Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by Edward

After reading the publisher's synopsis of the book with its description of primary source German documents and eyewitness accounts, I am certainly interested in Dr. Taylor's Eagle Days.

However the first paragraph is pretty awkward and reads like a first draft by an intern.

“By the summer of 1940, Great Britain watched as France succumbed to the might of Adolf Hitler’s forces. Her forces driven off the continent, many rescued from capture at Dunkirk, only the Royal Air Force, supported by the country’s newly established radar system, now stood in the way of the country being invaded. . . . "

What's wrong with that?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

What's wrong with that?

Using the word "forces" twice, so close together.

[twocee]

And why "Adolph Hitler's forces", rather than "the German Army". They don't say "Chamberlain watched" or "Churchill watched".

And, anyway, "Great Britain" is wrong as it should be "The United Kingdom"!

Did not the Navy, too, stand in the way of invasion?

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

What's wrong with that?

Besides the inclusion of "forces" again the second sentence is pretty awkward with its four commas. I feel certain that Dr. Taylor could do a quick edit and improve this

I'm sure that the publisher has to insert a certain number of phrases and buzz words for their description of a book on the BoB. "Dunkirk" "Adolf Hitler" "radar" etc so that it shows up in different searches.

[Edward]

Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain
(Apollo, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing - May 22, 2025)
by Victoria Taylor
464 pages - hardback

$32.99 US - hardback
$29.69 US - ebook

"Read an extract" at link below does not seem to be working

Description
"By the summer of 1940, Great Britain watched as France succumbed to the might of Adolf Hitler's forces. Her forces driven off the continent, many rescued from capture at Dunkirk, only the Royal Air Force, supported by the country's newly established radar system, now stood in the way of the country being invaded. Herman Goering had promised his Fuhrer his air force would sweep the British skies of all opposition to allow Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of southern England, to commence. The intense aerial combat over the coming months across the English Channel and the countryside of southeast England would not reflect the optimism of Nazi propaganda.

Researching and blending a diverse range of primary sources together (Luftwaffe air crews' personal letters and diaries), with official combat reports, and contemporary German newspapers, Victoria Taylor weaves a rich, multifaceted tapestry of the military, political, social and cultural influences that shaped the German air force's mentality and morale during the Battle of Britain.

Eagle Days transforms the Luftwaffe's historical role during the RAF's 'Finest Hour' from a cartoonish antagonist to a multidimensional, flawed-yet-formidable opponent. The narrative contains not just the voices of the air crews who conducted the fighting, but uniquely never-before-translated primary source material of other contemporary eyewitnesses, (Luftwaffe's paratroopers, anti-aircraft gunners and air signalmen). Eagle Days will offer all fans of this period a refreshing, comprehensive and exciting new account of the Luftwaffe's real experiences during the Battle of Britain."

The Author
"Dr Victoria Taylor, BA (Hons), MRes, AFHEA is an award-winning aviation historian who completed her PhD thesis on the Luftwaffe and National Socialism in the Third Reich at the University of Hull and Sheffield Hallam University. She has contributed to numerous popular history magazines such as BBC History Extra, Iron Cross Magazine and Britain at War.

Victoria sits on the Advisory Board for the cross-party Spitfire AA810 restoration project in the House of Lords and is an Assistant Editor for the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Journal of Aeronautical History. Eagle Days is her first non-fiction book."

https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/eagle-days-9781804549971/

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by twocee

And why "Adolph Hitler's forces", rather than "the German Army". They don't say "Chamberlain watched" or "Churchill watched”.

Publishers seem very fond of WW2 titles beginning “Hitler’s …”, “Churchill’s …” or “Stalin’s …” but not so much “Roosevelt’s …”

[twocee]

The blurb suggests that Ms Taylor is the first author to recognize that the Luftwaffe in 1940 was not just a "cartoonish antagonist". So that is where Wood and Dempster, and Mason, went wrong.

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Edward

Besides the inclusion of "forces" again the second sentence is pretty awkward with its four commas. I feel certain that Dr. Taylor could do a quick edit and improve this

I'm sure that the publisher has to insert a certain number of phrases and buzz words for their description of a book on the BoB. "Dunkirk" "Adolf Hitler" "radar" etc so that it shows up in different searches.

probably used ChatGPT. Ask it to write the blurb for a new book on the Battle of Britain ..and be amazed. Or not.

" Title: Wings of Fire: The Battle of Britain and the defeat of the Luftwaffe

Blurb:
In the summer of 1940, the skies over England became the stage for one of the most pivotal confrontations of the Second World War. Wings of Fire dives deep into the dramatic clash between the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe, exploring the strategies, bravery, and sacrifices that defined the Battle of Britain.

From the adrenaline-fueled dogfights between Spitfires and Messerschmitts to the relentless bombing campaigns of the Blitz, this gripping narrative brings history to life through vivid accounts of the pilots, commanders, and civilians who lived through the chaos. Witness the rise of the Luftwaffe, fueled by Hitler’s ambitions, and the resilient defense mounted by an outnumbered but determined Britain.

Combining meticulous research with storytelling that places you in the cockpit, Wings of Fire is a tribute to the human spirit, a tale of heroism against all odds, and a testament to the enduring legacy of the battle that changed the course of history..."

[Orwell1984]

I don't want to be placed in the cockpit, I haven't finished flying school yet!

[Nick Beale]

“Wings of Fire”, a worthy sequel “Blazing Saddles”?