The Pacific

Hell Was an Ocean Away

De: Hugh Ambrose

Narrado por: Mike Chamberlain

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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)

I am glad I did not read the reviews first

In a nutshell - I enjoyed it.

I happened to hear about this book when I was looking for something to put on my ipod touch. I had not seen the miniseries yet.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narration. Yes it was long, but since I got in in 35 minute commute sessions, I found myself looking forward to the commute.

It took me a month to listen to it, but I feel it was well worth the time and effort.

If I read the reviews, I might not have listened. I am glad I did.

a must have for fans of the show

the story is compelling. and brings the charicters to life in a way the show couldn't

If only

today’s generation had some idea of the price paid and the men who paid it

Informative and interesting

The story is very good but the narration is frustrating to hear, all the mispronounced names like Pelelu are tough to hear constantly.

Superb

Both fascinating and illuminating the wealth of historical knowledge about World War II in this book was amazing. Every branch of service was mentioned in detail, their lives both heartbreaking and beautiful.

Heart wrenching

having watched the miniseries on HBO doesn't do it quite the justice it deserves. while I am a veteran and a die hard Gen xer this reminds me of the greatest generation to ever live.

Great companion to the HBO miniseries!

I'm about two-thirds through with this lengthy work, and am becoming impressed how well the individual stories integrate. I watched the first episode of the HBO series, and found that the book substantially enhanced my enjoyment of the installment, which would otherwise already been quite high!

great job this is a great book<br /><br />

a great book for everybody to listen to the story is great the performances quite well

This story is heart felt

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book only to a fellow veteran , they would really understand and feel the pain those Marines had to endure

A story of heroism

This book vividly brought home the experiences and bravery of my father, a US Marine on Guadalcanal. How any of the survivors of this war were able to return to rewarding and successful lives is amazing to me. They make me so proud.