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Lonely Vigil
- Coastwatchers of the Solomons
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
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Publisher's Summary
From the best-selling author of Day of Infamy: In the bloodiest island combat of WWII, one group of men kept watch from behind Japanese lines.
The Solomon Islands was where the Allied war machine finally broke the Japanese empire. As pilots, marines, and sailors fought for supremacy in Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and the Slot, a lonely group of radio operators occupied the Solomon Islands' highest points. Sometimes encamped in comfort, sometimes exposed to the elements, these coastwatchers kept lookout for squadrons of Japanese bombers headed for Allied positions, holding their own positions even when enemy troops swarmed all around.
They were Australian-born but Solomon-raised, and adept at survival in the unforgiving jungle environment. Through daring and insight, they stayed one step ahead of the Japanese, often sacrificing themselves to give advance warning of an attack.
In Lonely Vigil, Walter Lord, the number one New York Times best-selling author of A Night to Remember and The Miracle of Dunkirk, tells of the survivors of the campaign and what they risked to win the war in the Pacific.
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What listeners say about Lonely Vigil
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Martin See
- 06-21-21
Interesting Subject
This is the first detailed information I have ever seen about the South Pacific coast watchers of world war two. For that reason it was interesting. But the writing was somewhat disappointing . The prose seemed wanting. The narrator was sub par. I can't see why they couldn't find someone better.
The author is one of those who believe JFK was a great captain. But what can explain a commander letting his fast, powerful, speed boat sit still while it is run over and cut in half by a slowly lumbering enemy ship?
1 person found this helpful
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- TGower
- 04-13-21
Great account of well-know mission
This is an excellent account of very brave Allies and native islander participants who made up the coast watcher teams. It was obviously developed from meticulous research and blended with personal accounts from participants. Theirs was a well-know mission but little was publicized details of their exploits. I was impressed with the inclusion of many incidents that only could have been written by input from coast watcher interviews (Mr. Lord passed away in 2002). These brave people were extremely dedicated to their jobs and mission, providing valuable information that ultimately saved many lives by their early warnings to Allied camps, succor to downed aviators and ship survivors. I was unaware of how many different islands these teams were on and how many people were involved in the coast watcher teams, Allies and native islanders. I was impressed at how the coastwatchers were able to enlist the natives, how willing the natives were to risk their lives, and how much help they were to the mission. It kept my attention very well because it was so interesting and so well done. At first the narrator was not very lively but as I progressed through the book he got better. Highly recommend.
1 person found this helpful
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- Charlotte Ward
- 03-25-19
Fantastic story, difficult narration.
Not sure if it’s editing or the author himself (really it’s both) but the narration was performed in a monotone voice that was edited so that all the sentences would run on to eachother.
The real saving grace is the content itself. Very interesting story.
1 person found this helpful
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- Astroman
- 04-21-23
OK Story, Terrible Narration
Title Says It All, narrator is pretty bad, I could not stand it for more than an hour. Good thing it was part of the free catalogue
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- NTC
- 02-10-23
So interesting
My grand uncle is Bill Bennett from my mother’s side. Growing up I have heard tales about his involvement in WWII but not in details. I also remember attending Jacob Vuza’s state funeral with my parents when I was 10 yrs old. Alesasa is also related to my mother. This book is so interesting. I’m so glad I found this book. These guys are heroes and are recognized in the Solomons.
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- prc
- 12-03-21
excellent untold history of world war II
great informative read about world war II and the Solomon Islands. I guess it had to include Kennedy and the PT 109 but enough has been written about that in the past. that was the only part that was quite honestly a bit boring.
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- Luis
- 10-31-20
took a while to get into the story but was good
It took a while to get into the story but was good. At the beginning I did not like the readers voice but got use to it and it fit the story telling.
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- Michael
- 11-09-19
One of the best books about a little known group of brave men.
If you are even remotely interested in World War 2 and some of the backstories of the war in the Pacific, this book is a must read/listen.
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- David
- 03-10-19
Re: Outstanding history
This is an outstanding history of the Coastwatcher's subject, it's history and important during the critical span of December 1941 to mid-1944. The narration is easy to follow and a joy to hear throughout.
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- Conn Crowley
- 08-16-21
Who picked the narrator
The narration of this book completely ruined it for me. I gave up listening after 2 hours. He sounded as if it was a chore for him to read it. Was he actually awake.
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- wilmacan
- 06-27-20
Excellent book; great performance
This book provides a thorough and detailed coverage of the Coastwatchers. It's extrememly well-written and covers the human side of lives of these brave souls, as well as all the factual details of their operational tasks that one could want. This certainly isn't a dry history book. The narration is also good - albeit that the narrator has something of a caricature American drawl. I'd have preferred it if I had the maps to hand, because that would have increased my understanding of the strategies. Absolutey, highly recommended.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-19-19
Excellent insight into the Coastwatchers
Enjoyed this audio very much. Narration was pretty good, some of the pronunciation a bit strange to Australian ears but not to bad. Would recommend to anyone with an interest in the war in the South Pacific.
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Performance
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On the morning of June 4, 1942, doom sailed on Midway. Hoping to put itself within striking distance of Hawaii and California, the Japanese navy planned an ambush that would obliterate the remnants of the American Pacific fleet. On paper, the Americans had no chance of winning. They had fewer ships, slower fighters, and almost no battle experience. But because their codebreakers knew what was coming, the American navy was able to prepare an ambush of its own.
