{"title":"Paul Brickhill","description":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Brickhill’s works immerse readers in gripping historical narratives, often centred on extraordinary acts of courage during wartime. His storytelling blends meticulous research with dramatic pacing, making history vividly accessible and deeply engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFans of \u003cem\u003eReach for the Sky\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Great Escape\u003c\/em\u003e can expect powerful accounts that explore heroism and resilience, framed within the broader context of military history and personal memoir. Brickhill’s books offer both insightful biography and compelling historical fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"reach-for-the-sky-by-paul-brickhill-9780304356744","title":"Reach for the Sky","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1931, at the age of 21, Douglas Bader was the golden boy of the RAF. Excelling in everything he did, he represented the Royal Air Force in aerobatics displays, played rugby for Harlequins, and was tipped to be the next England fly half.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut one afternoon in December, all his ambitions came to an abrupt end when he crashed his plane doing a particularly difficult and illegal aerobatic trick. His injuries were so bad that surgeons were forced to amputate both his legs to save his life. Douglas Bader did not fly again until the outbreak of the Second World War, when his undoubted skill in the air was enough to convince a desperate air force to give him his own squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe rest of his story is the stuff of legend. Flying Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain, he led his squadron to kill after kill, keeping them all going with his unstoppable banter. Shot down in occupied France, his German captors had to confiscate his tin legs in order to stop him trying to escape. Bader faced it all—disability, leadership, and capture—with the same charm, charisma, and determination that was an inspiration to all around him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReach for the Sky\u003c\/em\u003e by Paul Brickhill is a vivid account of a man who overcame unimaginable challenges, capturing the courage and spirit that defined him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46399857721580,"sku":"9780304356744","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9393603482296.jpg?v=1745643088"},{"product_id":"the-great-escape-by-paul-brickhill-9780304356874","title":"The Great Escape","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most famous true stories from the last war, \u003cem\u003eThe Great Escape\u003c\/em\u003e tells how more than six hundred men in a German prisoner-of-war camp worked together to achieve an extraordinary break-out. Every night for a year they dug tunnels, and those who weren't digging forged passports, drew maps, faked weapons and tailored German uniforms and civilian clothes to wear once they had escaped. All of this was conducted under the very noses of their prison guards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the right night came, the actual escape itself was timed to the split second — but of course, not everything went according to plan...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47432924233964,"sku":"9780304356874","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780304356874.jpg?v=1774766114"},{"product_id":"reach-for-the-sky-by-paul-brickhill-9781557502223","title":"Reach for the Sky","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDouglas Bader was a legend in his lifetime. After losing both legs in an air crash in 1931 and being dismissed as a cripple by the Royal Air Force, he fought his way back into the cockpit of a Spitfire to become one of the great heroes of the Battle of Britain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis inspiring biography of the famous World War II fighter pilot, first published in 1954, has a following of faithful readers who come back to the book time and again to re-read, share with their children, and pass along to friends. Not many books have made such an impact on people's lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBader's story is so extraordinary that no one would dare invent it, and Brickhill succeeds in matching the excitement of Bader's war deeds with the triumph of his greater battle over a severe handicap. Told he would never walk without a cane, Bader learned to dance, swim, golf, and play tennis. Told he would never fly again, he became not only one of the RAF's top combat pilots but a squadron leader and innovator of fighter tactics that helped win the Battle of Britain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the thrilling incidents chronicled in \u003cem\u003eReach for the Sky\u003c\/em\u003e are Bader's first successful encounter with an enemy plane, his own shoot down, and his succession of escapes from German prisons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ingram Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47464181629164,"sku":"9781557502223","price":49.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781557502223-reach-for-the-sky.jpg?v=1775040207"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/paul-brickhill.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}