Sabotage and Subversion by Ian Dear

I have already written about some of the books I had as gifts for Christmas. This was a 12 O'clock present from my Wife who had picked the book up in a remainder book shop in Bromsgrove.  I did not start reading it straight away, but picked it up about a week ago to have a browse through.  What a revelation and a great read.  The story of both SOE (Special Operations Executive) and OSS (the American Version) during World War 2.

The small paper-backed book is split into logical sections with the first few chapters dealing with the set up of both operations and how they recruited, trained and equipped their operatives. The next chapters each deal with a separate action or activity, including the background to the Heavy Water Factory sabotage and the Chindits in the Far East.

For me it reads like a real Boys-Own adventure story, well written and informative and a real first class book on a subject that gets very little emphasis.

Since reading the book (and in preparing this short Blog entry) I have come across a number of more detailed reviews of the book (and in fact the series of books by Cassell). This is one that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Full details are;
Sabotage and Subversion by Ian Dear
Published by Cassell
ISBN 0-304-35202-0

Tony