The West End Front

The Ritz, the Savoy, the Dorchester and Claridge's - during the Second World War they teemed with spies, con-artists, deposed royals and the exiled governments of Europe. Meet the girl from MI5 who had the gravy browning licked from her legs by Dylan Thomas; the barman who was appointed the keeper of Churchill's private bottle of whisky; the East End Communist who marched with his comrades into the air-raid shelter of the Savoy; and, the throneless prince born in a suite at Claridge's declared Yugoslav territory for one night only. Matthew Sweet has interviewed them all for this account of the extraordinary events that unfolded under the reinforced ceilings of London's grand hotels. Using the memories of first-hand witnesses, the contents of newly declassified government files and a wealth of previously unpublished letters, memoirs and photographs, he has reconstructed a lost world of scandal, intrigue and fortitude.

ISBN 0571234771   Pages 384 ISBN13 9780571234776 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 648 Publisher Faber and Faber   Published in London Imprint Faber and Faber   Height (mm) 240 Format Hardback   Width (mm) 161 Publication date 03 Nov 2011   Spine width (mm) 33 DEWEY 942.1084   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

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