Pearl Harbor

By: Newt Gingrich, William Forstchen

Narrated by: William Dufris

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

After their New York Times best-selling series on the American Civil War, Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen now turn to the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and examine how different decisions might have profoundly changed the history that unfolded.

Poignant and rich with memorable characters - from the Japanese Naval Academy to the British garrison at Singapore and the Americans at Bataan - Pearl Harbor is the account of the day that started the war for the Pacific. Layering historical facts with fictional characters, political motives, and Western/Eastern theories, Gingrich and Forstchen once again prove their strength as historians and storytellers.

©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)

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.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Good historical fiction

This is a very listenable account of the events leading to and about the attack on Pearl Harbor. In a manner different from most western books on Pearl Harbor, the emphasis of the story is how the Japanese got to point where the attack was justified (from their view of course). The story walks the line of telling you the Japanese thinking without either condeming, excusing or supporting it. It provides a glimpse into the cultural differences between the Japanese and the west and how that plays into the story.

The written description of the attack itself is very well done and you feel like you can see it in front of you.

It is one of thoise books where you are sorry to see it end and want to read what happens during the rest of the war. I would love to see the story continue through the use of the atomic bombs.

I would have given it a 5 but I thought that it would have benefited from more specific historical information and more details about code breaking efforts.

Otherwise a great historical novel...

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

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.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great Series

A gread read. Gingrich and Forstchen do not disappoint. Their Civil was series has a great Followup with this series, if you loved the civil war series you will love this series almost as much

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Nice start

Very nice start in the same vain as Newts and Forscyths alternate history on the Civil war. If you enjoyed the Civil war series this is a must listen. If you enjoy history lesson with an added twist, you will enjoy this book.

5 of 9 people found this review helpful

Nothing new

I was hoping for more insight in the backstory of this event. An overall disappointment

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.

Pearl Harbor - "What If Yamamoto Led the Attack?"

Interesting exploration of alternative history narrative for Pearl Harbor where the Admiral Yamamoto led the attack on Pearl Harbor. With this basic premise, the authors lay out the lives and careers of some of the key players leading to the attack as well as the strategic and operational background to provide context for the actual events. With this foundation, they make the key change where Admiral Yamamoto led the attack and who would have pressed his advantage more than Admiral Nagumo. The key item where Admiral Yamamoto conducted a third wave in the afternoon of December 7, 1941 and inflicted even more grievous damage. The authors do not speculate here what impact this change would have had on the Pacific War: quick peace, no real change, a longer and more costly campaign? Overall, it is a good read. As always, read the Wikipedia notes on the battle to ground yourself in the real history.

A great experiance - well done

This book is great. It?s not just for history buff?s or Americans (indeed my 17 year old daughter found it interesting on a trip to Bristol down the M5). It reads just like thriller. And the very unique style does draw you in to the story. It works on several levels and I will be looking for more. Get it, and enjoy it

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Needs reclassification!

I suppose it is my fault for not reading the description carefully enough but Audible, in fairness, share some of the blame as they classified it as 'history' and so I assumed it was a historical, non-fiction account of the attack on Pearl Harbour. Be warned - it's not!

It is fictional work based on the events of Pearl Harbour. The description gives the impression that the work looks at counter-factual 'what if' scenarios. Again it doesn't in the context of historical analysis.