The Story of One of Britain's Greatest Wartime Authors
Join us at IWM London as we welcome two titles by acclaimed author Alexander Baron to the Imperial War Museum Wartime Classics series. A special In Conversation With: event featuring curators, authors and Alexander Baron's son, Nick. They will discuss his life and work, particularly his wartime trilogy, From the City, From the Plough; There's No Home and The Human Kind, which all draw heavily on his own wartime experiences.
Finish your evening with after-hours entry to IWM's Second World War Galleries, where you can learn more about the historical context of Baron's novels.
About Alexander Baron
Alexander Baron, born in 1917 into a working-class Jewish family in London's East End, was a soldier and author renowned for his evocative depiction of wartime experiences. His early life unfolded against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the ominous rise of fascism in Europe. Enlisting in the British Army during the Second World War, Baron served with the Pioneer Corps in Sicily, Italy and France.
His first-hand encounters during the war profoundly influenced his literary creations, shown in his novels From the City, From the Plough; The Human Kind and There's No Home.
Additionally, he explored the gritty reality of London's East End in novels such as The Lowlife and King Dido. Following his death in 1999, Baron's works experienced a resurgence in both audience and critical acclaim.
About the Books
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© IWMFrom The City, From The Plough
June 1944, the south coast of England. The Fifth Battalion, Wessex Regiment wait patiently and nervously for the order to embark. There is boredom and fear, comedy and pathos as the men - all drawn from different walks of life - await the order to move.
From The City, From The Plough is a vivid and moving account of the fate of these men as they set off for Normandy and advance into France.
From The City, From The Plough is available to buy from IWM's Online Shop. -
© IWMThere's No Home
First published in 1950, There's No Home vividly illuminates the experiences of the Eighth Army in Italy during the Second World War. Taking place during a lull in combat, There's No Home focuses on the emotional turmoil which affected both the soldiers and the Italian civilians living in the warzone.
Drawing from his own first-hand encounters as a soldier, Baron skilfully depicts an authentic experience of war.
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© IWMThe Human Kind
In The Human Kind Baron shifts his focus back to North-West Europe. A series of short stories, they each offer a comprehensive exploration of the impact of war on society.
Baron's keen observations and insightful reflections on the human condition shine through as he captures the complexities of wartime relationships and the resilience of individuals confronting the harsh realities of conflict.
The Human Kind was the source material for the classic 1963 film, The Victors.
About the Speakers
Iain MacGregor
The author of Checkpoint Charlie, US Civil War – Battle by Battle and The Lighthouse of Stalingrad, Iain is a successful editor of nonfiction for major publishing houses, as well as publishing tie-ins with archives and podcasts including Imperial War Museums and BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time series with Melvyn Bragg.
He is also a writer and public speaker on modern history, with pieces in the Guardian, BBC History Magazine, the Spectator and the Washington Post. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Stephen Walton
Stephen Walton is a Senior Curator in the IWM’s Second World War and Mid-20th Century Team. He has written the introductions to the IWM Wartime Classics editions of There’s No Home and The Human Kind.
Nick Baron
Nick is the son of Alexander Baron and an Associate Professor in History at the University of Nottingham where his research focuses on 20th century Russian, Soviet and East European history.
A published author himself, Nick and the historian Colin Holmes have co-edited his father’s Chapters of Accidents: A Writers Memoir, which vividly recounts the experiences of Baron’s youth that shaped him as a writer and provided subject matter for many of his novels. Other work has seen him co-curate an exhibition on post-1945 Displaced Persons in Europe, and he has acted as a consultant to three major British Library exhibitions.
Andrew Whitehead
Andrew Whitehead is a co-editor, with Susie Thomas and Ken Worpole, of So We Live: the novels of Alexander Baron. He is an honorary professor at the University of Nottingham and an associate editor of History Workshop Journal.
His career has been in news journalism, and he was for six years the Editor of BBC World Service News. His latest book, A Devilish Kind of Courage: Anarchists, Aliens and the Siege of Sidney Street, has just been published by Reaktion Books.
About Your Ticket
As a charity, your IWM In Conversation With: ticket purchase helps IWM continue to tell stories for future generations.
Tickets cost just £20 per person (including IWM members) and include:
- A series of talks within the impressive surroundings of IWM London
- A special Q&A with the speakers, ask your own questions and join the conversation
- Then enjoy exclusive after-hours entry to IWM's Second World War Galleries.
In addition to your ticket booking, if you can, please purchase your copies of Alexander Baron's war trilogy from our IWM pop up shop on the evening. Every purchase you make supports the work we do.
