Al Murray writes Second World War history book
- Comedian Al Murray is to release his first straight history book, later in 2022
- Command: How The Allies Learned To Win The Second World War will be published in October
- He says: "I will tell the story of how the West got its act together in its efforts to defeat Nazi Germany"
Al Murray has written his first non-comedy book.
The comedian and history buff is publishing Command: How The Allies Learned To Win The Second World War in hardback, eBook and audiobook on 13th October, through publisher Headline.
Murray, who presented the Sky History documentary series Why Do The Brits Win Every War? last year, with contributions from his Pub Landlord alter-ego, has previously written six books, including the 2013 memoir Watching War Films With My Dad, yet this is his first departure into completely straight history, examining the key Allied military leaders of the Second World War.
Murray already presents the popular podcast We Have Ways Of Making You Talk about the conflict and has narrated the audiobooks of his co-host, military historian James Holland.
The strength of their shared brand is reflected in Murray's book aping the design of Holland's most recent tome, 2021's Brothers In Arms, with a stark monochrome photograph, title in shining gold font and author's name in white over dark clouds.
Murray, who has a history degree from Oxford University, said: "Why am I so interested? Because, as we've very clearly seen in recent times, crisis reveals character in every way imaginable and the Second World War offers the historian the biggest crisis in human history.
"With Command I will try to tell the story of how the war progressed from the British and American perspective, using some of the leading Allied combat commanders - and several that are less prominent - to tell the story of how the West got its act together in its efforts to defeat Nazi Germany, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them."
Headline's Iain MacGregor, who has penned several accounts of the war himself, says: "I have been a fan of Al's work for many years but it was only listening to his episode of BBC Radio 4's Great Lives that I realised what passion he has for history and for the Second World War.
"His in-depth discussion of Field Marshal Montgomery had Al display a vast knowledge of the military leader himself, but also the events of the Second World War. Al has since gone on to co-host with James Holland possibly the UK's most successful military history podcast ... which in two years has achieved over 10 million downloads. He now wants to showcase his knowledge and love of the subject by writing this insightful and entertaining analysis of the great Allied military leaders in the war."
Meanwhile, the Pub Landlord begins his Gig For Victory tour of the UK and Ireland at Middlesbrough Town Hall on 24th February.
Al Murray - Command: How The Allies Learned To Win The Second World War
"My bookshelves were groaning with WW2 books, Hitler's baleful eyes staring out at me from covers and spines for any new visitor (or passing burglar) to wonder if I might be a fan or at least mildly obsessed." - Al Murray
"Al Murray's new book proves, if anyone still feels the need to question it, that he is a major historian in his own right. Command is everything popular history should be: authoritative, full of deep wisdom and knowledge, genuinely fresh and original in approach and content, and both compelling and entertainingly written. Skilfully blending the famous names with those lesser known, he examines each in a completely fresh light, focussing on differing aspects that collectively offer a satisfyingly comprehensive whole that takes the reader on a journey across a wide range of landscapes, theatres and battles. It is an utter joy to read from start to finish." - James Holland
Al Murray's passion for military history and the Second World War in particular has always been a dual passion with his comedy and was brought to the fore with several acclaimed and award winning television shows and the recent huge success of his podcast We Have Ways Of Making You Talk, which he hosts with fellow best-selling military author James Holland. The podcast has built up a loyal, nationwide fanbase and has given birth to its own annual three-day festival.
In his first serious narrative book, Command showcases Al Murray's passion for this pivotal period in the Twentieth Century, as he writes an engaging, entertaining and sharp analysis of the key allied military leaders in the conflict.
Command highlights the performance and careers of some of the key protagonists who commanded armies, as well as the lesser-known officers who led divisions, regiments and even battalions for the British, Commonwealth and United States of American armies. By showcasing each combat commander across every theatre of operations the allies fought in, Murray tells the story of how the Western Allies rebounded from early shocking defeats (Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor) to then victories (El Alamein and D-Day) in its efforts to defeat the Axis forces of Nazi Germany and Japan, and what that tells us about the characters and the challenges that faced them.
Command will be the book all fans of Second World War history will want to buy who appreciate a true enthusiast of the genre who has something new and compelling to say.
First published: Thursday 13th October 2022
- Publisher: Headline
- Pages: 352
- Catalogue: 9781472284594
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- Publisher: Headline
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- Publisher: Headline
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BCG may earn commission on sales generated through the links above.