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SAS: Rogue Heroes

The Authorised Wartime History

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SAS: Rogue Heroes

By: Ben Macintyre
Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
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About this listen

From the secret SAS archives, and acclaimed author Ben Macintyre: the first ever authorized history of the SAS

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of SAS: Rogue Heroes, written and read by Ben MacIntyre.

'Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II' - Antony Beevor

In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, came up with a plan that was radical and entirely against the rules: a small undercover unit that would inflict mayhem behind enemy lines.

Despite intense opposition, Winston Churchill personally gave Stirling permission to recruit the toughest, brightest and most ruthless soldiers he could find. So began the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world: the SAS.

Now, 75 years later, the SAS has finally decided to tell its astonishing story. It has opened its secret archives for the first time, granting historian Ben Macintyre full access to a treasure trove of unseen reports, memos, diaries, letters, maps and photographs, as well as free rein to interview surviving Originals and those who knew them.

The result is an exhilarating tale of fearlessness and heroism, recklessness and tragedy; of extraordinary men who were willing to take monumental risks. It is a story about the meaning of courage.

BEN MACINTYRE'S LATEST BOOK, COLDITZ, IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

 Armed Forces Military Special & Elite Forces War Thought-Provoking Imperialism Winston Churchill Africa

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Critic reviews

Such a well-written, but also just informative, deeply detailed account of all of these guys’ lives within the SAS during that time.
Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II (Antony Beevor)
Told with deceptive brilliance... one the finest books of its kind. Macintyre has a wonderful eye for eccentricity, and the narrative is peppered with extraordinary characters. At times there is more than a whiff of PG Wodehouse or Evelyn Waugh. The SAS are still about the best of their kind, and how they began to achieve this is an exotic saga indeed. No one will ever tell it better than this
Excellent... accessible yet authoritative. Delivers stories of tremendous adventure and derring-do, but also offers more than straightforward military history. This book has many strengths but perhaps its greatest is how thought-provoking it is (Laurence Rees)
The author has written about a fascinating subject in a way that would make any thriller writer proud. As a work of military history it is thorough and highly entertaining. It would be nigh on impossible to praise it too highly
Ben Macintyre's coverage of the SAS in north Africa and, later, Italy, France and Germany, is brilliant, blending gripping narratives of fighting with descriptions of the fears of individual soldiers before battle and their reactions to its horror... Britain's martial pantheon is full of outnumbered heroes who wouldn't throw in the sponge. Henry V's band of brothers at Agincourt, the redcoats at Waterloo, the defenders of Rorke's drift, and the paras who charged at Goose Green are part of the tradition that embraces the SAS. This book explains why
A master at setting the pulse racing, Macintyre relates stories of raw courage and daring by extraordinary men (Tony Rennell)
Meticulously researched, splendidly told, immensely entertaining and often very moving (John le Carré on 'Agent Zigzag')
Thrilling ... An extraordinary book (The Times Book of the Week on 'A Spy Among Friends')
Macintyre provides a riveting history of a revolutionary fighting force. Using unprecedented access to British Special Air Service regimental archives, Macintyre has gleaned fascinating material. A ripping good read
All stars
Most relevant
Have watched documentaries on the SAS so knew a lot of the history but this is a brilliant account and the audiobook was read superbly. Quality.

Brilliant account

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Daring wartime adventures. The highs and lows of those immensely brave men, recounted in this wonderful book. By the end of the book, I felt a sense of pride hearing about their individual post war exploits and lives.
Respect.

A great insight into the lives of the SAS in WWII.

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An account of heroes who lived and died for the freedoms we take for granted. Why Paddy Mayne never received a VC is a mystery that only the snobby upper class of the era could try to justify.

A fantastic account .

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A beautifully written book on the inception of the SAS that delivers historical facts with human experiences of the soldiers. Ben MacIntyre's writing style is elegant and easy to follow. A great book for any fan of military history. Lastly this book is testament to the service that so many gave and never returned for their country. Lest we forget.

Fantastic history of the birth of the SAS

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Incredible story of ordinary men doing extraordinary things.
I had known about the formation of the SAS for some time, aware of when it was started, it's founder and it's initial aims.
What I wasn't expecting were the personal stories of the men, mostly extremely brave with a complete disregard for personal safety, some very compassionate and caring, others completely cold and ruthless.
Told in a proper time line and drip feeding the main characters so as to get to know each one as the story progresses, the Author/Narrator paints a vivid picture of raids across North Africa, onto The Italian campaign, working with the Resistance in France and culminating with the final push into Hitlers Fatherland.
This is the British/Commonwealth/Volunteers "Band of Brothers". All it needs now is to be made into a movie series.
"Top Hole, What What".

Real Heroism

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