote to very good and highly detailed accounts of two days in the Battle: "The Hardest Day" and "Battle of Britain Day". Price did something different from other books by giving background about life in Britain and London in August and September 1940.

Len Deighton's "Fighter" is every bit as readable as his novels and asks some interesting questions but a lot of what he says would be disputed, I think.

1. Agree re Stephen Bungay's book.

2. Yes, Mason's book was pioneering for its time. But its content has been overtaken in recent decades by more recent research (even the 1990 second edition). Even the Battle of Britain Then and Now and its subsequent mini updates is somewhat behind the game now, but I would dearly love to see a fresh edition published with all that is known up to present with regard to combats and losses...

3. Alfred Price's books have stood the test of time admirably.

4. Didn't Bader call Len Deighton, 'That well-known writer of fiction'?