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Neptune's Inferno
- The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 18 hrs and 38 mins
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Shattered Sword
- The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
- Written by: Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Many consider the Battle of Midway to have turned the tide of the Pacific War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange's best-selling Miracle at Midway, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great naval engagement. Shattered Sword makes extensive use of Japanese primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Mitsuo Fuchida's Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle.
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Excellent book
- By Eric Reynard on 2023-02-02
Written by: Jonathan Parshall, and others
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The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
- The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Told from the point of view of the men who waged this steel-shattering battle, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors captures Navy pilots attacking enemy battleships with makeshift weapons and sacrificial valor, a veteran commander improvising tactics never taught in Annapolis, and young crews from across America rising to an impossible challenge.
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Easily one of the best books on The Battle of Leyte Gulf.
- By Dustin Waters on 2019-10-29
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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The Fleet at Flood Tide
- America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 23 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of America's preeminent military historians, James D. Hornfischer has written his most expansive and ambitious book to date. Drawing on new primary sources and personal accounts of Americans and Japanese alike, here is a thrilling narrative of the climactic end stage of the Pacific War, focusing on the US invasion of the Mariana Islands in June 1944 and the momentous events that it triggered.
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Captivating Page Turner (Even for an audio book)
- By JLAR on 2018-08-01
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942
- Written by: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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On the first Sunday in December 1941, an armada of Japanese warplanes appeared suddenly over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Six months later, in a sea fight north of the tiny atoll of Midway, four Japanese aircraft carriers were sent into the abyss. Pacific Crucible tells the epic tale of these first searing months of the Pacific war, when the U.S. Navy shook off the worst defeat in American military history and seized the strategic initiative.
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Fascinating account of war in the Pacific
- By Lee G on 2020-08-01
Written by: Ian W. Toll
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Who Can Hold the Sea
- The U.S. Navy in the Cold War 1945-1960
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Christopher Newton, Sharon Hornfischer
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This landmark account of the U.S. Navy in the Cold War, Who Can Hold the Sea combines narrative history with scenes of stirring adventure on—and under—the high seas. In 1945, at the end of World War II, the victorious Navy sends its sailors home and decommissions most of its warships. But this peaceful interlude is short-lived, as Stalin, America’s former ally, makes aggressive moves in Europe and the Far East.
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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Baa Baa Black Sheep
- The True Story of the "Bad Boy" Hero of the Pacific Theatre and His Famous Black Sheep Squadron
- Written by: Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Here, in his own words, is the true story of America's wildest flying hero, of his extraordinary heroism, and of his greatest battle of all-the fight to survive. The World War II air war in the Pacific needed tough men like Colonel Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep Squadron. The legendary Marine Corps officer and his bunch of misfits, outcasts, and daredevils gave a new definition to "hell-raising" - on the ground and in the skies.
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Dumb luck or a chance of redemption?
- By Anonymous User on 2021-12-20
Written by: Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
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Shattered Sword
- The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
- Written by: Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many consider the Battle of Midway to have turned the tide of the Pacific War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange's best-selling Miracle at Midway, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great naval engagement. Shattered Sword makes extensive use of Japanese primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Mitsuo Fuchida's Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle.
-
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Excellent book
- By Eric Reynard on 2023-02-02
Written by: Jonathan Parshall, and others
-
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
- The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Told from the point of view of the men who waged this steel-shattering battle, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors captures Navy pilots attacking enemy battleships with makeshift weapons and sacrificial valor, a veteran commander improvising tactics never taught in Annapolis, and young crews from across America rising to an impossible challenge.
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Easily one of the best books on The Battle of Leyte Gulf.
- By Dustin Waters on 2019-10-29
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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The Fleet at Flood Tide
- America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 23 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
One of America's preeminent military historians, James D. Hornfischer has written his most expansive and ambitious book to date. Drawing on new primary sources and personal accounts of Americans and Japanese alike, here is a thrilling narrative of the climactic end stage of the Pacific War, focusing on the US invasion of the Mariana Islands in June 1944 and the momentous events that it triggered.
