120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Auckland Bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

His Majesty's Airship

The Life and Tragic Death of the World's Largest Flying Machine
4.01 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,376 ratings, 237 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
His Majesty's Airship by S.C. Gwynne explores the incredible story of the R101, one of Britain's most ambitious airships, and its ill-fated journey in 1930. The book delves into the technological and political drama surrounding its creation, offering a gripping account of this historical aviation tragedy.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$5499
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by historical adventures, military innovations, and the early days of aviation. It offers a gripping narrative on a lesser-known piece of history, blending meticulous research with compelling storytelling.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The forgotten story of Britain’s own Hindenburg disaster.

The forgotten story of Britain’s own Hindenburg disaster.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The rise and fall of the world’s largest airship.

The R101 was the ship of empire, meant to dazzle the world with her technological advancement and immense size. Faster than a plane, more luxurious than an ocean liner, the R101 would connect the furthest reaches of the British Empire. It was, however, not to be.

The spectacular crash of the British airship R101 in 1930 changed the world of aviation forever. While most people have heard of the fiery crash of the Hindenburg, a German ship that went down in New Jersey seven years later, the story of R101 – whose downfall killed many more people – has been largely forgotten. At the time, however, the outpouring of national grief in Britain was equalled only by what happened after the sinking of the Titanic.

In His Majesty’s Airship, S. C. Gwynne recounts the epic narrative of the ill-fated airship and her eccentric champion, Christopher Thomson. With characteristic verve, Gwynne paints a luminous portrait of interwar Britain and reanimates the intrepid world of early aviation.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

His Majesty’s Airship by S.C. Gwynne has received high praise for its captivating and dramatic storytelling. Reviewers commend the book for reading more like a thriller than a traditional history, with an intricately detailed account of the technological and personal ambitions of the airship era. Critics highlight the rich and immersive prose, which brings to life the grand, yet ultimately tragic, story of the R101. The book is lauded for its meticulous research and compelling portrayal of an age marked by visionary dreams and monumental failures.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780861547081

Publisher: Oneworld Publications

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 12 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oneworld Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 29.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 320

About the Author

S.C. ‘Sam’ Gwynne is the best-selling author of Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell. Originally an award-winning investigative journalist, he has written extensively for the New York Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine, Boston Globe and many more.

Also by S.C. Gwynne

View all
  • Empire of the Summer Moon
    Empire of the Summer Moon transports readers to the turbulent era of the mid-19th century American West, where the fierce and formidable Comanche tribe clashed with white settlers. At the heart of this gripping historical narrative are two intersecting sagas: the rise and eventual fall of the Comanches, known as the most powerful Indian tribe in American history, and the...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • His Majesty's Airship
    When the R101 first took to the skies, she was the largest aircraft ever to fly. What followed was a tragic finale to a tale of human folly on a grand scale. 'I loved every page of this book.' THE TIMES, BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2023 In 1929, the R101 was the largest object ever to take to the air....
    Paperback
    $5999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from History & Military

View all
  • Saving Elli
    One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Spy and the Traitor
    The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Cauldron
    How did an elderly cleric overthrow the Shah of Iran and change the world?Why did Bin Laden attack the USA - and why did the USA destroy Saddam?How did Britain and France carve up the Middle East - and why did the Kurds never get their own state? THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE MAKING OF TODAY'S MIDDLE EAST: A SPELLBINDING...
    Hardback
    $4999
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Wager
    THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'The beauty of The Wager unfurls like a great sail... one of the finest nonfiction books I've ever read' Guardian 'The greatest sea story ever told' Spectator 'I cannot think of anyone who would not love this book... It is an extraordinary true story, beautifully...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Discipline
    Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...
    Paperback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Golden Menhir
    Assurancetourix is entering the legendary Gallic bards' competition to win the golden menhir. But with the Romans keeping a close watch, Asterix and Obelix must protect him at all costs. Their mission? Keep him safe-no matter what... even if it means risking their own ears! First released as a book-disc in 1967, this adventure soon became a rare treasure, long...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Man's Search For Meaning
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Keep Calm – We Are Coming
    Keep Calm — We Are Coming briefly backgrounds the New Zealand Special Air Service deployment in Afghanistan — then goes into action. While primarily training Afghan forces, in Kabul the NZSAS had to respond to a series of ‘spectacular attacks’ by heavily armed Taliban fighters wearing suicide vests and determined to inflict major casualties. In the words of those who...
    Paperback
    $4000
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Shattered Lands
    'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' – PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation … both original and important' – MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Salt
    Homer called it a divine substance. Plato described it as especially dear to the gods. As Mark Kurlansky so brilliantly relates here, salt has shaped civilisation from the beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of mankind. Wars have been fought over salt and, while salt taxes secured empires across Europe and Asia, they...
    Paperback
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Betrayal
    ‘Tom Bower is the Inspector Morse of investigative biographers, a fluent, phlegmatic storyteller and a master of intricacies.’ Sunday Times The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. At a landmark moment in royal history, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the Royal family? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.