RaveThe Guardian (UK)In focusing on the multilateral bonds that were forged to defeat Hitler, this entertaining account offers fresh disclosures about the course of the conflict ... Can anything new be said about the second world war? Unexpectedly the answer is yes ... Tim Bouverie has reverted to a traditional form to present the past afresh ... This is a work of old-fashioned diplomatic history, which provides new perspectives on subjects that seemed familiar. One of its merits is to present the choices that faced the allied leaders as they appeared at the time, rather than with the benefit of hindsight ... Bouverie’s commentary is fair and his judgments judicious. Though he has obviously undertaken a vast amount of research, he never becomes overwhelmed by his material. On the contrary, his book is enjoyable to read. He writes lucidly and lightens his weighty subject matter with well-chosen vignettes ... Bouverie’s first book, Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War, published in 2019, was a dazzling debut. Allies at War fully confirms the promise shown by its predecessor.
John Le Carre
PositiveThe Spectator (UK)It is no surprise to find his letters well-written and entertaining. In them he is by turns affectionate, touchy, encouraging, witty, self-deprecating, egotistical, kind and even (as a young man) camp. The letters provide a narrative of his life from schooldays onwards, so that it is possible to read this book as a form of autobiography – though readers should be cautious of believing everything he writes ... The later ones tend to be less fun to read, especially those sent by email and typed by others, which are inevitably less personal ... Tim Cornwell, who died as this book was going to press, has proved an excellent editor. He has chosen carefully and found some interesting letters that escaped me, particularly the ones to his stepmother Jane. He has arranged them thematically, with helpful introductions and explanatory footnotes. I should have liked a few more of these.
Andrea Wulf
RaveThe Observer (UK)... exhilarating ... This is indeed an electrifying book, in its illuminated portraits, its dynamic narrative and its sparking ideas. Wulf writes clear, flowing prose, which is a pleasure to read. It’s informed by scholarship without being bogged down by jargon.
