One young pilot's story of life in England from 1939-1941. He weaves stories of people he meets, their loves and struggles. It's an all-encompassing tale of the many pilots from many countries who came to the rescue of England and the everyday heroes.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This book, while not what I expected, offered a look into the first two years of WWII in London. It is a diary that begins with the declaration of war. The author is desperate to contribute and leaves his country estate to offer his services. He is not an ordinary citizen, rather a celebrated writer who hobnobs with both aristocracy and the famous. Clearly his observations are not going to be the ones of an Everyman. However, that does not diminish what he sees and what he feels.
Initially, he wants to”suffer” for the cause, living in a barracks type of environment underneath the Air Ministry where he toils in intelligence. He is determined to be useful but spends his days buried in paper and bureaucracy. When his health suffers, he decides to “live” as fully as he is able and moves into the Savoy Hotel. The Savoy was a posh place in the Strand which the rich and famous called home. The diary is full of name dropping observations of the movers and shakers as they deal with the realities of The Blitz and the War in general.
Where the book truly gains gravitas is when he writes of The RAF and a number of the heroes with whom he crossed paths. His passion for the Few and his sincere admiration for their courage and sacrifice lifts the entire piece. It is always fascinating to read the thoughts, hopes and fears of someone living through what we now view as history. We are able to see where those ideas are correct and where they are wrong. What makes these first hand reflections riveting is when the author is able to insert the reader into the narrative. There were glimmers of that in this book but it never truly captured me.
I give it four purrs and one paw up.

War in the Strand, one of many non-fiction titles written by Hector Bolitho, highlights what the first two years of World War II were like for Londoners. At the start of the war, Bolitho joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) as an intelligence officer with the rank of squadron leader, editing the Royal Air Force Weekly Bulletin. In 1942 he was appointed editor of the Coastal Command Intelligence Review. All of this writing whet his appetite and he began to keep a diary, unfortunately, this was amongst the lost when a pile of his papers accidentally burned. Despite this bad luck, this remains one of the most heartfelt and emotive pieces of writing I've read about the start of the war, albeit less substantial than the author would've liked.

A vital read for those interested in military history, this recounts the changes that took place in London and is so much more than an intricate and intense portrait from one guys perspective. From rationing of foods to aerial bombardment, evacuation to fears over safety, this covers everything that touched the lives of those who lived in the capital from 1940. Engaging, well written and vivid, this is a worthy addition to any history lovers bookshelf, I've already purchased a copy for my father for Christmas.

Many thanks to Agora Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

An intimate diary a portrait of a time in history when WorldWarII had just begun.Hector Bolitho shares to us how His world London began to change .Hector had to pack up& leave his home so soldiers wives could live there.He shares with us his daily life changed by the war.Streets destroyed by bombDay to day life in turmoil.A real life capsule in time a book that opened my eyes to a time a place told in the authors personal way his own record that he had kept.#netgalley #WarontheStrand #agurabooks.