|
Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath |  | Authors: Michael Norman, Elizabeth Norman Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Category: Book
List Price: $30.00 Buy Used: $9.00 as of 9/3/2010 22:15 MDT details You Save: $21.00 (70%)
New (29) Used (23) Collectible (7) from $9.00
Seller: arfamily Rating: 92 reviews Sales Rank: 74637
Media: Hardcover Edition: 1St Edition Pages: 480 Number Of Items: 1 Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7 Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.6
ISBN: 0374272603 Dewey Decimal Number: 940.547252095991 EAN: 9780374272609 ASIN: 0374272603
Publication Date: June 9, 2009 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780374272609 | | • | Condition: New | | • | Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed |
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
For the first four months of 1942, U.S., Filipino, and Japanese soldiers fought what was America s first major land battle of World War II, the battle for the tiny Philippine peninsula of Bataan. It ended with the surrender of 76,000 Filipinos and Americans, the single largest defeat in American military history.
The defeat, though, was only the beginning, as Michael and Elizabeth M. Norman make dramatically clear in this powerfully original book. From then until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, the prisoners of war suffered an ordeal of unparalleled cruelty and savagery: forty-one months of captivity, starvation rations, dehydration, hard labor, deadly disease, and torture far from the machinations of General Douglas MacArthur.
The Normans bring to the story remarkable feats of reportage and literary empathy. Their protagonist, Ben Steele, is a figure out of Hemingway: a young cowboy turned sketch artist from Montana who joined the army to see the world. Juxtaposed against Steele s story and the sobering tale of the Death March and its aftermath is the story of a number of Japanese soldiers.
The result is an altogether new and original World War II book: it exposes the myths of military heroism as shallow and inadequate; it makes clear, with great literary and human power, that war causes suffering for people on all sides. |
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 92
I hated this book. August 9, 2010 Yankeefan215 1 out of 3 found this review helpful
As an historian, I am familiar with Revisionist history. This book made me want to scream. Although it's a good thing to know both sides of history, this book went beyond the pale for me. As the granddaughter of
a Bataan survivor and Japanese POW camp, I was insulted and horrified at the portrayal of Gen. Homma as
a gentle, sweet man who wrote poetry. My grandfather wrote poetry, with a genuine vision of life as a
POW and kept a secret diary during his 3 years as a POW. I'm "glad" I read this book, but I CANNOT believe that Homma knew nothing of what happened on the Death March. And as someone who knows other survivors, I think this book insults their dignity and their heroism during the first battle of WWII for
the United States. I appreciate the research, but not the interpretation. The Japanese fought the way they were trained to fight and to hate the Americans. Thus, their treatment of the American soldiers was
typical of brainwashing and a total disregard for humane treatment of any of their captives.
Just my humble opinion. I hated the book.
One of the greatest books to read July 27, 2010 Klassy Books 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Can't say more than to say it is one of the greatest books I've ever read.
A mixed bag July 26, 2010 C. Petterson (Omaha, NE USA) 0 out of 3 found this review helpful
The cover notes indicate this book is about the Bataan Death March and a survivor, Ben Steele. If the reader is younger than 50 years old, he probably hasn't been introduced to much of WWII history as those older than 60 were immersed in it from our families. For younger readers this will probably be their first literary exposure to the Japanese invasion of the Phillipines. With regards to being authorative, the authors have done extensive research on this topic and didn't leave any portion of their work behind. From that perspective the book starts out disjointed and jumps around. The authors demonstrate the fruits of their efforts through relating the training Japanese soldiers received, the training Ben Steele received, some of the things Ben Steele experienced before joining the Army Air Corps, and finally get to the initial conflict on December 8, 1941. During the initial 40% of the book the reader will be well advised to have an Oxford Unabridged Dictionary at his side to aid in deciphering some of the obtuse usages the authors favor to use. The authors, in my evaluation, wanted to offer an insight into the workings of the Japanese army, but probably figured that wouldn't generate too many sales. Ben Steele was added, again just my opinion, as a worthy example of the atrocities the honorable and cultured Japanese were capable of inflicting on conquered populations. I came away from this book with conflicting opinions. First, Ben Steele lived through hell and his story, and the thousands of other stories just like his, should never be forgotten. The conflicting opinion is Ben Steele's story was exploited to add "Street Creds" to an otherwise academic endeavor. The Ben Steele story can stand on its own, I didn't need the distraction of arguing the execution of General Masaru Homma.
Tears excellent July 23, 2010 David Lewis (Highland, UT) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was everything the other positive reviews promised it would be: factual, but with an emotional connection through the experience (and artwork) of Ben Steele that kept the story moving well. The numerous interviews with participants on all sides (American, Japanese, Filipinos) also gave the book great balance and perspective.
Tears in the Darkness July 22, 2010 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It is difficult to imagine the things our troops went through as prisoners during WWII. What these men endured leaves you with deep respect for our military. An excellent book
Showing reviews 1-5 of 92
|
|
| Contact Military Topix
Privacy and Legal CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |