Blitz: When World War Two Came Home

by John Nichol

**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**

‘[Nichol] has a marvellous eye for detail . . . this is history at its finest. Truly memorable' Daily Mirror

The Second World War was not only fought in the skies above Europe or on distant beaches. Between 1939 and 1945, Hitler’s aerial onslaught crashed into lives across the UK night after night, killing more than 60,000 civilians and leaving millions homeless.

For too long, ‘The Blitz’ – from the German ‘Blitzkrieg’ or lightning war – has been framed as a few desperate months between September 1940 and May 1941 that mainly affected London. In reality, the scope of the attack on the home front was far more widespread, and far more devastating. Now, John Nichol tells this supposedly familiar narrative – one of the most important events in British history – afresh.

Beginning with a search to understand his mother’s experiences of the blitz on Tyneside – drawing on fragments of memory and the unanswered questions she left behind – Nichol ranges outward to reveal a truly national history. From Dover to Glasgow, Cardiff to Manchester, he uncovers astonishing accounts of catastrophe and resilience. Of ‘ordinary’ men, women and children catapulted into harm’s way. Of heroic firefighters battling infernos, the unflinching bravery required to defuse unexploded bombs, families wiped out in an instant, communities left bereft by a single blast.

Using interviews with survivors, official records and eyewitness testimonies, Nichol gives voice to the unsung heroes who endured explosions, fire and fear, but found the courage to run towards danger. He brings the story up to date by speaking to people involved in similar mass casualty events, the deadly blaze at Grenfell Tower, bomb disposal in modern warfare and individual acts of astonishing bravery. And as new military threats emerge, Nichol asks whether the country still has such resilience today.

At once gripping and compassionate, BLITZ is the definitive account of a nationwide struggle that shaped the course of the war and the spirit of a generation.

The book includes maps, colour endpapers, and two plate sections with 38 photos and archival images.

‘The story of a whole nation as only Nichol can write, BLITZ is a wonderful book perfectly anchored in the human experience’ Dr Robert Lyman MBE FRHistS, co-author of Victory to The British Army 1918–40

‘An important book which takes the myth of the storybook Blitz Spirit and redefines it. Absolutely fantastic’ Professor Lucy Easthope, author of When the Dust Searching for Hope After Disaster

John Nichol, Sunday Times bestseller, May 2026

Genres: History, War

448 pages, Hardcover

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting detailed home looking at the blitz when it hit Britain and some personal accounts of events ranging from children and adults of the time

[Paul (Life In The Slow Lane) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleared up some ambivalence.

The author has accurately described the terrible toll the indiscriminate bombings of London (and the author's home town of North Shields) took during the early years of WW2 . 43,500 men, women and children...and babies...dead and countless more wounded and mentally scarred for life. Night after night these brave people endured the bombs, the death and the destruction of their homes - and then to face the reality of where they would sleep, eat and live afterwards. Unthinkable and unfathomable. What bravery they showed.

I have read a few stories of the allied destruction of Hamburg (as many died here as killed in all of England's Blitz) and the horror of the firebombing of Dresden. I wasn't convinced that these were morally right. I am a bit less on the fence about those now. The Nazis and their atrocious supporters were an evil that needed to be expunged.

I took two stars off because the author frequently went off into lengthy tangents trying to liken The Blitz to his own modern day experiences of war. These were an unwanted distraction and I skipped most of them.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Another fantastic book from John Nichol!

The Blitz, or ‘Blitzkreig’, officially lasted from 7th September, 1940 to 16th May, 1941 and it mainly affected London. But the reality of the events of the Second World War were widespread.

John Nichol has a unique approach to The Blitz in this book, as he looks past the devastation brought upon the capital and branches out to places such as North Shields (his home town) and the effect that the war had on local civilians.

The book does veer off in places to liken some of the wartime events to global events of today, such as the Grendell Tower fire. This did interrupt the flow of the book a little and pulled me out of the nostalgia of the war. That having been said, I do applaud the author for trying this novel approach. But for me personally, I would have preferred if the book had solely concentrated on the Blitz and World War Two. That is the only reason that I haven’t given the book five stars.

[Richard Teager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very intetesting

[Ellie · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Almost every page brought me to tears. Was really good at telling the stories of many.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique look at the Blitz as author John Nicol looks beyond the usual time frame and geographic locations. He looks beyond London and the typical places assaulted during WWII, veering beyond those and using North Shields, where his family came from, as an example of a war that affected local civilian populations.

Indeed, he looks at the history of bombing civilians, going back to Zeppelins in WWI and then continues to branch out. When King George VI created the George Cross to honour civilian gallantry, he covers only wartime heroics but also more recent events. Indeed, this book veers from wartime rescues to Grenfell Tower and everything from major events to individual heroism. I felt it pulled me a little out of the wartime story, but I applaud the author for trying something new to explain and explore a part of our history which still remains in so many memories. My own mother was evacuated in the war, even during the Sixties, when I was a young child, bomb sites remained, and many streets bear witness to the loss of neighbours.

With war still affecting so many people around the world, this is a reminder of how it can suddenly appear and cause chaos amongst civilians who must cope with the upheaval, death and destruction that conflict causes.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well written book by John Nichol. Having read Spitfire and Lancaster this was definitely being added to my 'must read' pile. In this he takes you on a detailed look at what places like London, his own North Shields endured during the dark days of the Blitz, the V1 and later V2 vengeance weapons that hit the United Kingdom. He uses first hand accounts from the time from men who were just little lads as well as taking mirroring accounts of rescue efforts from the modern day (Grenfell) this was a fantastic book that I highly recommend.

[Shane Galway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic book. It feels authentic, genuine and the editing is wonderful.

I’m a big Second World War reader, and I’d place this in my top 5. I loved how John wove the past and present together. He made it poignant with his family’s connection. He tells a story of the Blitz that isn’t London-centric (although London does of course feature). And he doesn’t shy away from describing the absolutely horrendous horror of the Blitz.

I bought this book at a festival where I met John. Goo guy. Great, great read.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those times I wish for half stars. Not perfect, but close. This is unlike other books I’ve read about the Blitz, in that the author blends his own military experience and current events to paint a broader picture of the Blitz experience, ultimately concluding that it’s not merely a thing of the past. At times hard to read, but a fascinating and well-researched look at Britain during WWII.

[John Wargo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I've been looking for a book on the blitz and after touring Churchill's bunker in London I went looking again and found this. I liked that it covered more than London, but I feel it was too focused on the author's home town. I also wasn't interested in the sections that contrasted the past with the present, I didn't expect that and ended up skipping those sections. Still an interesting and informative read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the read. A thought provoking book about wartime Britain with startling comparisons to more recent events

[Stuart Harland · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Nichols never disappoints. A fantastic account viewed also from a modern day perspective and also covering events such as Grenfell. Highly recommended.

[Beth Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author John Nichol take the listener back to the beginning World War 2 when the German Air Force began bombing the United Kingdom. The author dives into the personal history of people who survivor and those who didn't survive. But one thing that Mr. Nichol is really well linking the events of World War 2 to today.
I really enjoy "Blitz" it was really interesting listening, and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history about World War 2.