Sinclair McKay

BECOME A TOP SECRET CODEBREAKER! - The ultimate puzzle book for kids and families. Welcome to Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the Second World War codebreakers. Here, some of the greatest minds helped crack near-impossible codes.. You can join them . . . Inside you will find: * Over 80 brain-teasing puzzles, including logic puzzles, word games, number challenges, brain games and cryptic crosswords * Fascinating facts and stories about Bletchley Park and the history of codebreaking - from ancient Roman and Greek ciphers to the Enigma machine and incredible twentieth-century spy technology. * Meet the real-life heroes of codebreaking - mathematicians, poets, chess champions and musicians who outsmarted the Enigma and helped win the war * Fun family-friendly activities perfect for curious kids, puzzle lovers and history buffs. The perfect gift book for curious kids. So, grab your family and friends, get puzzling, and see if you could make it into the history books as a Bletchley Park codebreaker.

The remarkable story of the Real 'Dad's Army', from the bestselling historian of The Secret Life of Bletchley Park 'One of my favourite historians' Dan Snow With the threat of invasion from Hitler's forces looming large in 1940, men of all ages and backgrounds assembled under the banner of the Home Guard. A voluntary force much later nicknamed ‘Dad’s Army’, at its height there were almost two million volunteers prepared to defend every corner of the kingdom, including notable figures like George Orwell, A.A. Milne, and C.S. Lewis. Many women took part too, including in the Women's Home Defence Force which formed in 1941. Far from the stereotype of charming incompetence, the Home Guard were in fact entirely serious in their approach. Many volunteers had fought in World War One, and radical veterans from the Spanish Civil War taught these men and boys new techniques in lethal guerilla fighting. Chocolate-box village greens were re-imagined as bloody battlefields, with duties including rifle and mortar training, night-time patrols and manning anti-aircraft guns – all on top of volunteers’ everyday jobs. Yet all of this was underpinned by an essential good humour, with moments of levity and comradery vital in keeping up a much-needed spirit of defiance. Sunday Times bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the remarkable story of these courageous, highly-trained and often pioneering men and women through original archival research, vivid storytelling and insights into the beloved television comedy which has shaped the national memory of the Home Guard. With its vibrant personalities and high nostalgia factor, 'Dad's Army' tells this extraordinary story in full colour.

'One of my favourite historians' Dan Snow'McKay is a gifted writer; his prose has the cadence, tone and power of a Shostakovich symphony. Horror is majestically conveyed’ Gerard DeGroot, The Times ‘Richly-layered and packed with insight, this riveting account of terrible events tells us as much about the present as it does the past’ Patrick Bishop, author of Paris '44.'McKay's magisterial history of Peter the Great’s monumental gift to Russia will become a classic' Amanda Foreman, author of GeorgianaIn the crucible of the Second World War, Saint Petersburg – then known as Leningrad – stands as a testament to human endurance. As the Nazis encircle the city, intent on annihilating its 1.5 million inhabitants, the narrative plunges into the harrowing 900 days and nights of relentless hardship and unyielding resilience.Starving residents, horrified by their own gaunt reflections, resort to bulking bread with wood shavings, consuming wallpaper paste, and even turning to their pets. Workers at the mass crematorium numb their horror with extra vodka rations. Yet, amid this suffering, the resilience of culture and hope shines through, with orchestras and theatres defiantly continuing their performances, a flicker of humanity against the backdrop of despair.This book not only chronicles the Siege of Leningrad but also traces the pivotal importance of Saint Petersburg across the centuries. From Peter the Great’s visionary founding of the city, through its revolutionary rebirth as Petrograd and its Soviet identity as Leningrad, to its renaissance as Saint Petersburg in the post-Soviet era, we explore the layers of history that shape this extraordinary place.'The story of the siege of Leningrad is one of the great epics of modern history. It has been told many times before, but never in such an engrossing, moving, often horrifying but also uplifting way' Brendan Simms

I februar 1945 blev Dresden udslettet. Tusindvis af bomber blev kastet ned over byen, og omkring 25.000 mennesker blev dræbt. Den engelske bestsellerforfatter Sinclair McKay giver en levende beskrivelse af angrebet fra de allerførste bomber til de enorme brande, der bredte sig gennem byens kvarterer. Flammerne nåede efterhånden mere end en kilometer op i luften.DRESDEN 1945 er baseret på et væld af nyt arkivmateriale såvel som førstehåndsberetninger fra indbyggere, flygtninge, børn, piloter og krigsfanger. Sinclair McKay fortæller også om byens historie og livet før angrebet – og om det enorme genopbygningsarbejde i årene efter.

