Longlisted for the 2009 Orange Prize for Fiction.

The 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.

From the author of the acclaimed Crooked Heart comes another “smart, funny, ingenious, revealing tale of London life during the Second World War” (The Independent)—longlisted for the Orange Prize upon its original publication in England. It is 1940. France has fallen, and only a narrow strip of sea lies between Great Britain and invasion. The war could go either way and everyone must do their bit. Young copy writer Catrin Cole is drafted into the Ministry of Information to help “write women” into propaganda films—something that the men aren’t very good at. She is quickly seconded to the Ministry’s latest endeavor: a heart-warming tale of bravery and rescue at Dunkirk. It’s all completely fabricated, of course, but what does that matter when the nation’s morale is at stake? Since call-up has stripped the industry of its brightest and best, it is the callow, the jaded and the utterly unsuitable who must make up the numbers: Ambrose Hilliard, third most popular British film-star of 1924; Edith Beadmore, Madame Tussauds wardrobe assistant turned costumier; and Arthur Frith, whose peacetime job as a catering manager has not really prepared him for his sudden, unexpected elevation to Special Military Advisor. Now in a serious world, in a nation under siege, they must all swallow their mutual distaste, ill-will, and mistrust to unite for the common good, for King and Country, and—in one case—for better or worse.... “Evans displays a fine eye for detail and for the absurdities involved in filming. She also brilliantly evokes the disruption and dangers of wartime London. This funny, heart-warming and beautifully crafted novel is a must-read.”—Daily Mail (London)

In May 1940, the British War Cabinet debated over the course of nine meetings a simple question: Should Britain fight on in the face of overwhelming odds, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives, or seek a negotiated peace? Using Cabinet papers from the United Kingdom’s National Archives, David Owen illuminates in fascinating detail this little-known, yet pivotal, chapter in the history of World War II. Eight months into the war, defeat seemed to many a certainty. With the United States still a year and half away from entering, Britain found itself in a perilous position, and foreign secretary Lord Halifax pushed prime minister Winston Churchill to explore the possibility of a negotiated peace with Hitler, using Mussolini as a conduit. Speaking for England is the story of Churchill’s triumph in the face of this pressure, but it is also about how collective debate and discussion won the day—had Churchill been alone, Owen argues, he would almost certainly have lost to Halifax, changing the course of history. Instead, the Cabinet system, all too often disparaged as messy and cumbersome, worked in Britain’s interests and ensured that a democracy on the brink of defeat had the courage to fight on.

It is 1940. France has fallen, and only a narrow strip of sea lies between Great Britain and invasion. The war could go either way and everyone must do their bit. Young copy writer Catrin Cole is drafted into the Ministry of Information to help write women in propaganda films - something that the men aren't very good at.

This book recreates the tensions and uncertainties of the events of 1940.

Four young men in a tiny lifeboat brave a dreadful storm to save dozens of lives in this illustrated chapter book adaptation (for readers 6-9) of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours. On the night of February 18th, 1952, during one of the worst winter storms that New England has even seen, two oil tankers off the shore of Cape Cod are torn in half by the force of the seas. For the men on board, survival seemed impossible. What follows is a harrowing Coast Guard rescue in a tiny lifeboat, where four young heroes beat the odds and bring more than thirty stranded sailors to safety. This first book in the True Rescue chapter book series is a fast-paced, uplifting story that puts newly independent readers in the middle of the action. Christy Ottaviano Books New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias adapts his histories of real life stories for young readers in his True Rescue Series, capturing the heroism and humanity of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters. Illustrated Chapter Books for ages 6-9: True Rescue: The Finest Hours True Rescue: A Storm Too Soon Young Readers Adaptations, for ages 9-14 The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition) A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition) Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition) Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition)

Their Finest Hour tells the fascinating stories of six of Churchills Few', each of whom played an important part in the Battle of Britain. Celebrated and much respected on their own squadrons, all have since faded into obscurity. Their achievements, against all odds, and the fortunes of their comrades-in-arms, many of whom died during the Battle, are told here in detail, some for the first time. This has been done in an effort to retrieve these stories from obscurity, bringing them to a wider audience and ensuring they are not forgotten. Featured stories include that of Flying Officer Reginald Peacock DFC, the only Blenheim pilot of the Second World War to become a fighter ace; Squadron Leader Robert Reid, who flew throughout the Battle of Britain, having a hand in the destruction of three Bf 109s, and the damaging of two more; and Pilot Officer Douglas Cyril Winter, who flew Spitfires during the defence of the Dunkirk Beaches, before taking on the Luftwaffe in the skies over Southern England.All these stories offer insights into this dynamic period of aviation history. Recorded here, they serve as poignant reminders of the efforts of the 'Few' and the contributions that they made to the Allied effort during the Second World War.

Their Finest Hour covers the period in World War 2 after the fall of France when Britain stood alone, with victorious Germany and Italy engaged in mortal attack upon them, with Soviet Russia a hostile neutral actively aiding Hitler, and Japan an unknowable menace. Churchill labeled the "moral of the work" as follows: "In War: Resolution, In Defeat: Defiance, In Victory: Magnanimity, In Peace: Goodwill"

The second volume in the WWII history “written with simplicity, lucidity, and gusto” by the legendary leader and Nobel Prize winner (The New York Times). In Their Finest Hour, Winston Churchill describes the invasion of France and a growing sense of dismay in Britain. Should Britain meet France’s desperate pleas for reinforcements or conserve their resources in preparation for the inevitable German assault? In the book’s second half, entitled simply “Alone,” Churchill discusses Great Britain’s position as the last stronghold against German conquest: the battle for control of the skies over Britain, diplomatic efforts to draw the United States into the war, and the spreading global conflict. Their Finest Hour is part of the epic six-volume account of World War II told from the viewpoint of a man who led in the fight against tyranny, and enriched with extensive primary sources including memos, letters, orders, speeches, and telegrams, day-by-day accounts of reactions as the drama intensifies. Throughout these volumes, we listen as strategies and counterstrategies unfold in response to Hitler’s conquest of Europe, planned invasion of England, and assault on Russia, in a mesmerizing account of the crucial decisions made as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.