Piece of Cake

Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson is the first aviation based novel that I have read in some time. In recent years I have been reading a lot of non-fiction, but sometimes I really believe that "fiction" will get closer to the truth about an historical event and the people involved than non-fiction. Suzanne first introduced me to the mini-series based on this book that was made by the BBC and aired on PBS here in America back in the 80's. It was a good mini-series and I loaned it to my father-in-law who really enjoyed watching it during his last days of battling cancer. While the mini-series was good, this book is great. I will never think of the Battle of Britain the same way again. I feel like I know the pilots of "Hornet Squadron" and I feel like I have logged hours in a Hurricane. The book does a great job of showing the pilots as completely human with all that comes with it; Sometimes brave, sometimes cowardly, sometimes chivalrous and sometimes murderous. Of course the book is full of tragedy, but also full of dark humor and some of the best one liners I have ever read. The book has many memorable characters, most of whom realistically don't survive to the end of September 1940. I feel like I know some of these guys and I believe they will be with me into the future as much as any characters in novels I read in the early 90's such as War and Peace or Catch 22. I recommend this book completely to everyone who is interested in flying, history or just good literature. I have read novels that are as good as Piece of Cake, but none better.