-
-
Captivating Page Turner (Even for an audio book)
- By JLAR on 2018-08-01
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942
- Written by: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
On the first Sunday in December 1941, an armada of Japanese warplanes appeared suddenly over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Six months later, in a sea fight north of the tiny atoll of Midway, four Japanese aircraft carriers were sent into the abyss. Pacific Crucible tells the epic tale of these first searing months of the Pacific war, when the U.S. Navy shook off the worst defeat in American military history and seized the strategic initiative.
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Fascinating account of war in the Pacific
- By Lee G on 2020-08-01
Written by: Ian W. Toll
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Who Can Hold the Sea
- The U.S. Navy in the Cold War 1945-1960
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Christopher Newton, Sharon Hornfischer
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This landmark account of the U.S. Navy in the Cold War, Who Can Hold the Sea combines narrative history with scenes of stirring adventure on—and under—the high seas. In 1945, at the end of World War II, the victorious Navy sends its sailors home and decommissions most of its warships. But this peaceful interlude is short-lived, as Stalin, America’s former ally, makes aggressive moves in Europe and the Far East.
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
-
Baa Baa Black Sheep
- The True Story of the "Bad Boy" Hero of the Pacific Theatre and His Famous Black Sheep Squadron
- Written by: Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here, in his own words, is the true story of America's wildest flying hero, of his extraordinary heroism, and of his greatest battle of all-the fight to survive. The World War II air war in the Pacific needed tough men like Colonel Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep Squadron. The legendary Marine Corps officer and his bunch of misfits, outcasts, and daredevils gave a new definition to "hell-raising" - on the ground and in the skies.
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Dumb luck or a chance of redemption?
- By Anonymous User on 2021-12-20
Written by: Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
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Six Frigates
- Written by: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Stephen Lang
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
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Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The founders, particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams, debated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once.
Written by: Ian W. Toll
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The Rising Sun
- The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
- Written by: John Toland
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 41 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."
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very well done
- By Frank on 2022-06-10
Written by: John Toland
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Ship of Ghosts
- The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of of Her Survivors
- Written by: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Mark Cashman
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Renowned as FDR's favorite warship, the cruiser USS Houston was a prize target trapped in the far Pacific after Pearl Harbor. Without hope of reinforcement, her crew faced a superior Japanese force ruthlessly committed to total conquest. But the men of the Houston fought back with dignity, ingenuity, sabotage, willpower, and the undying faith that their country would prevail.
Written by: James D. Hornfischer
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Thunder Below!
- The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
- Written by: Eugene B. Fluckey
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Under the leadership of her fearless skipper, Captain Gene Fluckey, the Barb sank the greatest tonnage of any American sub in World War II. At the same time, the Barb did far more than merely sink ships-she changed forever the way submarines stalk and kill their prey.
This is a gripping adventure chock-full of "you-are-there" moments. Fluckey has drawn on logs, reports, letters, interviews, and a recently discovered illegal diary kept by one of his torpedomen.
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Great book. Detailed but great story.
- By Alex on 2020-06-28
Written by: Eugene B. Fluckey
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Japanese Destroyer Captain
- Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles Seen Through Japanese Eyes
- Written by: Captain Tameichi Hara
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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This highly regarded war memoir was a best seller in both Japan and the United States during the 1960s and has long been treasured by historians for its insights into the Japanese side of the surface war in the Pacific. The author was a survivor of more than one hundred sorties against the Allies and was known throughout Japan as the Unsinkable Captain.
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A great book.
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-08-04
Written by: Captain Tameichi Hara
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The Reckoning
- The Defeat of Army Group South, 1944
- Written by: Prit Buttar
- Narrated by: Richard Trinder
- Length: 20 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Prit Buttar retraces the ebb and flow of the various battles and campaigns fought throughout the Ukraine and Romania in 1944. January and February saw Army Group South encircled in the Korsun Pocket. Although many of the encircled troops did escape, in part due to Soviet intelligence and command failures, the Red Army would endeavour to not make the same mistakes again. Indeed, in the coming months the Red Army would demonstrate an ability to learn and improve, reinventing itself as a war-winning machine, demonstrated clearly in its success in the Iasi-Kishinev operation.