This insightful portrait of Winston Churchill delves beyond well-known political moments, incorporating perspectives from various individuals who encountered him throughout his life.From Bletchley Park codebreakers and Hollywood stars such as Charlie Chaplin, through writers as varied as H. G. Wells and P. G. Wodehouse, to the likes of Harold Wilson, Mahatma Gandhi and Queen Elizabeth II, these lesser-known interactions reveal glimpses of the man behind the legend.We meet Churchill the exuberant schoolboy thug with an early mania for bull-dogs, and Churchill the elder statesman shedding a tear in the House of Commons smoking room. Other incidents include a young journalist rudely dismissing a call from Churchill as a prank, and a visiting Dwight D. Eisenhower dreaming of being strangled, only to awake entangled in Churchill’s borrowed nightshirt.The book showcases the profound transformations during Churchill’s lifetime, which ran from Benjamin Disraeli’s premiership to the release of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Route 66’, and the shift from steam to atomic power. Examining controversial aspects of his legacy, this multifaceted portrait challenges preconceived notions, inviting readers to reconsider the complexities of Churchill.

BECOME A TOP SECRET CODEBREAKER!Welcome to Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the Second World War codebreakers. Here, some of the greatest minds helped crack near-impossible codes and ciphers. You can join them . . .Flex your mental agility, crack cryptic crosswords, exercise your mind with clever brain games, test yourself with word and number puzzles, and see if you can make it into the history books as a Bletchley Park codebreaker. Along the way, you'll learn all about the role of Bletchley Park and the rich history of codebreaking - from the Romans and Greeks, to Mary Queen of Scots and twentieth-century spy technology. You will meet incredible individuals, including university graduates, chess champions, poets and musicians who worked at Bletchley Park. And you will discover all about their top secret work - including outsmarting the Enigma!With well over 80 puzzles, this is the perfect gift book for curious kids. So grab your family and friends - and get puzzling!

This insightful portrait of Winston Churchill delves beyond well-known political moments, incorporating perspectives from various individuals who encountered him throughout his life.From Bletchley Park codebreakers and Hollywood stars such as Charlie Chaplin, through writers as varied as H. G. Wells and P. G. Wodehouse, to the likes of Harold Wilson, Mahatma Gandhi and Queen Elizabeth II, these lesser-known interactions reveal glimpses of the man behind the legend.We meet Churchill the exuberant schoolboy thug with an early mania for bull-dogs, and Churchill the elder statesman shedding a tear in the House of Commons smoking room. Other incidents include a young journalist rudely dismissing a call from Churchill as a prank, and a visiting Dwight D. Eisenhower dreaming of being strangled, only to awake entangled in Churchill’s borrowed nightshirt.The book showcases the profound transformations during Churchill’s lifetime, which ran from Benjamin Disraeli’s premiership to the release of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Route 66’, and the shift from steam to atomic power. Examining controversial aspects of his legacy, this multifaceted portrait challenges preconceived notions, inviting readers to reconsider the complexities of Churchill.

A fascinating exploration of the uncrackable codes and secret cyphers that helped win wars, spark revolutions and change the faces of nations. There have been secret codes since before the Old Testament, and there were secret codes in the Old Testament, too. Almost as soon as writing was invented, so too were the devious means to hide messages and keep them under the wraps of secrecy. In The Hidden History of Code Breaking, Sinclair McKay explores these uncrackable codes, secret cyphers and hidden messages from across time to tell a new history of a secret world. From the temples of Ancient Greece to the court of Elizabeth I; from antique manuscripts whose codes might hold prophecies of doom to the modern realm of quantum mechanics, we will see how a few concealed words could help to win wars, spark revolutions and even change the faces of great nations. Here is the complete guide to the hidden world of codebreaking, with opportunities for you to see if you could have cracked some of the trickiest puzzles and lip-chewing codes ever created.

