A Line in the Sand by James Barr is part of my reading list regarding the Middle East. I have been tinkering about wargaming in that specific part of the world for a few years. I am especially interested in the pre-World War 2 era. Hence James Barr’s book about the struggle between Britain and France caught my interest. Because I commute to work by car daily, I listen to the audiobook on Audible.
The book was fascinating as a German because our point of interest regarding World War I and II mainly centers on Europe. The Middle East, in comparison, is more like a sideshow. So, I was able to deepen my knowledge about the power struggle between the latter allies quite a bit. Also, the situation with two rivaling French governments in place adds a unique flavor to the subject during the Second World War. As an avid Pulp connoisseur, I could imagine a gaming table full of sneaky spies deep into a power struggle.
The book is well-written and on point. As a wargamer, I naturally got many ideas for campaigns or scenarios from the book. That was useful because I am tinkering about playing the palatine campaign. But that’s a story for another day.