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The collapse of the southern Eastern Front
- By HRPuff&Stuff on 2021-05-09
Written by: Prit Buttar
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With the Old Breed
- At Peleliu and Okinawa
- Written by: E. B. Sledge
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor, Joe Mazzello, Tom Hanks (introduction)
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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The celebrated 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific, winner of eight Emmy Awards, was based on two classic books about the War in the Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow and With The Old Breed. Audible Studios, in partnership with Playtone, the production company co-owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and creator of the award-winning HBO series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change, has created new recordings of these memoirs, narrated by the stars of the miniseries.
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a must read/listen for ALL civilians
- By David Unger on 2019-03-24
Written by: E. B. Sledge
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Into the Bright Sunshine
- Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights (Pivotal Moments in American History Series)
- Written by: Samuel G. Freedman
- Narrated by: Mike Lenz
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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During one sweltering week in July 1948, the Democratic Party gathered in Philadelphia for its national convention. The most pressing and controversial issue facing the delegates was not whom to nominate for president—the incumbent, Harry Truman, was the presumptive candidate—but whether the Democrats would finally embrace the cause of civil rights and embed it in their official platform. On the convention's final day, Hubert Humphrey, the relatively obscure mayor of the midsized city of Minneapolis, ascended the podium.
Written by: Samuel G. Freedman
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Operation Pedestal
- The Fleet that Battled to Malta 1942
- Written by: Max Hastings
- Narrated by: Max Hastings, John Hopkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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In August 1942, beleaguered Malta was within weeks of surrender to the Axis, because its 300,000 people could no longer be fed. Churchill made a personal decision that at all costs, the ‘island fortress’ must be saved. The largest fleet the Royal Navy committed to any operation of the western war was assembled to escort 14 fast merchantmen across a thousand of miles of sea defended by 600 German and Italian aircraft. This is the saga Max Hastings unfolds in his first full-length narrative of the Royal Navy, which he believes was the most successful of Britain’s wartime services.
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Classic Hastings
- By Tyler Campbell on 2021-05-30
Written by: Max Hastings
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Helmet for My Pillow
- From Parris Island to the Pacific: A Young Marine's Stirring Account of Combat in World War II
- Written by: Robert Leckie
- Narrated by: James Badge Dale, Tom Hanks (introduction)
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
The celebrated 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific, winner of eight Emmy Awards, was based on two classic books about the War in the Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow and With The Old Breed. Audible Studios, in partnership with Playtone, the production company co-owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and creator of the award-winning HBO series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change, has created new recordings of these memoirs, narrated by the stars of the miniseries.
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Too much flowery speech
- By Robert Hoskins on 2023-02-09
Written by: Robert Leckie
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Skunk Works
- A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed
- Written by: Ben R. Rich, Leo Janos
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, the never-before-told story behind America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies. Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds.
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A must for aviation buffs
- By BH on 2018-04-25
Written by: Ben R. Rich, and others
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Stalin's War
- A New History of World War II
- Written by: Sean McMeekin
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 24 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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World War II endures in the popular imagination as a heroic struggle between good and evil, with villainous Hitler driving its events. But Hitler was not in power when the conflict erupted in Asia. His armies did not fight in multiple theaters, his empire did not span the Eurasian continent, and he did not inherit any of the spoils of war. That central role belonged to Joseph Stalin. Drawing on ambitious new research in Soviet, European, and US archives, Stalin’s War revolutionizes our understanding of this global conflict by moving its epicenter to the east.
