Why read Nine Lives (Witness to War)?

Book cover of Nine Lives (Witness to War)

Book description

This is the autobiography of Alan Deere, New Zealand’s most famous RAF pilot who saw action from the Munich Crisis to the invasion of France in 1944.

Al Deere experienced the drama of the early days of the Battle of Britain while serving with Spitfire squadrons based at Hornchurch and…

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War
History

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Why read it?

1 author picked Nine Lives (Witness to War) as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Helena P. Schrader

Author

Nine Lives is an autobiography by one of the RAF aces of the Battle of Britain and, as such, is one of a handful of authentic accounts about the Battle told by a participant. (I actually recommend all these first-hand accounts, but since I’m limited to five titles altogether, I confine myself to two.) Deere’s account stands out for its brutal honesty and his willingness to analyze his behavior and reactions to events. It is not a literary masterpiece, but its sincerity is all the greater. Deere was a New Zealander and therefore this book highlights the often-forgotten contribution of…

From Helena's list on The best books to really understand the Battle of Britain.