Top 4 Pearl Harbor Books To Read

Day of Infamy, 60th Anniversary: The Classic Account of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Synopsis:
Sunday, December 7, 1941, was, as President Roosevelt said, “a date which will live in infamy.” Day of Infamy is a fascinating account of that unforgettable day’s events. In brilliant detail Walter Lord traces the human drama of the great attack: the spies behind it; the Japanese pilots; the crews on the stricken warships; the men at the airfields and the bases; the Japanese pilot who captured an island single-handedly when he could not get back to his carrier; the generals, the sailors, the housewives, and the children who responded to the attack with anger, numbness, and magnificent courage.

Reader Review:
I’ve been a huge fan of Walter Lord’s books since I was a kid. In addition to this one, he’s written excellent books about the sinking of the Titanic, A Night to Remember, and about the War of 1812, The Dawn’s Early Light. Lord writes clearly and concisely. Wherever possible he relies on the accounts of people who were there. And, because he doesn’t seek to place blame or provoke argument, the stories are populated by heroes, rather than goats. Best of all they are truly exciting. This sixtieth-anniversary edition of Day of Infamy has a cover blurb saying that one million copies of the book have been sold; here’s hoping they sell a million more. GRADE : A

At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor

Synopsis:
As intense and absorbing as a suspense novel, At Dawn We Slept is the unparalleled and exhaustive account of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is widely regarded as the definitive assessment of the events surrounding one of the most daring and brilliant naval operations of all time. Through extensive research and interviews with American and Japanese leaders, Gordon W. Prange has written a remarkable historical account of the assault that-sixty years later-America cannot forget.

Reader Review:
If you are interested in looking in repurcussions from the attack at Pearl Harbor, or if you have an interest in thinking about the whys and hows of the US entry into WWII, I urge you to read this book. The writing is passable, though sometimes quite dry. The information is well documented, and is believable. This is not, however, a quick read — there is a lot of meat in this book to be digested as you go along. All in all an outstanding contribution to the telling of a sensitive piece of American history. 5 stars for content and believability.

Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor

Synopsis:
Based on scores of never-before-published records drawn from archives across four continents as well as new interviews with survivors, Target Tokyo is World War II history of the highest order: a harrowing adventure story that also serves as a pivotal reexamination of one of America’s most daring military operations.

Four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on April 18, 1942, sixteen U.S. Army bombers under the command of daredevil pilot Jimmy Doolittle lifted off from the deck of the USS Hornet on a one-way mission to pummel the enemy’s factories, refineries, and dockyards and then escape to Free China. For Roosevelt, the raid was a propaganda victory, a potent salve to heal a wounded nation. In Japan, outraged over the deaths of innocent civilians―including children―military leaders launched an ill-fated attempt to seize Midway that would turn the tide of the war. But it was the Chinese who suffered the worst, victims of a retaliatory campaign by the Japanese Army that claimed an estimated 250,000 lives and saw families drowned in wells, entire towns burned, and communities devastated by bacteriological warfare.

At the center of this incredible story is Doolittle, the son of an Alaskan gold prospector, a former boxer, and brilliant engineer who earned his doctorate from MIT. Other fascinating characters populate this gripping narrative, including Chiang Kai-shek, Lieutenant General Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell, and the feisty Vice Admiral William “Bull” Halsey Jr. Here, too, are indelible portraits of the young pilots, navigators, and bombardiers, many of them little more than teenagers, who raised their hands to volunteer for a mission from which few expected to return. Most of the bombers ran out of fuel and crashed. Captured raiders suffered torture and starvation in Japan’s notorious POW camps. Others faced a harrowing escape across China―via boat, rickshaw, and foot―with the Japanese Army in pursuit.

Reader Review:
My father, S. Sgt. David J. Thatcher, the navigator and gunner on Crew #7, “The Ruptured Duck,” is one of the two surviving members of the Doolittle Raid. (Col. Richard E. Cole is the other.) I have a vested interest in seeing the Doolittle Raid portrayed accurately and doing everything I can to keep the legacy of these true American heroes, the Doolittle Raiders, alive. I am pleased to report that James M. Scott, the author of “Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor” has provided a truly accurate portrayal of the Doolittle Raid and delivered a major payload with his new book, much as the 80 volunteers comprising the Doolittle Raiders delivered their “surprise” to Japan 73 years ago.

Pearl Harbor An Illustrated History

Synopsis:
No other battle of the Pacific War was better documented in photographs than was Pearl Harbor. Everyone has seen some of these images, but few are aware of just how many there are-including many that have never been published. The visual record of the day includes not just stunning black-and-white shots but also vivid color photos showing the American fleet under attack and burning. Pearl Harbor makes lavish use of these historical photos to vividly re-create what it felt like to be there during every key moment of the battle.

Reader Review:
This book is more that a history with pictures, it tells small stories about the men and women who were there and what they went through. It shows photographs of the battles, the ships, the men the Americans and the Japanese, simply put it was a great reading. There are over 200 pictures and some of them have never been seen before this book. Also there are paintings and the stories are told in the first person to give you the feeling of actually being there. While the event is 60 years old the memories last a lifetime and this book will make a great addition to my personal library. Now when my kids ask about that faithful day I can open up this book and show them.

Pearl Harbor Warbirds offers the best Hawai‘i flight adventure tours available. Be immersed in the details of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor and soar above the important sites that played a part in the “Day of Infamy.” Relive history as you retrace the steps of the Army and Navy airmen in the days following the bombing. Fly on some of the same routes the Japanese attackers used into the airfields at Wheeler, Kāne‘ohe and Bellows. There are many air tours in Hawai‘i, but only one warbird airplane flight. Located in Honolulu, Hawai‘i Pearl Harbor Warbirds provides a personal historical experience making it one of the best O‘ahu attractions.

Experience an immersive two hour adventure that allows you to relive history as a Naval Aviator and fly Pearl Harbor like it was on December 10th, 1941. Learn more about the Admiral’s Warbird Adventure.