The most shocking year in history. Week by week, hour by hour.

In his brilliant reconstruction, Richard Collier vividly brings one of the most momentous years in world history to life once again.

This was a time of blitzkrieg and the Blitz; of the Battle of Britain and Dunkirk. From the fighting in Finland to the destruction of Coventry, from the sinking of the French fleet in Oran to the invasion of Norway, this is history at its most extraordinary and engaging.

By recounting major episodes from the viewpoint of those actually involved, Collier provides enlightening glimpses of just what war represented to both the great and to the unknown, and reveals that while 1940 was a year of incredible folly, it was also a time of inestimable bravery.

Perfect for readers of Anthony Beevor and Max Hastings, this is an unforgettable book about an unforgettable year, a year that shaped the world we know today.

'Masterly... you could be reading a spine-tingling thriller' Sunday Express

'I would like to see this book made compulsory reading' Evening Standard