Uncrackable codes and secret cyphers that helped win wars, spark revolutions and change the faces of nations, rediscovered and explored in the newest book by the bestselling author and historian, Sinclair McKay.

Kahdettakymmenettä vuosisataa ei voi ymmärtää ymmärtämättä Berliiniä.Sinclair McKayn mestarillinen kaupunkibiografia kertoo Berliinin tarinan tavallisten berliiniläisten näkökulmasta. Teos kuvaa vaikuttavasti, kuinka kaupunki ja sen asukkaat muokkasivat 1900-luvun maailmaa.Laajaan aiemmin julkaisemattomaan arkistomateriaaliin pohjaten kirja antaa äänen berliiniläisille, jotka kärsivät ensimmäisen maailmansodan kauhut, näkivät kaupungin nousun tieteen ja kulttuurin kansainväliseksi keskukseksi, kokivat talousromahdukset, natsien nousun, toisen maailmansodan tuhot, psykoottisen kansanmurhan ja vastakkaisten ideologioiden kahtia repimän kaupungin.Kautta 1900-luvun Berliini oli maailman keskiössä. Kaupungin asukkaiden kokemusten kautta kirja kuvaa, miten siellä nousivat kukoistukseen niin fasismi kuin kommunismikin tavoilla, joiden heijastusvaikutukset ulottuivat kaikkialle maailmaan. Toisen maailmansodan jälkeen idän ja lännen raja kulki halki kaupungin, jonka asukkaat elivät kahdessa eri todellisuudessa, kunnes totalitarismin symboliksi muodostunut Berliinin muuri vuonna 1989 murtui.Sinclair McKay on englantilainen toimittaja ja kirjailija, joka on kirjoittanut useita historia-aiheisia menestysteoksia. Suomeksi häneltä on aiemmin julkaistu kirja Dresden 1945 - Täystuho. McKay kirjoittaa säännöllisesti The Daily Telegraphiin, The Spectatoriin jaThe Wall Street Journaliin.

Man kan ikke forstå det 20. århundrede uden at kende Berlins historie. Og man kan ikke forstå Berlin uden at kende til de oplevelser, byens indbyggere har været udsat for. Gennem det meste af 1900-tallet var Berlin centrum for en kaotisk verden: Første Verdenskrigs lidelser, mellemkrigstidens dyrkelse af videnskab, kultur og seksuel frihed, derefter depression og økonomisk kaos, nazismens opståen, Anden Verdenskrigs ødelæggelser og en by opdelt mellem to verdener - øst og vest. Sinclair McKay trækker i sin fortælling om Berlins moderne historie på personlige beretninger, breve og dagbøger fra alle samfundslag. Her søger han svar på, hvorfor ideologier som fascisme og kommunisme trivedes så godt i Berlin. Følgerne kunne mærkes over hele den vestlige verden lige indtil den bemærkelsesværdige aften i efteråret 1989, hvor Berlinmuren - det sidste symbol på den totalitære undertrykkelse - omsider blev væltet.

