If you have seen the film The Man Who Never Was, you can now get the rest of story via Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre (Harmony Books / Crown Publishing, 2010). Detailed accounts of all sides — the English counter-intelligence group, the corpse, the submariner, the Spanish & Germans who variously either nearly derailed the mission or who swallowed it whole. Also details of the subsequent invasion of the Sicily, or why mincemeat mattered. Plus photos, including images of all the original documents. And “where are they now” follow-ups on all the major players.
Very fun look inside a great spy story. Did I mention Ian Fleming is in there? (Yes, that Ian Fleming. Though he doesn’t do a whole lot.) Most memorable passage:
The all-night negotiations went well, but at one point the visitors were forced to hide in a dusty cellar to avoid an impromptu visit from the gendarmes. Courtney suffered a coughing fit, which threatened to give them away. General Clark passed the choking commando some chewing gum.
“Your American gum has so little taste,” whispered Courtney, once the spasm subsided.
“Yes”, said Clark. “I’ve already used it.”
For grown-ups, both for content and reading level.
PS: Watch the movie first. Or you’ll get lost drowning in the detail. So to speak.
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Finished reading Eric Sammon’s new book Who is Jesus Christ ages ago, and can give it an unqualified recommendation. Had a few test-readers evaluate it for reading-level. My ten-year-old, who can read anything at all so long as it is about guns, told me it was “Not hard to read, but not very entertaining.” Don’t listen to him. Parish Secretary, who is a normal catholic person who is pretty happy diving into Scott Hahn (as am I), says: Easy to read, but you have to go slowly because there is so much detail. Official review coming soon.