Pearl Harbor

By: Newt Gingrich, William Forstchen

Narrated by: William Dufris

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

"A thrilling tale of the attack that marked America's darkest day." (W.E.B. Griffin)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech on December 8, 1941, lasted a mere six and half minutes. But his words and tone - in a monologue that would later be named the Infamy Speech - sent ripples into a nation and a world that continue even today. The historical implications that emerged from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor were unprecedented, launching America not only into the depths of a dangerous war, but forever altering the safety and comfort of everyday living. December 8th became a day of speaking out publicly and declaring war; of action, battle, plotting, and victories. This date's significance is resonant and profound as an indelible moment in American history.

Fresh from their series on the American Civil War, best-selling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen now launch a new epic adventure by applying their imaginations and knowledge to the "Date of Infamy" - the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor covers the full spectrum of characters and events from that historic moment, from national leaders and admirals to the views of ordinary citizens caught in the chaos of war. From the chambers of the Emperor of Japan to the American White House, from the decks of aircraft carriers to the playing fields of the Japanese Naval Academy, this powerful story stretches from the nightmare slaughter of China in the 1930s to the lonely office of Commander James Watson, an American cryptographer, who suspects the impending catastrophic attack. It is a story of intrigue, double-dealing, the horrific brutality of war, and the desperate efforts of men of reason on both sides to prevent a titanic struggle that becomes inevitable.

Gingrich and Forstchen's now critically acclaimed approach, which they term "active history", examines how a change in but one decision might have profoundly altered American history. In Pearl Harbor, they pose the question of how the presence of but one more man within the Japanese attacking force could have transfigured the war. More than a retelling, the book also serves as a potent warning, valid still today as an example of what happens when communications and understanding breaks down, and a nation is ill-prepared for the onslaught that might ensue. A compelling, meticulously researched saga, Pearl Harbor is also a novel of valor about those who took part in this cataclysmic moment in world history. It inaugurates a dramatic new Pacific War series that begins with the terrifying account of the day that started it all.

©2007 Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

"Intriguing....it is always fun to re-imagine history, and Gingrich and Forstchen won't disappoint." ( Booklist)

Awesome Book

The telling of the view of Japan up to, and including the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor (Unabridged)

I was sceptical about this book. I had to put aside my politics and listen to this book with an open mind. With that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written and gripping. I found myself making time to listen to it instead of just listening when I was driving. The character development was good and the alternative history aproach makes this the possibility we all wonder if it could have actually happened this way.

After finishing this book I was immediately ready for his next book. This is a must listen for all who are intrested in history and are intrested in thinking about what could be not only what was.

Wow, what I never knew I didn't know!

The alternative history part of this book is later on in the execution of the attack, but the lead up really opened my eyes to the real world of the 1930's era. Most of this book is "set-up" and Newt does an amazing job of laying the foundations for this pivotal event.

History with a twist

History can be dry and dull or it can be so interesting depending on how it is communicated. I found this novel to be a wonderful interpretation of the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many of the characters are fictional, some are real, most of the events are real, one key event at the end is fictional. I suppose this is so that in the sequel which I haven't yet read we will learn how that one key difference might have affected history. Highly recommend this audio book even if you have read plenty about Pearl Harbor in the past.

3.5 stars - looking forward to the next book

Not as good as the lost regiment books by Forstchen but still a good read. My understanding is that most of the book is factual, deviating near the end from actual events. I suspect the next book will deviate even more as the changes from the first book ripple. This book has definitely left me wanting to re-study these events and those leading up. And, I'm looking forward to the next book, Days of Infamy‎.

A credible "what if" story. Highly recommended.

Here you have what Japan could have and should have done military speaking. A credible scenario with all the major players, all fighting for survival in one way or other. Easy listening and one gets totally involved in course of action. Full house from me - many thanks.

Great narrator, great history of before Pearl

I have both read the books and listened to audio. enjoyed them both.
if you liked, check out their books on civil war outstanding
. the ones on Revolutionary war not so good.

Pearl Harbor-Interesting

I have read a lot of about Pearl Harbor. This is a very well written book with an interesting proposition.

State of Readiness?

As someone who only relatively recently became interested in history, I enjoyed this book very much. I've always wondered about the reasoning behind the attack on Pearl Harbor and our immediate response. This book answered the questions I had. However, if this is an accurate portrayal of the readiness and response time of our troops at Pearl Harbor, at the time, I would be shocked and horrified, because it seemed to be non existent. Until the third wave (that never actually happened), there wasn't a response from our troops. But, I take solace in the fact that this could never happen again.

Great what if

I always think in my head what would hav happened in a battle if. They wrote about it and made it interesting and beleivable.