S&S signs title on Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands

Simon & Schuster UK has acquired an account of what life was like for 50,000 Britons during the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands.

S&S’s publishing director for non-fiction Iain MacGregor acquired world rights to Hitler’s British Isles by Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi from Jon Elek at United Agents. It is the first of a two-book deal for Barrett and Calvi.

Barrett, who alongside Calvi has previously produced historical non-fiction bestsellers GI Brides and The Sugar Girls (HarperCollins), will be interviewing the islanders who lived through the war on the day-to-day realities of five years of German occupation.

He said: “I’m fascinated to hear about the occupation from those who experienced it at first hand. It’s a really important part of British history that people on the mainland need to know more about. The resilience and fortitude with which the Channel Islanders faced five years of German occupation tells us a lot about how things might have been for the rest of us had Hitler’s planned invasion gone ahead after all.”

MacGregor added: “Duncan is a brilliantly talented and sensitive author, able to write people's stories in a way they recognise as true to their memories of the period. We’re incredibly excited about this book.”

The title will be released as a paperback original in spring 2018.