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Very informative
- By Jim Walters on 08-27-18
By: Walter Lord
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Pacific Thunder
- The US Navy's Central Pacific Campaign, August 1943–October 1944
- By: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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On 27 October 1942, four "Long Lance" torpedoes fired by the Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo exploded in the hull of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8). Minutes later, the ship that had launched the Doolitte Raid six months earlier slipped beneath the waves of the Coral Sea 100 miles northeast of the island of Guadalcanal and just north of the Santa Cruz Islands, taking with her 140 of her sailors. With the loss of Hornet, the United States Navy now had one aircraft carrier left in the South Pacific.
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Good for what it is, but not what it claims to be
- By David Maher on 12-18-17
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The Dawn's Early Light
- By: Walter Lord
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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At the dawn of the 19th century, the great powers of Western Europe treated the United States like a disobedient child. America's complaints were ignored, until President James Madison declared a second war on Great Britain. British forces would descend on the United States, but America rallied and survived. With stunning detail on land and naval battles, the role Native Americans played in the hostilities, and the larger backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, this is the story of the turning points of this strange conflict, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner".
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Fascinating reading
- By CalvinS on 10-01-19
By: Walter Lord
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U.S.S. Seawolf
- Submarine Raider of the Pacific
- By: Gerold Frank, James D. Horan, Joseph Eckberg
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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The USS Seawolf was one of the greatest submarine raiders of all time. Having narrowly avoided the attack on Pearl Harbor the Seawolf set out for the seas of the Pacific to wreak havoc on Japanese shipping. Joseph Melvin Eckberg was on the Seawolf from her maiden voyage and remained with her until January 1943. As chief radioman he was instrumental in assisting Captain Frederick Warder to find and destroy enemy targets. From the claustrophobia of being trapped under water and the overwhelming fear of depth charges to the joys of aiding the war-effort and the camaraderie on the ship.
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Unfortunately not very good
- By Jason on 03-29-18
By: Gerold Frank, and others
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The Silent Service in World War II
- The Story of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force in the Words of the Men Who Lived It
- By: Edward Monroe-Jones, Michael Green
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins, Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the US Navy had a total of 111 submarines. It was mostly a collection of aging boats. Fortunately, with the war in Europe was already two years old and friction with Japan ever increasing, help from what would become known as the Silent Service in the Pacific was on the way: there were 73 of the new fleet submarines under construction. The Silent Service in World War II tells the story of America's intrepid underwater warriors in the words of the men who lived the war in the Pacific against Japan.
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Disappointing
- By Chris on 09-17-18
By: Edward Monroe-Jones, and others
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Sink ‘Em All
- Submarine Warfare in the Pacific
- By: Charles A. Lockwood
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Sink 'Em All was originally published in 1951 by Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, the US Navy commander of the Pacific submarine fleet during World War II. Lockwood, in his leadership role, knew the skippers and crews of the submarines and retells their wartime successes and tragedies with an intimacy and realism often missing in second-hand accounts.
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Best of the best
- By Robert on 08-29-18
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The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War
- By: Mark E. Stille
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was the third most powerful navy in the world at the start of World War II and came to dominate the Pacific in the early months of the war. This was a remarkable turnaround for a navy that only began to modernize in 1868. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War details the Japanese ships which fought in the Pacific and examines the principles on which they were designed, how they were armed, when and where they were deployed, and how effective they were in battle.
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Great Technical Reference
- By Dale H. Reeck on 06-09-18
By: Mark E. Stille
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Whirlwind
- The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945
- By: Barrett Tillman
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Whirlwind is the only book to examine in depth the human drama behind the most important bombing campaign in history. While the air war against Nazi Germany has been covered in-depth by many books, Barrett Tillman, a renowned authority on military aircraft and the air war in the Pacific, is the first to tackle the air war against Japan. For decades, historians and politicians have debated whether or not Japan was on the verge of surrender in August 1945---before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Good, but ultimately disappointing
- By Michael on 10-16-10
By: Barrett Tillman
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Tidal Wave
- From Leyte Gulf to Tokyo Bay
- By: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The United States Navy won such overwhelming victories in 1944 that had the Navy faced a different enemy the war would have been over at the conclusion of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. However, in the moment of victory on October 25, 1944, the US Navy found itself confronting an enemy that had been inconceivable until it appeared. The kamikaze, meaning 'divine wind' in Japanese, was something Americans were totally unprepared for; a violation of every belief held in the West.
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Horrible writing
- By DearMrDear on 06-02-18
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Day of Infamy
- By: Walter Lord
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Day of Infamy is Walter Lord's gripping, vivid re-creation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941. The listener accompanies Admiral Nagumo's task force as it sweeps toward Hawaii; looks on while warning after warning is ignored on Oahu; and is enmeshed in the panic, confusion, and heroism of the final attack.
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Engaging Story, Great Reading
- By Chas on 12-07-04
By: Walter Lord
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Rising Sun, Falling Skies
- The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II
- By: Jeffrey Cox
- Narrated by: Theodore O'Brien
- Length: 22 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Few events have ever shaken a country in the way that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor affected the United States. After the devastating attack, Japanese forces continued to overwhelm the Allies, attacking Malaya with its fortress of Singapore, and taking resource-rich islands in the Pacific - Borneo, Sumatra, and Java - in their own blitzkrieg offensive. Allied losses in these early months after America's entry into the war were great, and among the most devastating were those suffered during the Java Sea Campaign.