The Last Enemy
Published on 1. July 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-0-09-955182-9 (ISBN)
Description
The thrilling and moving classic memoir of a spitfire pilot in World War Two.
'Rivetingly well told...It will speak to anyone who cares for the romance and tragedy of a lost hero' Sunday Times
This is the true story of Richard Hillary, immortalised in Sebastian Faulks' bestselling triple biography, The Fatal Englishman. In The Last Enemy, Richard Hillary tells his extraordinary story in his own words. Shot out of the sky in the Battle of Britain, Hillary spent months in hospital as part of Archibald McIndoe's 'Guinea Pig Club', undergoing pioneering plastic surgery to rebuild his face and hands.
The Last Enemy was first published in 1942, just seven months before Hilary's untimely death in a second crash.
'One of the classic texts of World War Two' London Review of Books
'Elegantly affecting memoir' The Times
'Rivetingly well told...It will speak to anyone who cares for the romance and tragedy of a lost hero' Sunday Times
This is the true story of Richard Hillary, immortalised in Sebastian Faulks' bestselling triple biography, The Fatal Englishman. In The Last Enemy, Richard Hillary tells his extraordinary story in his own words. Shot out of the sky in the Battle of Britain, Hillary spent months in hospital as part of Archibald McIndoe's 'Guinea Pig Club', undergoing pioneering plastic surgery to rebuild his face and hands.
The Last Enemy was first published in 1942, just seven months before Hilary's untimely death in a second crash.
'One of the classic texts of World War Two' London Review of Books
'Elegantly affecting memoir' The Times
Reviews / Votes
The Last Enemy rapidly acquired the aura of a book that says something vital, whose importance goes beyond what it literally describes * Sebastian Faulks * This slim volume of Hillary's seems to have a weight which makes it sink into the depths of one's memory, while tons of printed bulk drift as flotsom on its surface -- Arthur Koestler One of the classic books of World War Two -- Philip French * London Review of Books * Rivetingly well told...It will still speak to anyone who cares for the romance and tragedy of a lost hero. -- Godfrey Smith * Sunday Times * Elegantly affecting memoir -- David Horspool * The Times * He gives you an angle on the war - the pilot's view, before it hardened into mythology, something you won't get anywhere else. -- William Leith * Scotsman * Immerse yourself in this extraordinary account of Richard Hillary's experiences... A lost hero whose story has inspired many -- Charlotte Vowden * Daily Express *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
136 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-09-955182-9 (9780099551829)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Richard Hillary was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1919. He was sent to boarding school in England and went to Trinity College, Oxford in 1937. He was still at Oxford when the Second World War broke out and, with other members of the R.A.F Volunteer Reserve, was immediately called to duty. He blew Spitfires in the Battle of Britain before being shot down and horribly burned. He underwent several operations by the great plastic surgeon, Archibald McIndoe. After a slow and very painful recovery, Hilary begged to be allowed to return to flying. He was killed, at the age of 23, when his plane crashed in a night training operation.