Description

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The Second World War is brought to life with captivating color and detail in this illustrated history from renowned historian James Holland and award-winning artist Keith Burns

From the internationally acclaimed historian James Holland comes an enthralling and illuminating account of the key battles and crucial turning points of the Second World War, brought vividly to life with over 280 full color illustrations from award-winning artist Keith Burns.

Complex, total and global, the Second World War was the deadliest conflict in human history, with over 300 million soldiers seeing combat. The movements and turns of these six deadly years have had far-reaching consequences which still impact our global relations today. From the horrors of the Western Front to the paddy fields of Burma, The Second World War: An Illustrated History takes us through each key moment across the history, in an accessible and authoritative account from a master military historian and captivating illustrator.

About the Author

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James Holland is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. The author of a number of best-selling histories he has presented - and written - a large number of television programs and series. He has a weekly Second World War podcast, We Have of Making You Talk, with Al Murray, and is Chair of the Chalke Valley History Festival. He is a research fellow at St Andrew's University.

Keith Burns is an award-winning aviation artist and commercial illustrator. He has illustrated comics for the past decade, his collaborations with writer Garth Ennis, Johnny Red and Out of the Blue being the most recent. In 2012 he joined the Guild of Aviation Artists. In 2015 he won the Messier Dowty award for best acrylic painting in show, and in 2016 he was made a full member of the Guild, had his first solo exhibition at the RAF Club in London and won Aviation Painting of the Year. He has produced commissions for the RAF, the Army, the Imperial War Museum and Forces Charities. Over the last few years, Keith has supplied art for various stamp collections for Jersey Post.

Praise For…

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“Tells a superb story of World War II’s destruction with a breadth that small-unit narratives cannot match.”—Wall Street Journal on Brothers in Arms

“"Vivid eyewitness accounts, colorful character sketches, and lucid tactical discussions make this a must-read for military history buffs.”—Publishers Weekly on Brothers in Arms

“A fine account of the brutal daily experiences of a celebrated British tank regiment . . . This book is the result of massive research in British and American archives, plus a few interviews with survivors, and the author includes a generous selection of maps and photos . . . One of the better recent blow-by-blow chronicles of a World War II unit.”—Kirkus Reviews on Brothers in Arms

“Academic histories are all very well, but at times it is a pleasure to sit back and wallow in an old-school military tale of flinty-eyed men doing battle. That is what James Holland, a seasoned craftsman, offers in Sicily ’43.”―New York Times Book Review on Sicily '43

“Crisp, detailed, and entertaining. Holland refuses to let the legends overshadow the flesh-and-blood soldiers who fought, bled, and died. Sicily ‘43 is an outstanding look at a step- ping-stone to victory.”―Wall Street Journal on Sicily '43

“[An] expert account . . . Marshaling a wealth of primary and secondary sources into an engrossing narrative, Holland fills a yawning gap in histories of WWII. This magisterial account is a must-read for military history fan.”―Publishers Weekly starred review on Sicily '43

“Detail and scope are the twin strengths of Normandy ’44. . . Mr. Holland effectively balances human drama with the science of war as the Allies knew it.”―Wall Street Journal on Normandy ’44

“This hefty, scrupulously balanced history of the Allied invasion of northern France goes beyond some of the well-known events of D-Day, thanks to Holland’s meticulous research and clear-eyed view of the big picture . . . An excellent and engrossing new look at the Normandy invasion.”―Publishers Weekly starred review on Normandy '44

“This massive volume is informative, enthralling, and moving--often all three at once...Genuinely brilliant.” ―Booklist on The Battle of Britain

“This is narrative history as intimate, intricate tapestry . . . Mr. Holland’s success is built in part on an engaging writing style and in part on a genuinely fresh approach to events that have been so often—and apparently definitively—recounted. . . . Mr. Holland’s achievement is exceptional . . . [An] epic narrative.”—Wall Street Journal on The Rise of Germany, 1939–1941

“James Holland is the best of the new generation of World War II historians. His epic new venture convincingly challenges many received ideas about the war and draws some exciting new conclusions.”—Sebastian Faulks onThe Rise of Germany, 1939–1941

“With this magnificent, hugely readable debut, James Holland’sThe War in the Westis set fair to become one of the truly great multivolume histories of the Second World War.”—Andrew Roberts, New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Storm of War: A New History of the Second World Waron Napoleon: A Life on The Rise of Germany, 1939–1941