Book Review for Australian Eagles. Australians in the Battle of Britain

It is always nerve wracking waiting for publication date and the first reviews.

 

What will people think of your latest 'literary baby'.

 

Will they read it carefully before making an assessment?

 

Will they send it to the secondhand bookshop without even looking at it (that has happened!)

 

And so, I have been having stress attacks for the last couple of weeks worrying about the overall reception even though Australian Eagles has already garnered a few good early bird reviews.

 

Today, 1 July, is the Official Release Date and my heart is still pattering but for a good reason. I am overwhelmed about Aircrew Book Review's wonderful review. I need a another cup of tea to calm me down.

 

Read this extract for an idea of just how good and perceptive this review is:

 

Previous works by the author have revealed a particularly detailed eye for the personal and this is very much evident in AE, especially so for those featured who did not survive the Battle. Letters and, in some cases, diaries have been pored over and it is clear from each of the ‘biographies’ that there has been much reading between the lines. The standard format of childhood, education, employment, learning to fly etc is, understandably, followed but as much attention is paid to the pre-service life of each man as it is to the ‘exciting’ stuff – their time as pilots. This balance is of course not seen with Sheen or Coward as both survived the Battle (and the war). Reflecting on their survival, the attention paid to the pre-war lives of the men who weren’t so lucky becomes all the more important. Other than their families, where they are still mourned, who else will know why John Kennedy rarely smiled in photographs or that John Crossman’s first flight in his life was with Charles Kingsford Smith? The result of such in-depth research and analysis, lovingly so in some respects, is an understanding beyond anything official records (and most books) will ever provide. The reader is introduced to each of the men and develops an affinity with them – so much so that one can suddenly see behind the cocky grin and rakishly angled service cap. The grey tones of the photographs are noticed less and less as you see the colour of their lives.

Read the whole review at http://aircrewbookreview.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/australian-eagles-kristen-alexander.html

Order your copy now at http://www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au/available-now-australian-eagles-australians-battle-britain

Australian Eagles. Australians in the Battle of Britain. At the Australian War Memorial

One of the joys of being a writer: seeing your book in a bookshop.

 

Australian Eagles spotted recently at the Australian War Memorial.

 

The first two shots are of the new release stand, the third is from the aviation section where you can just see my first book (Clive Caldwell Air Ace) as well.

 

Australian Eagles. Australians in the Battle of Britain

The official release day for Australian Eagles is 1 July 2013 but Alexander Fax Booksellers have already received stocks and it is on sale now at alexanderfaxbooks.com.au

Even before the release, Australian Eagles has received some favourable comments.

 

Neil Follett from the Aviation Historical Society of Australia emailed the other day to advise he would be including a review in the Society's September newsletter.

 

He told me: 'I really enjoyed the read and your in depth research shows ... I will certainly recommend it.'

 

On 6 June I was interviewed by Richard Stubbs of ABC 774.

 

You can download the interview at: http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2013/06/australian-eagles-battle-of-britain.html

 

Here are just a handful of the great things he had to say:

 

'Done herself proud'

 

'Investigative writing and also emotional writing'

 

'I found it terribly moving'

 

'Clearly you've done some research to make these people come alive again'

 

'A meticulous researcher and a very good writer'

 

'This is a wonderful book'

 

I am trying not to get a big head!

 

The first review of Australian Eagles! This early bird review appeared in Flightpath Volume 24, Number 4 (this was also printing in Wings, Winter 2013):

 

They were known simply as “The Few”; the 3000 RAF fighter pilots that defended the UK through the Battle of Britain. These were essentially young men tasked with the greatest of responsibilities and the manner in which they rose to the occasion has become history. These men came from across the Commonwealth, including a small band of brothers from far-flung Australia. It is the story of six of these men—Jack Kennedy (Sydney), Stuart Walch (Hobart), Dick Glyde (Perth), John Crossman (Newcastle), Des Sheen (Canberra) and British-born James Coward, an “adopted” Australian—that Kristen Alexander has captured in her new book, “Australian Eagles”.

 

The history of “The Few” has been documented in word and film a number of times, but what Kristen’s book exudes is the human face. For ‘Australian Eagles’ steps back from the skies over Kent and traces these young pilots back to the schoolyards and sporting fields of their homes. Their deeds in the air made history, but it was their upbringing that made them the selfless men they grew into. Through family interviews and archives, the Australian “Few” come alive. And yet in seeking out the personalities behind the service numbers, Kristen has also thoroughly researched the operational truths.

 

From personnel files to squadron records and log books, the timeline of the battle is clearly established. This book is thoroughly researched on a number of levels and the role of each young man’s daily life is described to a backdrop of combat operations. There are dogfights and close calls, but there is also time for humour and reflection. These are young men caught in between their vitality and mortality.

 

 ‘Australian Eagles’ offers a wonderful blend of history and humanity. In times of upheaval, the individuals are often lost in the enormity of the undertaking. So dedicated to the greater good that their own stories can slip between the deepening cracks of time. Thankfully, Kristen Alexander has taken the time to catch these six young lives and share them with us. To the boyish faces staring out from the photographs upon the page, Kristen’s words have breathed new life.