After service as a Royal Marine and as an intelligence officer for the UK security services, Paddy Ashdown was a Member of Parliament for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001, and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until 1999. Later he was the international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in 2006.
`A powerful account of an extraordinary story.' The Times `A fine account.' 5*, Daily Telegraph `It moves at the pace of a thriller and it's real' Nick Ferrari, Sunday Express `Fascinating and fast moving' Literary Review `No doubt many more books will be written about the war, but I hope this becomes a model for them since, though the heroism of our boys is stirring stuff, history only makes real sense if you can see it from all sides.' Daily Telegraph `Paddy Ashdown has sifted the facts from the myths to write a fascinating and very personal account.' Independent `Ashdown is well-placed to write this book, which requires an understanding of military strategy, diplomacy and political shenanigans, as well as old fashioned story telling skill.' Spectator `Ashdown's insights and his extensive research in an impressive range of archives will ensure that yet another work on the subject will not be required in the foreseeable future.' Times Literary Supplement 'Paddy Ashdown has a great gift for narrative history. He unearths little known stories and places them in context with great dexterity. His new book throws fresh and important light on a crucial topic.' Jonathan Dimbleby 'One cannot read too much about the 1930s to inoculate against its evils, so I recommend Paddy Ashdown's excellent new book 'Nein!' ... Ashdown writes movingly about the repeated attempts of German patriots to warn the Allies about Hitler and to frustrate or assassinate him ... A roll call of heroism ... Ashdown brings them together in a compelling narrative of a decade of resistance to evil at the heart of `European civilisation'.' Lord Adonis