Before reading The Glamour Boys, I knew very little about the many queer MPs who were openly against Chamberland’s policy of appeasing Hitler and Mussolini. Chris Bryant gives a detailed account of their lives that while a little overwhelming at times was still easy and fascinating to listen too.

The book does a great job of illustrating the realities of living as a queer man during this time. The brutal suppression of queer men faced in England is heartbreakingly but honestly told with many examples of the police entrapping queer men and sending them to prison with the thinnest of evidence. Yet many of the queer MPs were able to visit Berlin, a city with a thriving queer community where homosexuality was still illegal, but the law never enforced. So, when their many queer friends in Germany faced danger at the hands of the Nazi’s and were given tours of Nazi camps, where they saw the brutal treatment of homosexuals knowing they too could face a similar fate, the glamour boys were soon outspokenly against Hitler and Mussolini at a time when Chamberlin strove to avoid war at all cost and public opinion was warm to the two dictators.

The book then turns into a gripping political thriller for me, given that I knew nothing about how Churchill came into power. I was on the edge of my seat listening to the dramatic account of how Chamberlin lost his office as mounting pressure grew for war while Chamberlin clung to appeasement despite Hitler’s invasions. I enjoyed this much needed and compelling history of the many brave and queer men who were instrumental in the fight against Hitler and Mussolini and I’m glad that finally their story can be told in full.

The narrator Raj Ghatak did an excellent job narrating and his voice was perfect for this book.

Prior to listening to this audiobook I had no knowledge of the 'Glamour Boys' and their invaluable role in WWII, and how they were among the first in Europe to warn of the dangers of Germany under Hitler and the Nazis. This largely overlooked part of history was hugely intriguing to me, and was presented with empathy and honesty by Chris Bryant. The narrator, Raj Chutak, delivered the non-fiction well, using subtle inflections and tone changes to make quotations obvious. Overall, there were moments where the details were hard to remember, but this was a very enjoyable and informative audiobook!

*Many thanks to Chris Bryant, W.F. Howes Ltd, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I requested this non-fiction as, though I was aware of the opposition against the appeasement in Britiain in the 1930s, I knew nothing of the role the gay or bisexual men, so-called Glamour Boys, played. The Author's presentation of their background, complicated liasons and political involvement is captivating and easy to follow depite lots and lots of details that at times felt overwhelming to me. Openly or covertly homosexual, the men seemed to be more sensitive to or at least to have a hunch regarding the political developments of their times, and being liberal allowed them to see the real politik for what it really meant. Ronnie Cartland, Robert Bernays, Victor Cazalet and Jack Macnamara are the main historic figures portrayed in this fascinating non-fiction, however, readers are offered nicetities of the English political environment and descriptions of pre-Nazi and Nazi Berlin.
The book is most informative and insightful, focusing both on personal lives and on the opposition evolution among those who, having visited Germany or having heard of the developments there after the fall of the Weimar Republic, realized that to appease Hitler meant just to buy time, with war being inevitable, and to agree to the regime which suppressed anything that did not conform to the new social and legal systems.
I admit I may not remember all the details, however, this book offered me something new, for which I am grateful to the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.F. Howes Ltd for an audio advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Prior to listening to this audiobook I had no knowledge of the questionably named 'Glamour Boys' but I enjoyed hearing this overlooked piece of world war 2 history very much. The book was very engaging, educational and extremely hard to put down; I just wanted to know more.

I really enjoyed the narration of this audiobook, I feel like the narrator, Raj Ghutak has the perfect narrating voice for non-fiction and keeping the listener engaged.

I really enjoyed this book and definitely think it's worthy of a 4 star rating for me, a very high 4 star at that.