From the author of national bestsellers The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter comes "a rousing tale of little-known heroes" (Booklist).
The Few tells the dramatic and unforgettable story of eight young Americans who joined Britain's Royal Air Force, defying their country's neutrality laws and risking their U.S. citizenship to fight side-by-side with England's finest pilots in the summer of 1940-over a year before America entered the war. Flying the lethal and elegant Spitfire, they became "knights of the air" and with minimal training but plenty of guts, they dueled the skilled and fearsome pilots of Germany's Luftwaffe. By October 1940, they had helped England win the greatest air battle in the history of aviation. Winston Churchill once said of all those who fought in the Battle of Britain, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." These daring Americans were the few among the "few." Now, with the narrative drive and human drama that made The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter national bestsellers, Alex Kershaw tells their story for the first time.
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"There are three groups of Americans who went to World War II long before the U.S. entered the war. First there was a group of Chinese American pilots from Eugene, Oregon who travelled to China and flew against the Japanese. Almost nothing has been written about these brave Americans. Then there was the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers, whose exploits are almost mythic. Then there were those Americans who, in violation of American neutrality, travelled to England and flew for England against Germany. "The Few" is about some of the pilots in this latter group who, seven in number, flew during the Battle of Britain, in effect the few of the few. Only one of the seven would survive the war. "The Few" follows the exploits of these brave men, where they came, why they fought, how they lived and how they died. It was a time when just a few men could make a big difference and Alex Kershaw did a first rate job of telling thier story. Now if someone would just write a book about those Chinese pilots from Oregon, now that would be something."
— Michael (5 out of 5 stars)
" I picked up a copy of this book at the airport in Singapore a few years back and read it cover to cover by the time my plane had landed at Sydney airport in Australia. A pretty good book covering the exploits of a number of American pilots who joined the Royal Air Force and its fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain. The story is well told and the book was a joy to read, covering an aspect not normally found in many history books, again, highly recommended reading! "
— 'Aussie, 2/19/2014" I picked up a copy of this book at the airport in Singapore a few years back and read it cover to cover by the time my plane had landed at Sydney airport in Australia. A pretty good book covering the exploits of a number of American pilots who joined the Royal Air Force and its fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain. The story is well told and the book was a joy to read, covering an aspect not normally found in many history books, again, highly recommended reading! "
— 'Aussie, 2/19/2014" Actually using book on CD to listen to, while in the car. "
— Lee, 2/5/2014" Actually using book on CD to listen to, while in the car. "
— Lee, 2/5/2014" This is a great account of men who did the right thing before their country did. One of the men in the accounts was from St.Charles, MN. I'm almost positive my grandfather flew with him before they got sent to different theaters in the war. Simply amazing the bravery and courage they had to do what they did. "
— Trevor, 1/31/2014" This is a great account of men who did the right thing before their country did. One of the men in the accounts was from St.Charles, MN. I'm almost positive my grandfather flew with him before they got sent to different theaters in the war. Simply amazing the bravery and courage they had to do what they did. "
— Trevor, 1/31/2014" This book was much lower in military detail then I expected but through the use of letters, diaries, and journals it gives a very personal account of what the outnumbered and under equipped british and the americans who dared to fly with them faced in the air battles over britain during the summer and fall of 1940. "
— Kristi, 1/20/2014" This book was much lower in military detail then I expected but through the use of letters, diaries, and journals it gives a very personal account of what the outnumbered and under equipped british and the americans who dared to fly with them faced in the air battles over britain during the summer and fall of 1940. "
— Kristi, 1/20/2014" This was an excellent read about "The Few" Americans that joined Great Britain to fly and fight against the Nazi's before america joined the war. Each of the Few had their own reasons for wanting to defeat Germany, and they risked getting arrested by the FBI and had to sneak into Britain to sign up to fight. "
— Warren, 1/13/2014" This was an excellent read about "The Few" Americans that joined Great Britain to fly and fight against the Nazi's before america joined the war. Each of the Few had their own reasons for wanting to defeat Germany, and they risked getting arrested by the FBI and had to sneak into Britain to sign up to fight. "
— Warren, 1/13/2014" Detailed the eight men who made their way, illegally, to Britain in 1940 to become members of the RAF to fight against Germany. Only one survived the war. Also details the Eagle Squadrons that were formed after the Battle of Britain and fought before America entered WWII. Well written. "
— Beth/Chuck, 1/7/2014Alex Kershaw is the British author of several popular books about World War II, most notably the New York Times bestsellers The Longest Winter and The Bedford Boys. Previously, Kershaw has been a writer at the Guardian, Independent, and Sunday Times and has worked in television, writing and producing an award-winning documentary on Bobby Kennedy. Along with his other nonfiction work, Kershaw is also an accomplished biographer. He currently lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. He attended UCLA and spent ten years in a traveling Shakespeare company. Passionate about the spoken word, he has narrated a wide variety of audiobooks. winning won more than fifty AudioFile Earphones Awards and several of the prestigious Audie Awards. He was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine and the Voice of Choice for 2016 by Booklist magazine.