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Very well written and interesting, but bias
- By Paul M. Gareau on 2021-10-27
Written by: Sean McMeekin
Publisher's Summary
With The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors and Ship of Ghosts, James D. Hornfischer created essential and enduring narratives about America’s World War II Navy, works of unique immediacy distinguished by rich portraits of ordinary men in extremis and exclusive new information. Now he does the same for the deadliest, most pivotal naval campaign of the Pacific war: Guadalcanal.
Neptune’s Inferno is at once the most epic and the most intimate account ever written of the contest for control of the seaways of the Solomon Islands, America’s first concerted offensive against the Imperial Japanese juggernaut and the true turning point of the Pacific conflict. This grim, protracted campaign has long been heralded as a Marine victory. Now, with his powerful portrait of the Navy’s sacrifice - three sailors died at sea for every man lost ashore - Hornfischer tells for the first time the full story of the men who fought in destroyers, cruisers, and battleships in the narrow, deadly waters of “Ironbottom Sound”. Here, in brilliant cinematic detail, are the seven major naval actions that began in August of 1942, a time when the war seemed unwinnable and America fought on a shoestring, with the outcome always in doubt. But at Guadalcanal the US proved it had the implacable will to match the Imperial war machine blow for violent blow.
Working from new interviews with survivors, unpublished eyewitness accounts, and newly available documents, Hornfischer paints a vivid picture of the officers and enlisted men who took on the Japanese in America’s hour of need: Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, who took command of the faltering South Pacific Area from his aloof, overwhelmed predecessor and became a national hero; the brilliant Rear Admiral Norman Scott, who died even as he showed his command how to fight and win; Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan, the folksy and genteel “Uncle Dan”, lost in the strobe-lit chaos of his burning flagship; Rear Admiral Willis Lee, who took vengeance two nights later in a legendary showdown with the Japanese battleship Kirishima; the five Sullivan brothers, all killed in the shocking destruction of the Juneau; and many others, all vividly brought to life.
The first major work on this essential subject in almost two decades, Neptune’s Inferno does what all great battle narratives do: It cuts through the smoke and fog to tell the gripping human stories behind the momentous events and critical decisions that altered the course of history and shaped so many lives. This is a thrilling achievement from a master historian at the very top of his game.
What the critics say
"Outstanding. The author offers balanced assessments of the leaders on both sides, but the real heroes are the American bluejackets, who too often paid with suffering and death for those leaders' slowness to learn. And as in his first two books, the author's narrative gifts and excellent choice of detail give an almost Homeric quality to the men who met on the sea in steel titans." (Booklist, starred review)
"This work's major strengths are its careful organization, readable prose, and...well-reasoned conclusions. Depictions of battles and ships are enlivened with...apt comments from participants and relevant character sketches of the key figures." (Proceedings Magazine)
"Neptune's Inferno is an exceptional piece of military history. Hornfischer has broadened and deepened our understanding of the U.S. Navy's role in the Solomons campaign in this eminently readable account of the bloody naval battles of attrition in the fall of 1942 that doomed the Imperial Japanese Navy to defeat and irrevocably shifted the strategic initiative in the Pacific War." (Dr. Peter R. Mansoor, colonel, US Army (ret.), Gen. Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair in Military History, The Ohio State University)
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What listeners say about Neptune's Inferno
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Lee
- 2022-12-08
Very worth reading
It is fascinating to have the bookends: this work with "The Fleet At Flood Tide". Excellent both.
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-08-05
Must read
A must read (listen) book for anyone interested in the Pacific War, more specifically Guadalcanal.
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-02-19
Loved it!
I could hardly stop listening. The narration was great and the content was fantastic. I will recommend this book to everyone I know that is interested in the pacific war.
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- Bee Keeper
- 2011-03-01
The WWII Pacific Theater Explodes In My Lazy Chair
The book was engaging . . . no, riveting! I'd wager most Americans have heard of Guadalcanal. I know I had, I saw The Guadalcanal Diary, my father notched 10 war patrols aboard the submarine USS Sailfish in the Pacific, however he was not near iron bottom sound during the epic battle. This exceptional offering was as if I was hearing about this island for the first time.
