A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men: The Forgotten British Special Operations Soldiers of World War II

by Shannon Monaghan Narrated by George Weightman

Overview

The untold story of four special operations officers who fought together behind enemy lines across multiple theaters of World War II, and then continued to serve, officially and unofficially, for decades after in the hottest parts of the Cold War

There have always been special warriors; Achilles and his Myrmidons are the obvious classical examples. What we now think of as “special operations,” however, were born in World War II, and one of the earliest and most exciting units formed was Britain's SOE. In the early years of the war, when Britain stood alone against the Nazis, Winston Churchill put them on a mission to “set Europe ablaze”: to foment local revolt, to gather intelligence, to blow up bridges, and to do anything that could help to disrupt the Axis cause. A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men follows four SOE officers who distinguished themselves in this fight: the Spanish Civil War veteran Peter Kemp, the demolitions expert David Smiley, the born guerrilla leader Billy McLean, and the political natural Julian Amery.

With new and extensive research, including unprecedented access to private family papers that reveal the men's unbreakable bonds and vibrant personalities, Shannon Monaghan has uncovered a story of war in the twentieth century that, due to the secretive nature of the SOE's work, has remained largely unknown. A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men is a thrilling and inspiring story of four remarkable men who, through sheer determination and daring, as well as unwavering friendship and loyalty, fought for a better world.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing the Cast of Characters and Maps from the printed book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Well researched and riveting….The struggle of these four men against totalitarian injustice was noble, and this book memorializes it superbly.”—The Wall Street Journal

“World War II will forever be a source of new and surprising stories, both real and fictional. Writer Shannon Monaghan offers up a real thriller.” —Parade

"A well-told tale that sets the fictional worlds of Ian Fleming and John le Carré in real-life perspective."—Kirkus Reviews

“A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men is a thoroughly researched book that brings to life some of the incredible personalities who pioneered special operations for the SOE. It sheds new light on how, long before D-Day, the British were taking the fight far behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Europe.”—Sam Kleiner, author of The Flying Tigers

"The heroic exploits of Britain’s Special Operations soldiers finally receive in A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men a comprehensive and objective study, rich in humanity, anecdote, and, above all, relevance to a world once more in the throes of The Great Game.”—Richard Bassett, author of Hitler’s Spy Chief

Kirkus Reviews

2024-08-02
Eventful study of four British agents who waged war first on the Axis and then on the Soviet bloc.

Fans of espionage fiction might, well, smile to see that one of military historian Monaghan’s four heroes is named David Smiley. Her other three heroes, Julian Amery, Billy McLean, and Peter Kemp, enjoyed long careers making mischief behind enemy lines as they “worked with some of the most elite special-operations units of their time.” They lived out a James Bond–ish existence—and indeed had access to lethal gear from a secret lab, “the real-life inspiration behind Q’s gadget shop,” complete with exploding pen. The four cut their teeth fighting the Italians in the pre–World War II invasion of Ethiopia and then in Albania, a place that, she writes memorably, “looks as though a small, angry child had balled up a piece of stiff felt and thrown it down on the floor.” Their actions in the latter were critical, for the Germans and Italians had to commit a full 30 divisions to the Balkans that otherwise might have turned the balance on the Eastern Front. Monaghan capably paints a fraught political backdrop, including the fact that Amery’s brother was a full-tilt fascist who was hanged for treason, as well as the dangers imposed by the treasonous behavior of another player in the great game, Kim Philby. She turns in some interesting historical tidbits along the way, too, such as the de facto collaboration of the victorious Allies and the Japanese in Indochina. In closing, she asks whether her hot and cold warriors won, noting, “There is a reason why so many of the places in which they operated remain conflict zones to this day.”

A well-told tale that sets the fictional worlds of Ian Fleming and John le Carré in real-life perspective.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160480626
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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