Ernie Pyle in England

Ernie Pyle in England, first published in 1941, is the account of the journalist's stay in England, Scotland and Wales during the height of the German bombing blitz on London and other cities of the United Kingdom. Pyle, one of the most famous correspondents of the Second World War, had an easy-going, 'folksy'-style of writing, making the book an enjoyable yet informative read about the conditions he encountered. His descriptions of the effects of the bombing, nights spent in air raid shelters, food- and gas-rationing, and daily life in London remain classic pieces of war-time reporting. Pyle would later report from Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, with his accounts appearing in some 300 American newspapers. Sadly, near the end of the war (on April 18, 1945), Pyle was hit by Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of Ieshima (northwest of Okinawa). He was 44 at the time of his death.