Operation Heartbreak

Attention all Anglophile WWII buffs: you do not want to miss McNally Editions’ reissue of this fantastic 1950 novel! It’s the life story of a type of Englishman who—although born on January 1, 1900—really belongs to the 1800s, written by a very different type of Englishman who was in almost every room where it happened during the first half of the 20th C. Cooper was a soldier, politician, diplomat, historian, etc., who finally decided to try his hand at fiction and—surprisingly or unsurprisingly—produced this absolute gem. Cunningly crafted, elegantly styled, it’s both delightful and poignant. Now, I know that many of my fellow buffs are also espionage geeks. And while the title and short prologue may clue you into the plot’s set-up, I promise it will not spoil your reading pleasure. Even though I knew where things were heading, this brilliant little book still won the next spot on my 2024 Top Ten list. —Liz

P.S. Speaking of great British literary prizes, the Duff Cooper Prize for nonfiction has been awarded since 1956, and this year's winner, just announced, is Julian Jackson for France on Trial: The Case of Marshal Petain. (In addition to £5,000, the winner receives a bottle of Champagne and a copy of Duff Cooper's memoirs.)