SAS: An Illustrated History of the SAS During the Second World War

by Joshua Levine

This is the authorised history of the SAS by bestselling author Joshua Levine. Never-before-seen photographs and unheard stories bring the history of this special force to life in vivid colour and astonishing detail.

Created during the Second World War, the SAS was a small band of men brought together in the North African desert. They were the toughest and brightest of their cohort, the most resilient, most capable in close combat and most careful in surveillance. Winning approval for this radical new form of warfare was no small feat, but eventually it was achieved. The SAS was born, their mission to take on small-scale but often devastating raids and risks behind enemy lines.

Levine tours us through the wartime experience, taking us behind the scenes through exclusive access to SAS archives. Drawing on individual stories and personal testimony, including interviews with veterans and family members of the original troupe, Levine creates a striking sense of what it was like to fight and train in the SAS during the Second World War. This illustrated history tells the origin story of this enigmatic unit by bringing to light photographs and stories long thought lost to history.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

Joshua Levine was born in the Bahamas. He has a law degree and practiced as a criminal barrister for several years in London. He gave up law and became an actor, appearing in amateur theatre productions. He also worked as an assistant producer, working on a documentary about Handel's Water Music. He wrote a stage play entitled, Crash, and went on to write programs for BBC Radio 4. He is the author of Forgotten Voices, Beauty and Atricity, On a Wing and a Prayer, Operation Fortitude, The Secret History of the Blitz, and Dunkirk.

Reviews

[Helga زن زندگی آزادی مرد میهن آبادی · Rating 4 out of 5]

They knew that they would be facing a dark and desperate enemy, but they did not know just how dark.

SAS, short for the Special Air Service, was a branch of the British Army and was formed in 1941 to undertake secret and sensitive operations.
This is the story of its birth, its acts of courage and heroism.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The contents of this book piqued my interest, so I decided to buy a copy the other day. It was easy to dive right into this one. It was well-written, and the firsthand accounts were powerful. The pictures were also great at adding to the reading experience. This did a great job of painting a detailed picture of the courage and ambition that helped win the war. These soldiers definitely did their part, and I was honored to read their story.

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua Levine (http://www.joshualevine.co.uk) is the author of more than 10 books. SAS: The Illustrated History of the SAS was published in 2023. It is the 73rd book I completed reading in 2023.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to some scenes of violence, I categorize this book as PG.

This book documents the actions of the British Army SAS (Special Air Service) and LRDG (Long Range Desert Group) across North Africa and Europe during WWII. The text is supplemented with several photos. The book touches on the efforts of a number of individuals who were instrumental in the creation and evolution of the SAS. The stories of individuals and the missions undertaken by the SAS are told. A brief extended biography of a few individuals follows their lives after the war ends.

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 321-page WWII history. This was a very interesting read! I have read several accounts of the SAS, and this is the best I have seen. It was written with the cooperation of the SAS and with access to their archives. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Lalit Mohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished "SAS" by Joshua Levine after watching the show SAS Rogue Heroes. The book dives into how this legendary unit got started pretty much by accident - as a deception that actually worked and then became real.

What struck me most was that the main leaders weren't typical military types. They were creatives - a poet and a fairly talented artist. These tough men who built one of the world's most elite forces had this artistic side to them.

The book shows how the SAS changed over time, becoming very different from what it started as. By the end of the war, many of the men couldn't adjust to civilian life. Paddy Mayne, one of the key figures, died young in a drunk driving accident. Others just never found their place after the war. But Mike Sadler lived a long, fulfilling life and kept having adventures right till the end.

I'm not exactly sure what I learned from this story, but that's maybe what makes it interesting. It's not a book with simple lessons - it's more about how complex people can be and how war changes them in different ways. Worth reading if you're interested in military history or just how organizations evolve.

[Dave Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and quite enjoyed Ben MacIntyre's "SAS: Rogue Heroes" about the Special Air Service regiment of the British Army, formed during WWII. This new book by military historian Joshua Levine is an excellent companion: MacIntyre's book is perhaps more exciting as it's more of an adventure story, while Levine's book offers a bit drier, but more detailed history of the SAS and its many colorful soldiers. "SAS: An Illustrated History" also features hundreds of fascinating photos and runs through the very end of WWII. It does not skip difficult eventseither, including late in the War when the SAS were part of a concentration camp liberating force. Recommended.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable, I thought. One gets the sense that the British elite still like the rarified air they breathe and the stratified society they enjoy (This might be said of the upper crust of most any country or organization, I suppose.) You get a sense of the inter-service jealousies, and sometimes the hope that something good might fail because it was not "my idea." Some very interesting characters, who no doubt had a great deal of courage. It was a risky business, and those who did the fighting and the bleeding are those to be most admired, as always.

[Paul Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book on the invention of the SAS and their activities during WW2. Lots of images some never published before and an engaging way of telling the story. Most chapters are short and very readable.

[Benjamin Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tells the story if an incredibly interesting unit very well, and contains many personal accounts and pictures that are unavailable otherwise without access to private collections and sources. It is very easy to digest and process without a lot of background knowledge on the topic as well.

[Charlie Foks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit reform uk? Perhaps, although this is a decent read. Very short chapters and pictures yay! Downside: this story has already been told before - but I guess that doesn’t really make it a bad one.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short introduction to the origins of the British Special Forces. An easy ready, worthwhile read for any military history buff.

[John Baker]

Audio Book

[Tyler M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasic Book about The SAS who single handedly won the North Africa Campaign and Started the Liberation of Italy, True Heroes

[Kim McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
Imagine a group of British based soldiers who were a classic combination of pirate, revolutionary, musketeer, viking and hero. This group formed in the African desert and basically did stunts to fool the Germans and ended up really tackling some impressive and daring missions all over North Africa and Europe. From paratroopers to hybrid jeeps this group had some fascinating and little known missions creating havoc. For WWII buffs and those readers who want to know the origin story of Lawrence of Arabia, there is much to enjoy here. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great biography on the formation and early campaigns by the British SAS. The stories are full of action and provides a view that not every action was successful. A great

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.