The British Army Military Book of the Year (BAMBY) is a prestigious book prize, judged by a diverse panel of officers and soldiers, representing the very best military books of the previous year. Today we are pleased to announce the shortlist for the British Army Military Book of the Year Prize 2021 (#BAMBY21).
BAMBY was established in 2008 and is in its 14th year. Previous winners have included the Late Lord Ashdown, Professor Andrew Roberts, and Doctor Aimée Fox. The aim of the prize is to encourage reading and study about the profession of arms amongst our soldiers and this year’s offering will not disappoint.
Every month, from March until September, the Army Library and Information Service will feature a Book of the Month on its BAMBY Book Club webpage on Defence Connect. You can read the books along with our judges and let them know what you think. They are available as eBooks, so there is no excuse!
The #BAMBY21 shortlisted books are:
Brig (Ret’d) Ben Barry – Blood, Metal, and Dust: How Victory turned to Defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Prof Saul David – Crucible of Hell: Okinawa: The Last Great Battle of the Second World War.
James Holland – Sicily ’43 – The First Assault on Fortress Europe.
Dr Robert Johnson – Lawrence of Arabia on War: The Campaign in the Desert 1916-18.
Professor David Kilcullen – The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West.
Professor Margaret MacMillan – War: How Conflict Shaped Us.
Dr Julie Wheelwright – Sister’s in Arms: Female Warriors from Antiquity to the New Millenium.
WO2 Paul Barnes, who has run the competition for the last four years said, ‘Once again, seven excellent books have been chosen for this year’s #BAMBY and the challenge has been laid before our soldiers to engage with writing on the profession of arms, our people are our key advantage and developing them should be our central goal’.