cover image The Few: The American ""Knights of the Air"" Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain

The Few: The American ""Knights of the Air"" Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain

Alex Kershaw. Brilliance Corporation, $34.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-1-4233-1590-2

Brick does a nice job squeezing the drama from Kershaw's story of the American fliers who joined the British RAF during the early years of World War II, before the United States had entered the war. Modulating his voice for maximum efficiency, Brick treats each segment of the book as a fresh anecdote to be laid out for the enjoyment of his listeners. Dogfights, ocean journeys, military camaraderie and the ever-present threat of death are all grist for Brick's powerful storyteller's voice. If at times Brick cannot entirely decide whether he is or is not going to provide British and French accents for his European characters, hedging his bets with partial versions, his reading is nonetheless sharp and compelling.