A CUNNING CHRONICLE OF THE 50 CODES THAT ALTERED THE COURSE OF HISTORY AND CHANGED THE WORLDFrom the bestselling author of Bletchley Park Brainteasers and The Scotland Yard Puzzle Book. There have been secret codes since before the Old Testament, and there were secret codes in the Old Testament too. Almost as soon as writing was invented, so too were the devious means to hide messages and keep them under the wraps of secrecy.In 50 Codes that Changed the World, Sinclair McKay explores these uncrackable codes, secret cyphers and hidden messages from across time to tell a new history of a secret world. From the temples of Ancient Greece to the court of Elizabeth I; from antique manuscripts whose codes might hold prophecies of doom to the modern realm of quantum mechanics, you will see how a few concealed words could help to win wars, spark revolutions and even change the faces of great nations.Here is the complete guide to the hidden world of codebreaking, with opportunities for you to see if you could have cracked some of the trickiest puzzles and lip-chewing codes ever created. -----------------------Praise for Sinclair McKay's books:'This book [The Secret Life of Bletchley Park] seems a remarkably faithful account of what we did, why it mattered, and how it all felt at the time by someone who couldn't possibly have been born then. - THE GUARDIAN[Bletchley Park Brainteasers] is outrageously difficult but utterly fascinating. - THE EXPRESS'Sinclair McKay's account of this secret war of the airwaves in [Secret Listeners] is as painstakingly researched and fascinating as his bestselling The Secret Life Of Bletchley Park, and an essential companion to it.' - DAILY MAIL

Discover the stories of the brave men and women who worked, trained and fought across the UK, from Bletchley Park in southern England all the way to Arisaig in northern Scotland, in an unbelievable effort to defeat the Nazis and win the Second World War .From the outset of the war, most of Britain felt like a mystery even to those who lived there. All road and railway signs were removed up and down the country to thwart potential enemy spies. An invisible web of cunning spread across the United Kingdom; secret laboratories were hidden in marshes, underground bases were built to conceal key strategic plans and grand country houses became secret and silent locations for eccentric boffins to do their confidential cryptography work.In Secret Britain, Sinclair McKay maps out the UK through the hidden bases and battlegrounds of WWII. These locations are full of history and intrigue, but if you don't know where to look, you might just miss them. Journeying through secret wildernesses, suburbs, underground tunnels and manor houses, Sinclair gives a glimpse into the stories of the incredible people behind the war effort, and shows how you might be able to visit these mysterious and evocative locations yourself.With his trademark warmth and compassion, Sinclair unearths the truths of the war that have remained under layers of secrecy since the war was won in 1945.

The reason for the huge commercial success of Sinclair McKay's The Secret Life of Bletchley Park was simple: for the first time it told the stories of the ordinary people (mostly women), who worked there, and what it was like. Sworn to secrecy, they never divulged their remarkable wartime service for decades. But what did they go on to achieve after the war? And what about those who did become household names, but whose Bletchley Park years remain unknown? Now Sinclair McKay tells the stories of a hundred such people, and the often equally extraordinary lives they went on to. Here are dozens of unsung heroes, who certainly made their mark after the war as well as during its finest hour: people like Home Secretary Roy Jenkins, or novelist Angus Wilson; or Jane Fawcett, a trained ballerina who went on to co-found the Victorian Society and save St Pancras Station; or James Bernard, a protege of Benjamin Britten who wrote all the music for the Dracula films; or Joan Clarke, Alan Turing's girlfriend, who became a senior codebreaker herself at GCHQ.

Someone must have known what happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her.So how could the murderer prove so elusive? Standing four storeys tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, No. 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house. But beneath this genteel Victorian London veneer lay murderous intrigue. On 9 May 1879, the body of a former resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation – led by Inspector Charles Hagen, rising star of the recently formed CID – stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity. In this true-crime story, Sinclair McKay meticulously evaluates the evidence in first-hand sources. His gripping account sheds new light on a mystery that eluded Scotland Yard. ‘With the gusto of a penny dreadful, Murder at No. 4 Euston Road dodges any stodgy courtroom testimony that can weigh down true crime stories and sticks to the juicy details. It is hard to avoid the comparison with Kate Summerscale’s The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and it has similar historical richness and plot twisting…’ The Spectator 'Sinclair McKay is an accomplished and talented author with a rare skill... True crime fans and history buffs will enjoy this book, coming away with an enthralling true crime story and a new knowledge and understanding of Victorian London.' Crime Traveller ‘Gripping, gothic and deeply poignant’ Mail on Sunday ‘A meticulously researched book’ - Brian Viner, Daily Mail