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OverviewThe story of the World War 2 de-coders of Bletchley Park continues to fascinate. How did Mair Thomas, a musician brought up in the Welsh valleys, find herself in the rarefied atmosphere of Hut Six, surrounded by hundreds of others, all desperately trying to break the German Enigma Code? Sworn to secrecy and working in cramped and uncomfortable conditions, Mair discovered her degree in German and Music was just what was needed. This captivating memoir provides a fascinating insight into one woman's battle against Nazi Germany vividly capturing an era of danger, strain and day to day difficulties that were brightened occasionally by visits from the top brass, such as Winston Churchill. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Mair Russell-Jones , Gethin Russell-JonesPublisher: SPCK Publishing Imprint: Lion Books Edition: New edition Dimensions: Width: 13.00cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 19.80cm Weight: 0.272kg ISBN: 9780745956640ISBN 10: 0745956645 Pages: 256 Publication Date: 18 July 2014 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In Print  This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us. Table of ContentsContents Preface 9 Chapter 1: January 1941 A Personal World War 19 Chapter 2: 1917–36 Rough Valley 25 Chapter 3: 1936–38 London on the Eve of War 41 Chapter 4: 1938–39 Cardiff University 51 Chapter 5: 1940 Too Close to Home 63 Chapter 6: February 1941 Strange Messengers 77 Chapter 7: April 1941 Appointment in Whitehall 83 Chapter 8: August 1941 My Longest Day 95 Chapter 9: August 1941 Landlords from Hell 103 Chapter 10: August 1941 First Day at Bletchley Park 111 Chapter 11: August 1941 Unravelling the Enigma 123 Chapter 12: August–October 1941 Is it Over Before it Has Begun? 137 Chapter 13: November 1941 St Joan 145 Chapter 14: 1941–42 Loved and Chosen 155 Chapter 15: 1942–43 Girls Talk 173 Chapter 16: 1941–44 Rank and File 189 Chapter 17: 1944 D-Day 199 Chapter 18: 1945 It Nearly Killed Churchill Too 213 Chapter 19: 1945–99 Keeping Mum and Coming Out 227 Chapter 20: 1999 Return of the Native 239 Chapter 21: 2008 Read All About It 247 Christmas 2013: Postscript 253 Bibliography 256ReviewsI am fascinated by the way Bletchley Park's commitment to absolute secrecy exercised such a powerful and enduring hold over those who worked there - what a good thing that Mair Russell-Jones was persuaded to relax it a little, giving us this engaging account of life at the heart of one of Britain's most important World War Two operations. I greatly enjoyed this book. -- Edward Stourton, broadcaster and author 20140609 This is a wonderful book, telling the story of a woman working at Bletchley Park. It has unique anecdotes that more truly describe the life at Bletchley Park than someone would be prepared to do if they were talking publicly. It is charming and brutally honest. -- Michael Smith, author of Station X I am fascinated by the way Bletchley Park's commitment to absolute secrecy exercised such a powerful and enduring hold over those who worked there - what a good thing that Mair Russell-Jones was persuaded to relax it a little, giving us this engaging account of life at the heart of one of Britain's most important World War Two operations. I greatly enjoyed this book. -- Edward Stourton, broadcaster and author Plucked from her home in the Welsh valleys, Mair Russell-Jones' quiet and heroic devotion to duty in World War 2 almost cost her her life and reputation among unsympathetic family and friends. It can't be easy telling your own parents' remarkable story but Gethin succeeds without a trace of sentimentality. Humbling and inspiring -- Steve Goddard Co-editor Ship of Fools This is the story of an ordinary woman from the Welsh valleys made extraordinary by the exigencies of war. Mair Thomas would probably have been a Christian missionary had it not been for World War II. She was recruited for the intelligence team at Bletchley Park that cracked the Enigma code and made the Allied victory possible. Only after half a century did she tell the story of her secret life in Hut Six. Her story is told with the aid of her son, Gethin Russell Jones. Other books have given dramatic, sometimes romanticised, accounts of the intelligence war. My Secret Life is remarkable for its unvarnished account of life at 'BP' - monotonous, wearying, unglamorous - costly. Mair paid that cost till the end of her days. An absorbing read which gets closer to the humdrum reality of war. -- Derek Wilson, Author Author InformationMair Russell-Jones worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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