Status
Available
Call number
Call number
940.54 Lor
Collection
Publication
Henry Holt & Co. (1991), 243 pages
Description
Describes the events of December 7, 1941, before, during, and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as well as the reactions of the men who lived through the attack.
Original publication date
1957
User reviews
LibraryThing member RBeffa
This was first published in 1957 and I read a 2001 edition published for the 60th Anniversary of the event.
This book was reminiscent of the style that Lord used in his book of two years before, "A Night To Remember" (1955) about the sinking of the Titanic. The story recounts events from official
I don't find it so shocking that signals and clues were ignored. This was a very different time than the modern day - there was no instant communication. What is shocking and disturbing is the apparent lack of preparedness by the armed services. I was also bothered by how the events are presented by the author - quite a bit is virtually like a slapstick comedy. No one believes an attack is happening - time after time after time. Since this is apparently how it really was I just found myself shaking my head in disbelief.
I very much appreciated the inclusion of a very detailed map of Ford Island and nearby as well as the path the Japanese navy took.
My overall impression was I wanted more from this book. I've read eyewitness reports of the attack before and this surprisingly didn't seem to rise to the challenge.
This book was reminiscent of the style that Lord used in his book of two years before, "A Night To Remember" (1955) about the sinking of the Titanic. The story recounts events from official
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records and eyewitness reports and interviews. The story is told very matter-of-factly and recounts events small and large from the beginning of Japan's plans through the attack. It primarily is told via little bits of many, many people's stories from the night before through the day of the event. The small pictures let us see the big picture unfold. This really isn't so much about how the attack was carried about but rather about some of the people on both sides of the event.At the end of the book is a 9 page list of contributors and a detailed index. I don't find it so shocking that signals and clues were ignored. This was a very different time than the modern day - there was no instant communication. What is shocking and disturbing is the apparent lack of preparedness by the armed services. I was also bothered by how the events are presented by the author - quite a bit is virtually like a slapstick comedy. No one believes an attack is happening - time after time after time. Since this is apparently how it really was I just found myself shaking my head in disbelief.
I very much appreciated the inclusion of a very detailed map of Ford Island and nearby as well as the path the Japanese navy took.
My overall impression was I wanted more from this book. I've read eyewitness reports of the attack before and this surprisingly didn't seem to rise to the challenge.
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LibraryThing member ngennaro
Purchased at Pear Harbor, this book really can be depressing. Similar in nature to Black Hawk down, you are proud of the men and how they served yet so disappinted in how just one or two people stretching themselves or trying just a bit harder could have made a tremendous difference.
LibraryThing member wenegade
surprising humorous account of one of our most tragic days. Primarily taken from the perspective of the people on Oahu that Sunday morning.
LibraryThing member Karlstar
I found this to be a complete, but slightly fragmented account of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For the most part it confines itself to the events of Dec. 7, it does not go into causes or a lot of history prior to the attack. As it was originally written in 1957, it relies heavily on eyewitness
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accounts and quotes which lend authenticity, but can get very confusing as snippet after snippet is presented. No fault is found or blame placed, but I would have liked a bit more tactical analysis and summary. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bill.Bradford
This book, like all of Lord's shares a strength that is also its weakness. Lord did extensive research (take a look at the number of people he interviewed). The story is not told as a dispassionate story but instead is composed of many small vignettes of individual's stories. This is fascinating
So, if you want lots of analysis, this is probably not the best history of Pearl Harbor. If you are interested in how people felt (the way various rumors spread after the attack is one fascinating example), then this is a great read.
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and takes you into what was happening; it is also hard at times to remember if you had met a particular person before, and, if so, what the earlier story was.So, if you want lots of analysis, this is probably not the best history of Pearl Harbor. If you are interested in how people felt (the way various rumors spread after the attack is one fascinating example), then this is a great read.
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LibraryThing member rocketjk
Day of Infamy, published in 1957, provides a minute-by-minute account of the Japanese attach on Pearl Harbor. The author, Walter Lord, also wrote the classic history of the sinking of the Titanic, A Night to Remember. This book is akin to Cornelius Ryan's book about D-Day, The Longest Day, which I
I raced through this book in three or four sittings. Lord spends almost no time on the geopolitical context for the attack, nor on the many conspiracy theories that arose later. He just wanted to put you in that place. Thereby, he has created a lastingly important document of what was experienced that day. In addition, the narrative stands as a horrifying testimony for what it's like to be the target of such an attack, no matter who you are or where you live.
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read earlier this year, in that Lord ran down as many of the survivors/participants/witnesses to the Pearl Harbor attack as he could and created a "you are there" pastiche, from the planning of the attack by the Japanese, to the innocent, unaware early morning spent by so many around the harbor and the town, to the experience and horror of the attack and battle itself, to the aftermath. Time is spent, also, on the frustrating, tragic string of miscommunication and incredulity about early warning signs of trouble.I raced through this book in three or four sittings. Lord spends almost no time on the geopolitical context for the attack, nor on the many conspiracy theories that arose later. He just wanted to put you in that place. Thereby, he has created a lastingly important document of what was experienced that day. In addition, the narrative stands as a horrifying testimony for what it's like to be the target of such an attack, no matter who you are or where you live.
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LibraryThing member kslade
I read this a long time ago and found it good but I don't remember when it was. I'm guessing on date.
Pages
243