Bloody Ridge and Beyond

A World War II Marine's Memoir of Edson's Raiders inthe Pacific

By: Marlin Groft, Larry Alexander

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

A story of sacrifice and defiance at Guadalcanal, from the New York Times best-selling coauthor of A Higher Call and Biggest Brother.

On the killing ground that was the island of Guadalcanal, a 2,000-yard-long ridge rose from the jungle canopy. Behind it lay the all-important air base of Henderson Field. And if Henderson Field fell, it would mean the almost certain death or capture of all 12,500 marines on the island.

But the marines positioned on the ridge were no normal fighters - they were the hard-fighting men of Edson's Raiders, an elite fighting unit within an already elite Marine Corps. Handpicked for their toughness and submitted to a rigorous training program to weed out those less fit, they were the best of the best.

For two hellish nights in September 1942, about 840 marines - commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Austin "Red Mike" Edson - fought one of the most pivotal battles of World War II in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Bloody Ridge.

Wave after wave of attacking Japanese soldiers were repelled by the Raiders, who knew that defeat and retreat were simply not options. In the end, and - against all odds, - the defenders prevailed.

Bloody Ridge and Beyond is the story of the First Marine Raider Battalion, which showed courage and valor in the face of overwhelming numbers, as told by Marlin Groft, a man who was a member of this incredible fighting force.

©2014 Marlin Groft and Larry Alexander (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great listening

Outstanding book and great auditable extra! The author did and excellent job and making the story come alive!

A very good story, well read

I enjoyed beyond bloody Ridge, I thought it was a good story, not a great one but a good one. The reader was excellent. The story flowed well and gave some interesting facts and incidences that I enjoyed

The narrator is a drag to listen to

The narrator’s voice is uninspiring, but the story was still worth listening to. I learned a lot.

Great Book, but a user friendly read

Great book for someone just starting to learn about this part of the war. My only comment would be that, compared to other books by men who were also there, this author tells a very user friendly version of these battles. He only touches on the horrors that took place in the Pacific battles. This might seem trivial, but considering the extreme situation that these men went through it is unfair to leave them out. I would suggest My Helmet for a Pillow and With the Old Breed as follow ups to this novel.

Pacific memoir plus Joe Barrett equals perfection

“Bloody Ridge and Beyond” is an exceptional memoir written by an exceptional marine. A part of the legendary Edison’s Raiders, Marlin Groft was a part of the toughest marine battalion in the war. They went where the best and bravest feared to tread. Men like this don’t exist in great number anymore, so these stories of self sacrifice and bravery never cease to inspire. Thank you Marlin and Larry Alexander for writing this story, and Joe Barrett for being the voice of the battle weary marine.