Reviews
‘this will remain a go-to book for social, cultural and military historians alike’. Ben Hodges, Journal of Military and Strategic Studies, Vol 19, no 2, 2018
‘startlingly fresh…Makepeace’s exciting book has opened up a fertile field of research, and it is hoped that other social historians will be inspired to follow in her footsteps.’ Prof Neville Wylie, Journal of Social History, December 2018
‘exceptional scholarship…Well written and researched… [a] testament to the continued strength of POW history…. of great use and interest to scholars of life-writing, wartime imprisonment, and 20th-century British culture.’ Dr Alan Malpass, Reviews in History, December 2018
‘a valuable contribution to this still developing field of study…a stimulating and at times provocative book…meticulously researched, well structured monograph that deserves a wide readership.’ Dr Matthias Reiss, Michigan War Studies Review, November 2018
‘expands and extends our understanding of how British prisoners in Germany reacted to their experiences. … Scholars from a variety of genres, including military history, will find Captives of War a well-researched, in-depth analysis of captivity and its aftermath.’ Timothy G. Heck, Journal of Military History, 82, 4, October 2018
‘an extremely interesting read, which I would recommend to all psychologists and others interested in the psychology of war, warfare and survival psychology.’ Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes, The Psychologist, April 2018
‘an invaluable reference for historians and family researchers alike.’ Mark Simner, Who Do You Think Your Are?, January 2018
‘This pioneering examination is remarkable for the richness of its source material, depth of scholarship, and sensitive analysis.’ Kristen Alexander, 20th Century British History, 9 November 2017
‘Makepeace’s enquiry is scholarly, sensitive, nuanced, and embraces paradox… a major work… also a significant contribution to the cultural history of warfare.’ Kristen Alexander, Honest History, 22 October 2017
‘A fascinating, compassionate and evocative exploration of the highs and lows of life in captivity, told directly and contemporaneously by the men experiencing it.’ Greg Taylor, Phoenix Magazine, 2 October 2017
Advance praise
‘Clare Makepeace is a rare historian able to combine depth of knowledge with exquisite sensitivity. By delving into the intimate lives of prisoners of war, Makepeace reveals the primacy of domestic ties in the inner lives of these captives, and emphasises the range and complexity of different masculinities. The book is a ‘must read’, not only for people curious about war and captivity, but also for anyone interested in the history of everyday lives’. Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck, University of London
‘This is a profoundly important new history of Second World War captivity. Through the experience of British prisoners of war, Clare Makepeace provides a groundbreaking appraisal of the impact of war upon masculine identity. A tour de force addition to the cultural history of modern warfare’. , Heather Jones, London School of Economics and Political Science
‘British Prisoners of War in Europe in the Second World War offers a rare combination of impeccable scholarship coupled with deep humanity for the men who lived through the history. British Prisoners of War in Europe in the Second World War is teeming with vivid stories and compelling voices. Every page adds another level of understanding to what it must have been like to experience captivity. This riveting account will appeal to anyone fascinated by history – but also to any reader interested in how we respond to adversity’. Midge Gillies, author of The Barbed-Wire University (2012)
‘By weaving together the diaries and letters of those involved with official sources, and with insights from psychology, sociology and history, Clare Makepeace shows what everyday captivity entailed for the many thousands of British servicemen captured by the Axis powers behind barbed wire. Carefully constructed and well-written, British Prisoners of War in Europe in the Second World War breaks new ground in the understanding of the social and cultural history of British prisoners of war in the Second World War.’ Bob Moore, University of Sheffield