For me, ANY book is better than a movie on the same subject. Also, a history book needs to be crafted very carefully so as to not end up dry. Hornfischer made it come alive! I enjoy detail, but others may not. Inferno was rich in detail as well as an honest effort to cover all aspects of the battle even when unsettling or negative. I had been mistaken, or had forgotten, that this was more than a Marine show. The Navy suffered immense losses and bad luck there, and also resounding success and good fortune. I found myself in awe of the graphic descriptions of naval battle in all its horrific action. I was shocked at the errors in tactics that caused some of the US losses. I was equally thrilled with the equally brilliant changes on the fly by some commanders which went against all previous schooling in surface warfare.
I found myself being taught history without knowing it was happening. The author remained fluid and readable from beginning to end, which I feel is very rare in this genre. Most lose ends were tied up at the end in a very satisfying manor. Hornfischer's word pictures were so vivid that I would have to stop the audio at times to let them play in my mind for a few minutes.
If you wish to learn more about Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation, this epic book will satisfy! Be brave as this story may not be for the faint of heart. I found myself saying "unbelievable" under my breath many times. I choose not to give up much story detail here, but rather to convince anyone who might be considering Neptune's Inferno to buckle up and immerse yourself in a very meaningful book!
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22 people found this helpful
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Overall

- KH
- 2011-02-05
Hornfischer does it again.
Just like The Last Stand Of The Tin Can Sailors, Hornfischer draws me into a sometimes chaotic battle, and this one far greater in scope and length than the previous, giving me just enough detail without losing the big picture. His descriptions aren't cumbersome or tedious but paint an epic of heroes, monstrous destructive machines and the struggles of men just like you and I. I've read several books on the Guadalcanal Campaign and Neptune's Inferno with ease, reveals the desperate situation the USA as well as the USN grappled with in the Summer of 1942. He made me yearn to hear more of the plight of the Marines and Cactus Airforce but gave enough to round out the telling and still stay focused. Perhaps in another book?
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21 people found this helpful
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- Robert B
- 2012-05-04
Desperate battles, well told
What was one of the most memorable moments of Neptune's Inferno?
The moments of the first battle
Have you listened to any of Robertson Dean’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Dean did an excellent job. He is the right narrator for this book. Spot on.
Any additional comments?
For anyone that has a passing interest in naval history you must get this book. This was a pivotal moment in the Pacific. Not many people know about these battles and Hornfischer does an excellent job of telling them. This was where the navy blees more than the army or marines did. These were cutthroat battles at ranges that were pointblank. Two admirals were killed in combat during them. This is the battle where Halsey did his best work of the war.
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14 people found this helpful
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- David
- 2011-04-14
five stars for military history buffs
The challenge for a writer of popular military history is to show both the forest and the trees (and occasionally even the moss, daisies and thistles) without ending up with a tedious mishmash. Hornfischer succeeds brilliantly. He establishes a fairly extensive and comprehensible overview and refreshes it regularly and effectively. At the same time he provides us with a wealth of human detail and tour de force descriptive writing which brings harrowing moments to vivid, even excruciating, life. As a result we witness the battles in a way which even the participants could not in that we observe with a much more comprehensive understanding of what we are seeing. It is like watching a game played out on a chessboard during which we watch the shocking details of the death of every sacrificed pawn or knight.
I particularly like the way the author gives individuals at all levels their due while never glossing over their human errors and frailties.
The narration is understated and sure handed. A fitting match for the style and subject matter of the book.
I found it particularly useful to refer to online maps and alternative descriptions of the battles in questions as I listened to this book. Just a suggestion.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Jordan McGowen
- 2012-09-05
Think you know all about the Pacific Theater ?
I'll bet you a wooden nickel you will know more about the Pacific Theater in World War II after you read this one. It's a great story, well told. Hornfischer does an outstanding job of laying out the facts and lets the facts speak for themselves. Robert Dean does his usual fine job as well reading the story.
