“Buckham’s Bombers recounts the service of Australian flight lieutenant Bruce Buckham and his crew, climaxing in the hunt for the German battleship Tirpitz. Mark Baker capably depicts the operational life of a man he knew personally and rightly admired, and conveys technical details in an easy-to-read manner. But the work is hampered by what appear to be a number of strange tangents, and research and editorial shortcomings.”
“Industrious non-fiction authors are driven by a parasite: historical brain worm. It burrows into the author’s head, and from then on it’s the worm’s game. The author is compelled by their very being to get the truth – no matter how obscure – out into the world.
A book of Australian military historiography from one of the country’s leading publishers, could only be the result of a particularly industrious worm. The author’s not bad either. Lest: Australian War Myths by Mark Dapin, is an examination of 110 years of historical fallacies. It is thoughtful, meticulous, funny, at times furious, and to veterans at least, kind.”