The Pacific

Hell Was an Ocean Away

By: Hugh Ambrose

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

In this companion to the HBO miniseries - executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman - Hugh Ambrose reveals the intertwined odysseys of four US Marines and a US Navy carrier pilot during World War II.

Between America's retreat from China in late November 1941 and the moment General MacArthur's airplane touched down on the Japanese mainland in August of 1945, five men connected by happenstance fought the key battles of the war against Japan. From the debacle in Bataan, to the miracle at Midway and the relentless vortex of Guadalcanal, their solemn oaths to their country later led one to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and the others to the coral strongholds of Peleliu, the black terraces of Iwo Jima, and the killing fields of Okinawa, until at last the survivors enjoyed a triumphant, yet uneasy, return home.

In The Pacific, Hugh Ambrose focuses on the real-life stories of the five men who put their lives on the line for our country. To deepen the story revealed in the miniseries and go beyond it, the book dares to chart a great ocean of enmity known as The Pacific and the brave men who fought. Some considered war a profession, others enlisted as citizen soldiers. Each man served in a different part of the war, but their respective duties required every ounce of their courage and their strength to defeat an enemy who preferred suicide to surrender. The medals for valor that were pinned on three of them came at a shocking price - a price paid in full by all.

©2010 Hugh Ambrose (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Doing for the war against Japan what Band of Brothers did for the war against Germany, Ambrose’s history effectively immerses readers in the Good War’s second front.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Ambrose’s narrative is convincing...[he] shows the possibilities of readable and complex military history.” (Dr. Allan Millett, director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, The National World War II Museum)

Title is a little misleading

I was skeptical of this book. Some of the keys figures like E. B. Sledge have fine books they wrote, which vividly portrayed their time in combat. I didn't find this volume as compelling as With the Old Breed, but it's still a fine work. The title is misleading as it's not a comprehensive telling of the War in the Pacific. It covers a lot of the major events of the war, through the eyes of a number of men in the Navy and Marine Corps. The book does jump around a bit as some of the men overlapped in time and space but not in function. The choice of men was excellent. I've read enough that I understand the overriding arch of the story of the Pacific War, and I don't think this is a good book to start with. I don't think it does enough to make all the pieces fit. Yet, if he had, it would have been less interesting as there is so much to tell. I think the book is a compromise, and, as such, has some limitations. Overall, it's a fine book, telling some wonderful stories. However, I could have skipped this one, and not missed too much. I'd really like to give the book 3.5 stars, as 3 wouldn't do this justice.

Horrific Historical Period Told with Honor and Honesty

Obviously, this book was the core for the TV miniseries, “Pacific”, just as his Father’s book was the core of the miniseries, “Band of Brothers”.

Hugh demonstrates the same talent for researching the people, places and events that his Father did. But, he doesn’t have the same gift of telling it all in a compelling story. But, please understand, this book is an excellent listen, equal to the mainstream authors of today. Very few authors could stand up to the prose of Stephen Ambrose.

The only negative that detracts from an otherwise excellent narration is the continued mispronunciation of names and places. The audio book’s editors should have picked these up to yield an outstanding narration.

I recommend this audio book to any WW2 buff.

The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose

This book is over twenty hours long and chronicles the WWII action in the Pacific against the Japanese nation.
It held my attention the whole time.
There were three main characters,each of which were hero’s during the war but not well known to the average person. At least I had not heard of them in the past.
This book is historically accurate without sounding like a textbook.
For anyone who enjoys WW11 stories, this book will be fascinating.

Awe, Amazement, and Nothing but Respect

I have worked for the USMC as a civilian for almost five years, and have always had an appreciation for the men and women I serve, but I cannot say enough about those who fought in the war in the Pacific. The enemy was clear and decisive, yet the stories of the main characters are gripping, and you feel like you know these men by the time you reach the last few hours of the book. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Excellent Book

Sweeping account of individual soldiers, sailors, and airmen during the Pacific War. The only part I didn't like was the Narrator continually mispronounced names of key battles such as Peleliu and Tarawa. Otherwise, great book.

So Vivid It Left Me Breathless

In the forward the author makes it clear that this book has a different approach from other approaches to narrating history. This is not a comprehensive book about the war in the Pacific in its entirety. Nor is it a detailed account of a particular battle. It’s not the experience of one person. Instead it is the intertwined story of five men – collectively they experienced many of the war’s vast trials.

I found the narration to be clear and straightforward. It does not need a great deal of inflection – the writing is so vivid it stands on its own. In part one I found myself breathing hard as I listened to what it was like to be a dive bomber pilot rolling into a seventy degree dive raining down on a Japanese carrier at the battle of Midway. I felt revolted at the recount of enduring a Japanese POW camp on The Philippians. When I heard the detailed incredible struggle of John Basalone’s machine gun battle on Guadalcanal I was speechless. It just keeps going on and on – I was amazed.

A few warnings will make sure you enjoy this book. First, I did initially find it confusing when the narrator switches from story to story. I relaxed and told myself the confusion was part of my own vicarious experience. About one third of the way through I was familiar enough with the stories to make that issue go away. Second, the stories all start out with very great detail about some of the things you might not consider essential, but can be fascinating. Examples include: How do carrier pilots find their way back to the carrier? When firing a Browning water-cooled machine gun, fire in bursts, not a stream – the barrel will overheat. If you listen carefully, you really have a good grasp on what happens later.
I’ve read (listened) to a lot of books about history and conflict.

The approach taken in this book is fresh and enjoyable. The stories are important. The stories of these men need to be recounted and from many different angles. We ought never forget.

Great Story!

Great story, but not completely factual. It was a great listen and would recommend to listen.

Great and flowing summary of the Pacific War

I have a much more clearer understanding of the war in the pacific from the individual men who fought in the war and realizing what they experienced. Accounts of the individual battles and the mistakes and triumphs are very enlightening. Mike chamberlain keeps you interested in wanting to know what happens next in the story. The book is a great companion to the HBO miniseries.

if you liked the movie series you'll love this

Very captivating, Covered many stories that I have never heard before would highly recommend to any World War II buff

So much more than PACIFIC (the show)

I did watch the show first years ago, and started listening to the book. Then midway through watched the show again. As amazing as it was, it only focused on one group, leaving out several others. This book delivers much much more and is a fascinating listen / read.