The Sunday Times bestselling edge-of-your-seat exploration of what would happen in the event of nuclear war, perfect for readers of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Nuclear war begins with a blip on a radar screen.
This is a minute-by-minute account of what comes next.
It has to be read to be believed.

'A stomach-clenching, multi-perspective, ticking-clock, geopolitical thriller' Forbes
'Dangerously plausible – and it reads like a thriller' Sunday Times
'These are scenes straight out of Dr Strangelove' Telegraph

There is only one scenario other than an asteroid strike that could end the world as we know it in a matter of hours: nuclear war.

Until now, no one outside official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the Pentagon. Second by second and minute by minute, these are the real-life protocols that choreograph the end of civilization.

Decisions that affect hundreds of millions of lives need to be made within six minutes, based on partial information, in the knowledge that once launched, nothing is capable of halting the destruction.

Based on dozens of new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons, been privy to the response plans, and taken responsibility for crucial decisions, this is the only account of what a nuclear exchange would look like.

Nuclear War is at once a compulsive non-fiction thriller and a powerful argument that we must rid ourselves of these world-ending weapons for ever.

'This terrifying book is a must-read for every world leader' Mother Jones
'At once methodical and vivid' The Economist
'Tells a terrifying story in a devastatingly straightforward way' Guardian

* A New York Times bestseller (March 2024) and a Sunday Times bestseller (April 2024). Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2024, the UK's premier annual prize for non-fiction books.

From the bestselling author of Stalingrad, Berlin and D-Day comes the story of the German's ill-fated final stand.

'Rich in detail and drama. Enthralling' Mail on Sunday
______________

On 16 December, 1944, Hitler launched his 'last gamble' in the snow-covered forests and gorges of the Ardennes. He believed he could split the Allies by driving all the way to Antwerp, then force the Canadians and the British out of the war. Although his generals were doubtful of success, younger officers and NCOs were desperate to believe that their homes and families could be saved from the vengeful Red Army approaching from the east. Many were exultant at the prospect of striking back.

The Ardennes offensive, with more than a million men involved, became the greatest battle of the war in western Europe. American troops, taken by surprise, found themselves fighting two panzer armies. Belgian civilians fled, justifiably afraid of German revenge. Panic spread even to Paris. While many American soldiers fled or surrendered, others held on heroically, creating breakwaters which slowed the German advance.

The harsh winter conditions and the savagery of the battle became comparable to the eastern front. And after massacres by the Waffen-SS, even American generals approved when their men shot down surrendering Germans. The Ardennes was the battle which finally broke the back of the Wehrmacht.
______________

'If you're a fan of Beevor's work, find some space on your bookshelf for this one. If you've never read him before, start here and work your way back - it's history nerd heaven!' History of War Magazine

'Beevor weaves a brilliant narrative out of all this drama. As in his previous books, his gifts are strongest in focusing on telling details from different perspectives . . . A vital historical insight' Sunday Times

'A sweeping, sobering read, written with all the confidence and aplomb that Beevor fans would expect. Beevor is as good on the rows behind the front lines as he is on the battles themselves' Independent

THE SUNDAY TIMES #1 BESTSELLER

The great airborne battle for the bridges in 1944 by Britain's Number One bestselling historian and author of the classic Stalingrad

'Our greatest chronicler of the Second World War' - Robert Fox, Evening Standard
______________

On 17 September 1944, General Kurt Student, the founder of Nazi Germany's parachute forces, heard the growing roar of aeroplane engines. He went out on to his balcony above the flat landscape of southern Holland to watch the air armada of Dakotas and gliders carrying the British 1st Airborne and the American 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. He gazed up in envy at this massive demonstration of paratroop power.

Operation Market Garden, the plan to end the war by capturing the bridges leading to the Lower Rhine and beyond, was a bold concept: the Americans thought it unusually bold for Field Marshal Montgomery. But could it ever have worked? The cost of failure was horrendous, above all for the Dutch, who risked everything to help. German reprisals were pitiless and cruel, and lasted until the end of the war.

The British fascination with heroic failure has clouded the story of Arnhem in myths. Antony Beevor, using often overlooked sources from Dutch, British, American, Polish and German archives, has reconstructed the terrible reality of the fighting, which General Student himself called 'The Last German Victory'. Yet this book, written in Beevor's inimitable and gripping narrative style, is about much more than a single, dramatic battle.

It looks into the very heart of war.
______________

'In Beevor's hands, Arnhem becomes a study of national character' - Ben Macintyre, The Times

'Superb book, tirelessly researched and beautifully written' - Saul David, Daily Telegraph

'Complete mastery of both the story and the sources' - Keith Lowe, Literary Review

Praise for Arnhem: Black Tuesday:

‘Original and insightful’ Telegraph
'A revelation.. This is Arnhem unplugged. By confining himself to men in and around Arnhem on that Tuesday, Murray achieves something special' The Times

'One of Britain's most interesting and thought-provoking historians' PATRICK BISHOP

A compelling new look at the greatest battles in history: how they were fought, why they were won and how they changed the world

For centuries, battles have determined the fate of nations, toppled empires and reshaped civilisations. In Battle, award-winning historian Iain MacGregor charts the key encounters that have shaped the evolution of warfare – from the clash of hoplite spears at Marathon and the storm of longbows at Agincourt, to the firestorms of Stalingrad in the Second World War and the drone warfare of modern Ukraine.

Battle is far more than a chronicle of triumphs and defeats. MacGregor delves into the human and technological driving forces behind history's most decisive clashes: the brilliant leaders, the revolutionary impact of new weaponry, the fragile lifeline of supply, and, above all, the endurance of morale – the lifeblood of any army. Famous commanders from Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Napoleon and Nelson are seen afresh as MacGregor examines the units they led, the weapons they used and the tactics that brought them victory, illuminating both the genius and the folly that turned battlefields into crucibles of history.

Panoramic in scope yet alive with vivid detail, Battle is an exhilarating ride through centuries of conflict and innovation. MacGregor provides both an authoritative study and a gripping narrative of how war has shaped the world in which we live today.

'A majestic survey... Here are the military doctrines, weapons, luck and leadership that forged our world' DAN SNOW
'Elegantly crafted... and written with an eye for telling detail' JONATHAN DIMBLEBY