I was surprised at how close a thing it really was. There is no doubt in my mind now that had the Japanese been more confident and willing to go belly to belly after the initial sparing matches the US forces might easily have been kicked off Guadalcanal, allowing the Japanese to focus on the campaigns to the south and thus prolonging the war.
I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of the battles surrounding the "Iron Bottom Sound".
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall

- John
- 2011-04-23
One Not to Miss!
As a very interested WWll Hobbyist this Book was a true eye opener. This is the 1st Book I have ever seen that portrayed the valliant actions of our Sailors in "Ship Surface action & I have read many WWll Books. Any WWll History buff would do no better than yo give this Book a listen. Great reading helps do justice to the subject matter. I had always believed Ship Surface actions to have been trumped by Fast Carriers. I was sure wrong. As an exMarine I tip my hat to the author, the reader & escecially the Sailors, Brave Men all! Don't miss this one! John T. Wagner, Ohio
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- Sean
- 2011-10-18
A must-read for WWII buffs
Hornfischer answers the question that Guadalcanal Marines have been asking since 1942: "Where was the Navy?"
While compelling and interesting (to me), Hornfischer is so thourough that at times it can be a little overwhelming. I love that kind of detail, and count Hornfischer as one of my favorite history authors, but it can take some slogging to get through it all, as he doesn't want to leave anyone out of the narrative.
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- Joel Langenfeld
- 2012-09-17
Exceptional History by a Gifted Writer
I'm a history buff chose titles based on what I find interesting at the time. I hadn't spent a lot of time on the naval war in the Pacific, after Coral Sea/Midway. From a distance, everything just looks inevitable. This title was chosen by my book club, and they found a real winner.
Inevitable is clearly in the eye of the beholder. Hornfischer makes a compelling case that the Imperial Navy still had a lot of arrows to loose, and the USN was still had a lot of catching up to do in its forced transition from a peacetime navy to the dominant force on the water it would become.
This would make a fine history on its own, but Hornfischer's writing is a real treat as well. I'd read his writing if the history of 1960's macrame were the topic.
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- BikeMeister
- 2013-02-11
Compelling Discussion of the "Real" Turning Point
Hornfischer is one of the best naval writers of our time. In Neptune's Inferno he discusses the naval battle for Guadalcanal as the real turning point of the Pacific war-- rather than Midway. He thoroughly discusses U.S. Marine Corps mythology disparaging the Navy's abandonment of Marine forces on Guadalcanal-- mythology which is partially true due to Naval strategy, pre-determined and agreed to before the landing was ever made. He also thoroughly examines the subsequent decision by the Navy to commit everything to the overall success of the operation leading to a 3:1 casualty ratio, Navy to Marine Corps, which ultimately led to the defeat of the Japanese.
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- Mark C.
- 2015-07-18
Superb In Every Way
A little known aspect of a greatly known battle, the naval conflict at Guadalcanal far outranked the land struggles in terms of importance, for without the U.S. Navy's involvement, the troops on Guadalcanal would, as the author points out, been left in the same position the troops on the Bataan Peninsula found themselves.
In a larger sense, the story of the naval action changed the lives of the individuals and nations who fought during it. The U.S. Navy learned the rest of the lessons that The Coral Sea and Midway battles presented, and the Imperial Japanese Navy ( and the military mind set of Japan overall) were permanently chastened by their defeat at Guadalcanal. That is not to say that Japan's fighting spirit left but in a sense after that, the Japanese realized that "spirit" was all they had left. Eventually, no amount of spirit would be able to withstand the might of the strength of U.S. fighting forces.
I knew nothing of the naval battle at Guadalcanal. I always thought that the real naval story began and ended with Midway. In a real sense to me, Guadalcanal, on another but almost equal level, proved to be just as pivotal.
The writing is absolutely superb and engaging. Mr. Dean, the narrator, was the perfect choice. I've lived every one of his narration so far.
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