'An Axe and Four Balloons' coming 3rd September 2026. Pre-order now
Joined September 2023
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Tim Spicer in conversation with Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton at @HerefordFest last week in a fascinating discussion, introduced by Nicholas Soames, around An Axe and Four Balloons - Tim’s latest biography of Brian Franks, the remarkable man credited with saving the SAS.
More speaking events are coming up this autumn around An Axe and Four Balloons. 📚
Tim Spicer will be discussing the new book at events and literary festivals across the UK between now and the end of the year.
Ticket links on Tim’s website: timspicerauthor.com/
Tim Spicer retweeted
Massive thanks for @MattNixson for putting this HUGE spread together to help promote @timspicerauthor's new book - you certainly can't miss this one! 👏
#SAS #history #WW2 #books
A double-page spread in @Daily_Express today, featuring Tim Spicer’s article on Brian Franks, the subject of his new book An Axe and Four Balloons, out now.
A double-page spread in @Daily_Express today, featuring Tim Spicer’s article on Brian Franks, the subject of his new book An Axe and Four Balloons, out now.
Tim Spicer retweeted
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks
An article by
@timspicerauthor
aspectsofhistory.com/lieuten…
Read An Axe and Four Balloons amazon.co.uk/dp/1999589173
#biography #militaryhistory #newbooks
Tim Spicer retweeted
🚨 BONUS EPISODE🚨
Brian Franks wasn’t interested in some Hollywood-style revenge mission. 🎬❌ His priority was bringing the men responsible for murdering his soldiers to justice — and putting them on trial for war crimes. ⚖️🪖 That distinction matters. Behind the mythology of the SAS is a much more complicated story involving intelligence, investigation, determination and a very personal reason for seeing the job through. @timspicerauthor tells us more
🎧 Listen now on all good podcast players
#SAS #BrianFranks #WW2 #WarCrimes #MilitaryHistory
Tim Spicer retweeted
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks
An article by
@timspicerauthor
aspectsofhistory.com/lieuten…
Read An Axe and Four Balloons amazon.co.uk/dp/1999589173
#biography #militaryhistory #newbooks
Tim Spicer retweeted
Great interview with @timspicerauthor on @historyrage! Well worth a listen..
🚨 BONUS EPISODE🚨
We all know David Stirling. Paddy Mayne gets plenty of attention too. But the story of the SAS is bigger than a handful of famous names. 🪖💥 Tim Spicer makes the case for Brian Franks — an exceptional commander who could fight, lead, deal with generals and, crucially, help rebuild the SAS after it was disbanded in 1945. Add Nazi hunters, wartime operations and a hatred of admin and you’ve got one hell of a story.
🎧 Listen now on your favourite podcast app
#SAS #BrianFranks #PaddyMayne #DavidStirling #WW2
Tim Spicer retweeted
The gentleman mercenary and warrior author @timspicerauthor has written a thrilling tribute to one of WW2’s unknown warriors, @samkileynews reviews ‘An Axe and Four Balloons’ #SAS @BarbreckPublish @HerefordFest
independent.co.uk/arts-enter…
Tim Spicer retweeted
🚨 BONUS EPISODE🚨
Imagine winning a war, disbanding your elite special forces… and then having to fight to get them back. 🤦♂️ That’s where Brian Franks becomes absolutely crucial. When the SAS was dismantled in 1945, Franks helped make the case that Britain still needed it — and ultimately helped bring it back. 🪖🔥 Without that intervention, the SAS we know today might look very different. @timspicerauthor tells the story
🎧 Listen now on Apple, Spotify and all good players
#SAS #BrianFranks #MilitaryHistory #WW2
Thank you for the review of An Axe and Four Balloons @Independent
the-independent.com/arts-ent…
Tim Spicer retweeted
Thanks to Colonel Tim Spicer, for the signed copy of his new book, the biography of Col. Brian Franks, who was a key SAS commander in WW2, and post-war. Many of you will know of Col. Frank's wartime exploits from my own book, The Nazi Hunters, but Spicer's account is the definitive and only biography.
An Axe and Four Balloons is officially out now.
This week we marked the publication of Tim Spicer’s biography of Brian Franks at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Thank you to David Campbell, Barbeck Publishers and Archie Stirling for a wonderful evening.
penguin.co.uk/books/485450/a…
Tim Spicer retweeted
Historian @timspicerauthor has written a great piece for @AspectsHistory about the remarkable and heroic Lt Col Brian Franks - the man behind saving the SAS. You can read it here 👇 and his book 'An Axe and Four Balloons' is out today!
aspectsofhistory.com/lieuten…
Listen to Tim Spicer's conversation with @sauldavid66 on the Military History Club Podcast about his new book An Axe and Four Balloons, out this Thursday 3 September share.transistor.fm/s/43be03…
Tim Spicer retweeted
"He saved the SAS from oblivion"🗣️
Lt Col Brian Franks fought to keep the Special Air Service alive after WWII - a legacy even David Stirling credited him with protecting
🎥Discover the story of the man who saved the SAS @timspicerauthor
🔗forcesnews.com/services/spec…
Tim Spicer retweeted
Thank you to @DebbieKilroy and @GetHistory for running this great piece by @timspicerauthor - the book is published by Barbreck on 3rd September! #WW2 #SAS
'I had never set out to write military history. I'd left the Army, run a private security company, then sold it ...' @timspicerauthor explains the serendipitous path to writing his brilliant new bio of Brian Franks, 'An Axe and Four Balloons'. gethistory.co.uk/articles/20…
Tim Spicer retweeted
"He was the most tremendous fighting soldier"🗣️
Author Tim Spicer (@timspicerauthor) says Lt Col Brian Franks would have been the first to recommend Paddy Mayne for the Victoria Cross🎖️
The amazing story of Lt Col Brian Franks, who fought to bring the SAS back after WWII🔗forcesnews.com/services/spec…
Tim Spicer retweeted
'I had never set out to write military history. I'd left the Army, run a private security company, then sold it ...' @timspicerauthor explains the serendipitous path to writing his brilliant new bio of Brian Franks, 'An Axe and Four Balloons'. gethistory.co.uk/articles/20…
How one chance visit to a museum led me to three extraordinary stories @GetHistory
gethistory.co.uk/articles/20…
#historybook #sas #bookrecommendation #secretagent