Alvesdon - by James Holland (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The beautifully rendered novel from preeminent WWII historian James Holland chronicling the impact of the war on one British family and their small village

Wiltshire 1939. In the small English village of Alvesdon, the Castell family and their farm have been staples in the community for decades. As the threat of war edges closer to their sanctuary, each member of the family finds themselves pushed in ways they never could have imagined.

With relationships tested and torn apart, facing both personal tragedy and physical conflict, Alvesdon chronicles the experience of three generations of Castells and those who love them, from the onset of World War II up until the Battle of Britain in 1940, as their individual and collective futures hang in the balance.

Drawing on his deep knowledge of the history and tactics of WWII and his intimate familiarity with the countryside of southern England, James Holland has crafted a compelling story that should resonate strongly for fans of Chris Cleave's Everyone Brave Is Forgiven and Millie Bobby Brown's bestselling Nineteen Steps.

Review Quotes

Praise for Alvesdon:

"The depth and breadth of [Holland's] knowledge is evident in the vivid portrayal of all the varied theatres of conflict . . . Holland's skill is such that, as they turn the last page, the reader is left with a visceral dread that not all the Castells will make it home."--Sunday Times

"A beautiful, evocative novel that captures the fear and mood of the early days of the war."--Dermot O'Leary

Praise for James Holland:

"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."--Jonathan W. Jordan, Wall Street Journal

"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."--Thomas E. Ricks, New York Times Book Review

"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

"Holland's great skill lies in bringing these warriors back to life with vivid prose. He's an enormously prolific historian of the war, but each book he produces is constructed with great care and emotional commitment . . . Holland is obsessed with war, but fortunately does not seem to love it. He recognizes its beauty, but also its vileness."--Gerard DeGroot, Times (UK) on Sicily '43

"Highly detailed . . . The interplay of personal stories with the broader strategic picture makes this book especially illuminating . . . A fascinating must-read for World War II aficionados."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review), on Big Week

"James Holland's The War in the West is set fair to become one of the truly great multivolume histories of the Second World War."--Andrew Roberts, New York Times-bestselling author of The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War and Napoleon: A Life

"A fascinating story of how the fortunes of war changed in obvious--and particularly not so obvious--ways."--Col. Eric M. Walters, Military Review on The Allies Strike Back

"Holland puts the case for Allied technological and military skills as a vital factor in turning the war's tide . . . Ranks as a towering work of historical research and writing."--BBC History Magazine on The Allies Strike Back

"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 . . . Exceptional . . . Epic."--Wall Street Journal on The Rise of Germany

"Impeccably researched and superbly written . . . Holland's fascinating saga offers a mixture of captivating new research and well-considered revisionism."--Guardian on The Rise of Germany

About the Author

James Holland, one of WWII's finest historians, is the author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany and The Allies Strike Back in the War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC, and his WWII podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, now has millions of listeners.