“In 1970, he published Bomber, the fictional account of a Second World War raid by RAF Bomber Command …For my money, it is one of the best and most insightful books, fiction or non-fiction, about the Second World War.” I absolutely agree. I still imagine the horrors of some of the scenes from the book 50 odd years after first reading it. Something about the fictionalising of the events, giving them a case of identifiable characters, makes it so much more gut-wrenching than any academic history does. For me, HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean has the same effect. My father, who served in the RN as a DEMS gunner on various convoys during WWII but rarely spoke of his experiences (which did include at least one torpedoing and one sinking, but also sailings to Sydney, Cape Town and New York) did comment after reading this story of the Arctic convoys that he was very glad that he was never assigned to the Russian runs.
Perfect comparison. I read HMS Ulysses as a teenager and was gutted by its tragic ending and all the death. It was still just about young enough to curse the book for not turning out as I wanted.
Thanks for the memories, I was also an early “adopter” of Len Deighton right alongside LeCarre- a combination that was great preparation for their 21st Century literary reincarnation as Mick Herron. I still have a number of Len Deighton’s histories on my shelves as well.
Excellent post. I'll be covering Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) soon- August seems a most appropriate month. I'm trying to understand exactly why LD refused to have his name credited as a scriptwriter?- it's a superb film, imo. From memory, in that Desert Island Discs interview, something about it being 'too sentimental'? Have I got this right? Assume he's referring to the ending, with the crosses planted on the Sussex Downs, which, I think, has to be the one of the most moving sequences in British 60s cinema. Anyway. Much to say re Alan Clark and The Donkeys. Historically, things have moved on... But LD very much reflecting the mood of the time, I think... All fascinating.
Agreed. LeCarre seemed to look down hus nose at LD apparently. Don't know why. It's not as if LeCarre lost book sales to LD. I've read and enjoyed both. Different styles & presentation.
Well done and hopefully part of the shadow effort to bring broader contemporary recognition to a writer who used genre to plumb themes of social class and modern identity.
In one of those quirks of history, Love Me Do was released the same day as the film version of Dr No. As you say, difficult to reconcile the social changes that drove four working class kids from Liverpool to global stardom with the world described in the Bond novels. Much easier to see the links between the central character in The Ipcress Files and novels like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
“In 1970, he published Bomber, the fictional account of a Second World War raid by RAF Bomber Command …For my money, it is one of the best and most insightful books, fiction or non-fiction, about the Second World War.” I absolutely agree. I still imagine the horrors of some of the scenes from the book 50 odd years after first reading it. Something about the fictionalising of the events, giving them a case of identifiable characters, makes it so much more gut-wrenching than any academic history does. For me, HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean has the same effect. My father, who served in the RN as a DEMS gunner on various convoys during WWII but rarely spoke of his experiences (which did include at least one torpedoing and one sinking, but also sailings to Sydney, Cape Town and New York) did comment after reading this story of the Arctic convoys that he was very glad that he was never assigned to the Russian runs.
Perfect comparison. I read HMS Ulysses as a teenager and was gutted by its tragic ending and all the death. It was still just about young enough to curse the book for not turning out as I wanted.
Thank you for this very good overview of Deighton’s career.
Thanks for the memories, I was also an early “adopter” of Len Deighton right alongside LeCarre- a combination that was great preparation for their 21st Century literary reincarnation as Mick Herron. I still have a number of Len Deighton’s histories on my shelves as well.
This is excellent. Thank you. And agree that Deighton is extremely funny.
Excellent post. I'll be covering Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) soon- August seems a most appropriate month. I'm trying to understand exactly why LD refused to have his name credited as a scriptwriter?- it's a superb film, imo. From memory, in that Desert Island Discs interview, something about it being 'too sentimental'? Have I got this right? Assume he's referring to the ending, with the crosses planted on the Sussex Downs, which, I think, has to be the one of the most moving sequences in British 60s cinema. Anyway. Much to say re Alan Clark and The Donkeys. Historically, things have moved on... But LD very much reflecting the mood of the time, I think... All fascinating.
Agreed. LeCarre seemed to look down hus nose at LD apparently. Don't know why. It's not as if LeCarre lost book sales to LD. I've read and enjoyed both. Different styles & presentation.
Well done and hopefully part of the shadow effort to bring broader contemporary recognition to a writer who used genre to plumb themes of social class and modern identity.
Thank you for this very good overview of Deighton’s career.
In one of those quirks of history, Love Me Do was released the same day as the film version of Dr No. As you say, difficult to reconcile the social changes that drove four working class kids from Liverpool to global stardom with the world described in the Bond novels. Much easier to see the links between the central character in The Ipcress Files and novels like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
Absolutely, totally overlooked.
Every book I have come across has kept me riveted.
‘Winter’ is awesome.