Battle of the Atlantic book – coming September 2022

In the 20th century’s greatest war, one battlefield held the key to victory or defeat – the North Atlantic. It took 2,074 days and nights to determine its outcome, but the Battle of the Atlantic proved the turning point of the Second World War.

This September, HarperCollins publishes Ted Barris’s 20th book – Battle of the Atlantic: Gauntlet to Victory.

Check Ted’s “Events” page to learn when and where he will bring his powerful talk/presentations to an event near you.

For five and a half years, German surface warships and submarines attempted to destroy Allied transatlantic convoys, mostly escorted by Royal Canadian Navy destroyers and corvettes, as well as aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Throwing deadly U-boat ‘wolf packs’ in the paths of Merchant Navy convoys, the German Kriegsmarine nearly strangled this vital life-line to a beleaguered Great Britain.

In 1939, Canada’s navy went to war with exactly 13 warships and about 3,500 sailors. During the desperate Atlantic crossings, the RCN grew to 400 fighting ships and over 100,000 men and women in uniform. By V-E Day in 1945, it had become the 4th largest navy in the world. The Battle of the Atlantic proved to be Canada’s longest continuous military engagement of the war. The story of Canada’s naval awakening in the bloody battle to get convoys to Britain, is a Canadian wartime saga for the ages.

Photo Sinisa Jolic / CBC Licensing

Ted Barris has published 19 non-fiction books, half of them wartime histories. His book The Great Escape: A Canadian Story won the 2014 Libris Award as Best Non-Fiction Book in Canada. His book Dam Busters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid Against Nazi Germany received the 2019 NORAD Trophy from the RCAF Association. And his book Rush to Danger: Medics in the Line of Fire was listed for the 2020 Charles Taylor Prize for Non-Fiction in Canada. Battle of the Atlantic: Gauntlet to Victory is Ted’s 20th published non-fiction book

 Advance praise for Battle of the Atlantic…

“Ted Barris has a reverence for the stories of veterans. Barris’s work is hallmarked by thorough research and respect for the people whose stories he retells. This book serves to put faces and emotions on the facts and dates of the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of the Second World War. The battle was waged for nearly six years—2,074 days. In human terms, that period represents five North Atlantic winters, thousands of bleak dawns, thousands of days and nights of vigilance despite desperate fatigue, thousands of days and nights during which death might arrive unheralded. This book effectively, reverentially, and thoroughly records and passes on that story.” — Gordon Laco, RCN (Ret’d), from the Foreword to Battle of the Atlantic 

“This is not the story of a few days of battle—like Vimy or D-Day. This story lasts six years. This book covers an awful lot of what we experienced. It’s detailed. And I discovered so much. I’ve read a lot of books on the Battle of the Atlantic. This is a good one!” — Norman Goodspeed, Second World War RCN (Ret’d), HMCS Saguenay 

“Ted Barris puts a human face to a Goliath of a subject. Battle of the Atlantic lures you in, paying homage to the men and women who risked their lives in this epic battle. Barris effortlessly weaves a gripping narrative that provides a multitude of historical perspectives. It brings you right into the action and keeps you on edge. Essential reading for anyone wanting to gain an understanding of the war waged in the Atlantic.” — Sean E. Livingston, RCN and author 


About Ted Barris

Ted Barris is an accomplished author, journalist and broadcaster. As well as hosting stints on CBC Radio and regular contributions to the national press, he has authored 18 non-fiction books and served (for 18 years) as professor of journalism/broadcasting at Centennial College in Toronto. He has written a weekly column/webblog - The Barris Beat - for more than 30 years.

2 comments:

  1. Alliston Probus talk

    Enjoyed your talk the other day. Just as an FYI, my grandfathers battery took Vimy Ridge ( Y position) and Passchendale. Not sure of all the accuracy, but it’s outlined in a small book from one of the soldiers in 1923 called Battery Action. It list the dates of each encounter with some dialogue. Organized by McRae from Guelph.

    Hope that is useful

    Terry Corbett

  2. Dear Ted:
    As a 99 year old WW II merchant Navy veteran (casualty) of four years at sea from OS to Chief Officer, I received your Battle of Atlantic presentation as a gift for Christmas. I want to commend you for a well researched and detailed story of the BoA. After reading many books of the BoA yours is by far the best.
    Congratulations and best wishes for your dedication and writing skills that you have displayed in your writing career. Keep up the great work.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *