Events

Arnhem, Black Tuesday: Al Murray in Conversation with James Holland

Thursday 12th September 2024
18:30 at Waterstones, London - Gower Street

Arnhem: Black Tuesday (Hardback)

Al Murray

The Savage Storm (Paperback)

James Holland

Join us for a very special evening with Al Murray, who will be talking to historian James Holland about his new book Arnhem: Black Tuesday, the story of the most catastrophic 24-hours the British military faced in World War II.

The Battle of Arnhem is one of the best-known stories in British military history: a daring but doomed attempt to secure a vital bridgehead across the Rhine in order to end the war before Christmas 1944. It has always been written about as being destined to fail, but the men who fought there, men of military legend, didn't know that that was to be their fate.

By focusing on the events of one day as they happened through the eyes of the participants and without bringing any knowledge of what would happen tomorrow to bear, Al Murray offers a very different perspective on a familiar narrative. Some things went right and many more went wrong, but recounting them in this way allows the reader to understand for the first time why certain decisions were taken in the moment and how opportunities were squandered.

Tuesday 19 September 1944 was the terrible day which became known as Black Tuesday. From just after 1200 hours while plans were being made to seize the initiative and optimism reigned, to the following midnight, when Arnhem was burning and the Allied fortunes looked very different, this twenty-four hours changed the course of the war.

'An utterly brilliant work of history: compelling, entertaining, in parts truly shocking, profound, revelatory, full of wisdom and delivering a mass of totally fresh material…the last word on the Battle of Arnhem.' - James Holland

'Superb. By focusing on a single day, Al Murray's Arnhem reintroduces the element of jeopardy to this famous battle and reminds us that, for the participants, nothing was set in stone. He is a military historian of originality and insight to compare with the best.' - Saul David

Don't forget to include a copy of Arnhem: Black Tuesday with your ticket. There will be a book signing following the discussion. Join us from 18:00 for a welcome drink!

Al Murray is one of the most successful comics in the UK with his alter-ego The Pub Landlord. He also has a passion for World War II history and co-hosts the hugely popular Second World War history podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk with fellow bestselling military author James Holland. Al is the author of many successful books including Watching War Films with My Dad and Command. Arnhem: Black Tuesday is his first history book about a single campaign.

James Holland is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. The author of a number of best-selling histories he has presented - and written - a large number of television programmes and series. He has a weekly Second World War podcast, We Have of Making You Talk, with Al Murray, and is Chair of the Chalke Valley History Festival. He is a research fellow at St Andrew's University.

Waterstones, London - Gower Street

Thursday 12th September 2024
18:30

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