The Avenue Goes to War

The wail of sirens and the bombs of the Luftwaffe shook the people of the Avenue out of their dreams and preoccupations, bringing out their best and worst qualities. Only a handful of neighbours remained to face the Blitz. They endured death and destruction, relief and victory. Bound together by their experiences, they found in themselves surprising reserves of heroism, courage and humour.

“'Sheer, wonderful storytelling'”

Mr Delderfield's manner is easy, modest, heartwarming - Evening Standard

R F Delderfield is a born storyteller - Sunday Mirror

Sheer, wonderful storytelling - Chicago Tribune

It is always a pleasure to read R F Delderfield, because he never seems to be ashamed of writing well - Books and Bookmen

He built an imposing artistic social history that promises to join those of his great forebears in the long, noble line of the English novel. His narratives belong in a tradition that goes back to John Galsworthy and Arnold Bennett - Life Magazine

R F Delderfield was born in South London in 1912. On leaving school he joined the Exmouth Chronicle newspaper as a junior reporter, where he went on to become Editor. From there he began to write stage plays and then became a highly successful novelist, renowned for brilliantly portraying slices of English life. With the publication of his first saga, A Horseman Riding By, he became one of Britain's most popular authors, and his novels have been bestsellers ever since.

The wail of sirens and the bombs of the Luftwaffe shook the people of the Avenue out of their dreams and preoccupations, bringing out their best and worst qualities. Only a handful of neighbours remained to face the Blitz. They endured death and destruction, relief and victory. Bound together by their experiences, they found in themselves surprising reserves of heroism, courage and humour.

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