Fortress Malta : an island under siege, 1940-1943 / by James Holland by Holland, James - 2003

New York : Miramax Books, 2003. First Edition. Fine cloth copy in an equally fine dw. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered.; 8vo 8"" - 9"" tall; 479 pages; From British journalist Holland comes this superbly engaging history of Malta, the island that was bombed more heavily than any other territory during World War II. Lying in a strategic position between Sicily and Africa, Malta oversaw the shipping routes that supplied the Axis campaign in North Africa, routes that the British were determined to control. Thus, they insisted on holding the island as a base, despite a prolonged aerial bombardment that nearly destroyed the garrison and subjected the island's population to famine. Drawing on dairies, letters and interviews, he reconstructs the stories of RAF pilot Alex Mackie, who was killed in his Hurricane over Malta, and the legendary photo-recon pilot Adrian Warburton, among many others. The sea and air battles around the island are also vividly depicted, but the real value of this book lies in its rare, intimate description of the Maltese perspective on the siege. Turning the last page, one understands why the island of Malta was collectively awarded the George Cross, the highest British civilian award for heroism. Physical description: xxvii, 479 p. : illus., photos, maps ; 25 cm. Subjects: World War, 1939-1945 -- Malta. Malta -- History -- Siege, 1940-1943..