{"product_id":"winkle-the-extraordinary-life-of-britains-greatest-pilot-9781405930338","title":"Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain's Greatest Pilot","description":"\u003cb\u003eDiscover the daring life story and astonishing adventures of Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown - Britain's greatest-ever pilot\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSmall in stature but immense in reputation and talent, there was more to Eric 'Winkle' Brown than met the eye. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFrom shooting down Luftwaffe bombers from the deck of a carrier in the Battle of the Atlantic and narrowly escaping death when his ship was torpedoed, to accumulating a never-to-be repeated litany of world records and firsts as a test pilot, his unparalleled flying career saw him take the controls of over four hundred different kinds of aircraft - more than any other pilot in history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA rival to Chuck Yeager and hero to Neil Armstrong, by the time of his appearance on Desert Island Discs' 1000th episode Winkle had become a legend in his own lifetime, and by his death, a national treasure. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut despite his enormous fame, there have always been mysteries at the heart of Winkle's story. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eNow, drawing on previously unseen documents and unfettered access to Winkle's own personal archive, Paul Beaver uncovers the complex and enigmatic man behind the legend - the \u003ci\u003ereal\u003c\/i\u003e story of Britain's greatest pilot. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA story Winkle insisted could only be told after his death . . . \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e---------- \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Compelling, fascinating and frequently jaw-dropping. A brilliant and revelatory biography' \u003c\/b\u003eJAMES HOLLAND \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Beaver recounts the story of a man he regarded as a mentor in unshowy but fascinating detail, and restores a British hero to his rightful place' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eOBSERVER\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'[A] thumping great biography by Britain's leading aviation historian' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eDAILY MAIL, \u003c\/i\u003e'BOOK OF THE WEEK' \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Winkle Brown's astonishing adventures make for fascinating reading'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eSUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An excellent biography' \u003c\/b\u003ePATRICK BISHOP, \u003ci\u003eDAILY TELEGRAPH\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'\u003cb\u003eThe extraordinary story [of] a fearless pilot and decorated war hero. Epic'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eTHE HERALD\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A thrilling new biography' \u003c\/b\u003eDAILY EXPRESS \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A thumping great biography of the flying ace who made Top Gun look tame ... enthralling' \u003c\/b\u003eDAILY MAIL \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Riveting ... one of those must-read books, compelling and full of incidents that leave you gasping with surprise ... an incredible story' \u003c\/b\u003eFLYER \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An incredible life ... Brown took a secret to the grave that makes his story all the more remarkable' \u003c\/b\u003eTHE SUN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaul Beaver \u003c\/b\u003eis an aviation historian, broadcaster and writer who specialises in the 1930s and 1940s. He has written more than 40 books on naval and aviation history, and was a freelance war correspondent for Sky News, and a studio expert for BBC News and CNN International. He owns his own vintage aeroplane company.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50398757159186,"sku":"9781405930338","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_f23ccb6c-d1f6-44a0-b174-e110dbbe2436.jpg?v=1729080809","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/winkle-the-extraordinary-life-of-britains-greatest-pilot-9781405930338","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}