Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942

By: Ian W. Toll

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, History, 2013

The planning, the strategy, the sacrifices and heroics - on both sides - illuminating the greatest naval war in history. 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. Ian W. Toll's dramatic narrative encompasses both the high command and the "sailor's-eye" view from the lower deck. Relying predominantly on eyewitness accounts and primary sources, Pacific Crucible also spotlights recent scholarship that has revised our understanding of the conflict, including the Japanese decision to provoke a war that few in the country's highest circles thought they could win. The result is a pause-resistant history that does justice to the breadth and depth of a tremendous subject.

©2011 Ian W. Toll (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“An entertaining, impressively researched chronicle of the tense period between the bombing of Pearl Harbor and American victory at the battle of Midway....Toll gives everyone involved in the conflict a chance to speak, bringing readers into the command centers and cockpits to reveal the humanity of combatants on both sides of the Pacific.” ( Kirkus)

“Revealing and poignant, Toll’s latest deftly navigates the rough waters of the Pacific struggle with flying colors.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“Narrator Grover Gardner gives an applaudable narration of this detailed history of the Pacific Theater in WWII…Gardner presents the many historical details in this work with an easygoing pace and precise enunciation that quickly draw in the listener and never let go. Rather than affecting an accent for quotations, he adjusts his inflection slightly, which works well. Novices and history buffs will find this performance a treat and want to hear the continuation of the story.” ( AudioFile)

Excellent history, well told

Ian Toll's history of the first six months of the Pacific war is a masterpiece. He does an excellent job of setting the stage and providing both the material and the cultural background that shaped the people involved and the way they thought. The depth with which he treats the story is amazing, bringing out important but often overlooked aspects and adding much richer detail to the well-known stories and personalities. Above all, he sets the story of the Pacific war into the broader context of World War II, showing how events like the Battle of Midway influenced not just the Pacific campaigns but also the war in Europe. I'm very much looking forward to the next two volumes of the trilogy.

As for the performance, it is unsurprisingly excellent. Grover Gardner is one of the best audiobook narrators around, his performance here continues his record of excellence. He clearly did his homework on the subject matter, and effortlessly reels of both Japanese names and challenging nautical terms with aplomb. Between Toll's writing and his performance, this is one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.

Excellent Book

Includes retelling of both the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, and so much more. Recommended.

A well-read narrative history

Any additional comments?

This book is a marvelous read and the narrator presents well. This is the second book I've listened to by Toll, the first being Six Frigates. Both have been a pleasure to listen to.This is a narrative version of the history of events in the Pacific theater from Tsushima in '05 to Midway in '42.

The story addresses the increase in Japan's Pacific influence, the reasons for the decisions made by Japan and other major countries to move as they did. Major events like Pearl Harbor and the battle of the Coral Sea are covered in fine detail. Many major players are described in detail as well: Nimitz, Yamamoto, Emperor Hirohito, Roosevelt, King, Rochefort, et al. Toll also presents their motivations for consideration insofar as history allows.

All-in-all this is a very well presented story of an important part of the tumultuous first half of the 20th century. Two thumbs way up.Some have complained in these comments about the abrupt ending after Midway. I found the author did a good job of finishing the description of that momentous battle and wrapping up the work. Yet there was much that occurred in the Pacific theater over the next 3 years of the 2nd World War. Maybe Toll is working on his sequel?

A Near Masterpiece - Must Read for WW2 Buffs

I thought this was a fantastic study of Nimitz & other players in the Pacific War. I've read quite a lot of WW2 books and this would be among the books that I'd recommend. The author gives superb details, yet not to the point of overloading the reader (listener.) If you enjoyed "The Pacific" miniseries and want to learn more, this is the book to start with.

Grover Gardener is as always, melodic, and his style flows along smoothly. I didn't speed this book up at all during the listen, and I've only done that for one other book..."Unbroken."

You will enjoy this book...I promise.

Pacific Crucible.

I would recommend this book to a friend. Another good story about WWII. If you are interested in the war in the Pacific buy this book you won't be disappointed.

prelude to midway

Where does Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I rank this book highly

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942?

The sinking of the aircraft carrier Lexington

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Gardner dramatizes some of the dry biographical sections

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

no extreme reaction

Any additional comments?

this is a good introduction to the events around Midway Isl in June 1942

An Exceptionally Good History

I agree with another reviewer who stated that Ian Toll's earlier book, Six Frigates, was interesting, but that Pacific Crucible is amazingly good. I have read widely on the naval war in the Pacific and would rank this as one of the very best books on the topic ever. It is wonderfully researched, capturing both the historical influences affecting the decisions of the navies on both sides, as well as the lived experiences of the participants. Toll begins the work with an analysis of the impact of Captain Mahan's book, "The Influence of Sea Power on History". Also fascinating were his chapter on the cultural and ideological developments in Japan prior to the war, and his psychological portraits of Yamamoto and of Nimitz (each of whom deserves a full biography). I am not a fan of Grover Gardner generally, but he did an excellent job here.
My only complaint is an out-of-key note in the epilogue, where Toll uncritically cites a comment from Robert Sherwood, the playwright turned FDR speech writer, that World War II was widely unpopular with the US public. This is an extra-ordinary claim not borne out by the historical record, at least on its surface, made by a person promoting the reputation of FDR as the figure who held us all together. To accept such a statement without further research into its historical accuracy was a slip, in my opinion. It's the small portion that makes the whole work 99 and 44/100% excellent.

If you enjoy the naval histories of James Hornfischer, you'll love Pacific Crucible. It is a great book.

Great

What did you love best about Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942?

The depth of the story and information included. I also liked that the story was told from both sides, going into great detail about Japanese and American crewmen, captains and admirals.

It was excellent!!

Fantastic book overall with maybe the best narration I’ve heard. It’s excruciatingly detailed and wonderfully worded. I can not recommend this book enough. You will learn so much!

History as it should be told.

Insightful narrative which will add significant insight to this chapter in both American and World history. “Well done”.