Status
Checked out
Collection
Publication
Bantam (2006), Edition: Reissue, 576 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Military. Nonfiction. HTML:#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America In this unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history, James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. Here is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America. In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima—and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island's highest peak. And after climbing through a landscape of hell itself, they raised a flag. Now the son of one of the flagraisers has written a powerful account of six very different young men who came together in a moment that will live forever. To his family, John Bradley never spoke of the photograph or the war. But after his death at age seventy, his family discovered closed boxes of letters and photos. In Flags of Our Fathers, James Bradley draws on those documents to retrace the lives of his father and the men of Easy Company. Following these men's paths to Iwo Jima, James Bradley has written a classic story of the heroic battle for the Pacific's most crucial island—an island riddled with Japanese tunnels and 22,000 fanatic defenders who would fight to the last man. But perhaps the most interesting part of the story is what happened after the victory. The men in the photo—three were killed during the battle—were proclaimed heroes and flown home, to become reluctant symbols. For two of them, the adulation was shattering. Only James Bradley's father truly survived, displaying no copy of the famous photograph in his home, telling his son only: “The real heroes of Iwo Jima were the guys who didn't come back. ” Few books ever have captured the complexity and furor of war and its aftermath as well as Flags of Our Fathers. A penetrating, epic look at a generation at war, this is history told with keen insight, enormous honesty, and the passion of a son paying homage to his father. It is the story of the difference between truth and myth, the meaning of being a hero, and the essence of the human experience of war.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ladycato
I've wanted to read this book since I read an excerpt from it in Reader's Digest ages ago, and I saw the two Clint Eastwood-directed movies on Iwo Jima last year.
It was an intriguing read, starting slow with the backgrounds of the flag raisers and then become downright intense during the battle
It was an intriguing read, starting slow with the backgrounds of the flag raisers and then become downright intense during the battle
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scenes. Wow. I'm guessing the battle descriptions were written by Mr. Powers, and I must say they were astounding. Horryifying, yet astounding. The six men who raised the second flag are described in great detail, but the seventh character is just as interesting - The Photograph. The Photograph takes on a life of its own as a symbol and propaganda tool, even as terrible gossip becomes accepted as fact due to inept, hasty reporting. The Photograph haunts the survivors till their deaths, and it could be argued that it exacerbated them (especially in the tragic case of Ira Hayes). It's really a beautifully done tribute to the Marines killed on Iwo Jima, and the lingering impact that this sulfur island had on the ones who miraculously survived. Very good, thought-provoking book. Show Less
LibraryThing member setnahkt
James Bradley apologizes for not being an author, but on a back-cover blurb Stephen Ambrose calls this “The best battle book I ever read”. Bradley’s father Jack was a Navy Corpsman attached to the 5th Marine Division, found himself on Iwo Jima in 1945, climbed Mount Suribachi with the others
Bradley’s approach is to track the six men in the statue – his father Jack, sergeant Mike Strank, and privates Franklin Sousley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes and Harlon Block. You couldn’t ask for much more of an All-American team; Bradley was a middle-class Midwesterner from Wisconsin, Strank a second generation immigrant from the Pennsylvania steel country, Block a Texas farm boy, Gagnon a French-Canadien from New Hampshire, Sousley a freckle-faced boy from Kentucky, Hayes a Pima Indian. I expect you know what happened on Iwo Jima; Strank, Block and Sousley didn’t come back. Gagnon tried to parlay his role in the flag-raising to some sort of prime job – and ended up as a janitor. Hayes killed himself slowly, with alcohol. Bradley came home to Appleton, Wisconsin, never talked about the war (or told his family he’d won a Navy Cross) and when reporters called on the anniversary of the flag-raising was always “on vacation fishing in Canada” – despite the fact he didn’t fish and had never been to Canada. Bradley, of course, devotes more attention to his father than the others – solid family man, small businessman, loving father and husband – and, to be fair, he’s the only flag-raiser whose story didn’t end poorly.
Except that it’s been proven that Jack Bradley wasn’t one of the flag raisers.
So what’s up with that? Jack Bradley obviously knew he wasn’t one of the flag-raisers. Did he have some sort of arrangement with Harold Schultz, the actual man in the photo, to “take the heat”, so to speak? Just to make it clear, Bradley really was a hero – the Navy Cross wasn’t for the flag-raising but for going to aid another Marine through intense machine-gun fire. And Bradley was definitely in A flag-raising, just not THE flag-raising; he had helped in the first flag-raising on Suribachi, with a small flag; the iconic photo is of its replacement with a larger flag. You’d think maybe it was a mistake – but the research proving it was Schultz and not Bradley was convincing enough for the Marines to modify the statue and replace Bradley’s face with Schultz’s. Bradley wrote the book long before this came out; ironically in his introduction he says his father is the most recognizable person in the photograph. He also notes that Marines on Iwo Jima thought the first flag-raising was the important one and the second sort of an afterthought; perhaps that was Jack Bradley’s reason for silence; he’d done everything his comrades expected of him and more; he’d raised an American flag in victory on Mt. Suribachi; and explaining any further just wasn’t part of his character. Still, it just seems a little off-putting.
All that aside, this is a pretty good book. As Ambrose said, the story of boys growing up all over the US and men in combat in the Pacific is as good as they come and obviously a labor of love. Photographs of the participants; a decent map of the Iwo Jima campaign; endnotes.
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in his unit, and helped put up a flag. We know the story; it’s frozen in one of the most iconic photographs ever taken and sculpted in bronze in Washington, D.C.Bradley’s approach is to track the six men in the statue – his father Jack, sergeant Mike Strank, and privates Franklin Sousley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes and Harlon Block. You couldn’t ask for much more of an All-American team; Bradley was a middle-class Midwesterner from Wisconsin, Strank a second generation immigrant from the Pennsylvania steel country, Block a Texas farm boy, Gagnon a French-Canadien from New Hampshire, Sousley a freckle-faced boy from Kentucky, Hayes a Pima Indian. I expect you know what happened on Iwo Jima; Strank, Block and Sousley didn’t come back. Gagnon tried to parlay his role in the flag-raising to some sort of prime job – and ended up as a janitor. Hayes killed himself slowly, with alcohol. Bradley came home to Appleton, Wisconsin, never talked about the war (or told his family he’d won a Navy Cross) and when reporters called on the anniversary of the flag-raising was always “on vacation fishing in Canada” – despite the fact he didn’t fish and had never been to Canada. Bradley, of course, devotes more attention to his father than the others – solid family man, small businessman, loving father and husband – and, to be fair, he’s the only flag-raiser whose story didn’t end poorly.
Except that it’s been proven that Jack Bradley wasn’t one of the flag raisers.
So what’s up with that? Jack Bradley obviously knew he wasn’t one of the flag-raisers. Did he have some sort of arrangement with Harold Schultz, the actual man in the photo, to “take the heat”, so to speak? Just to make it clear, Bradley really was a hero – the Navy Cross wasn’t for the flag-raising but for going to aid another Marine through intense machine-gun fire. And Bradley was definitely in A flag-raising, just not THE flag-raising; he had helped in the first flag-raising on Suribachi, with a small flag; the iconic photo is of its replacement with a larger flag. You’d think maybe it was a mistake – but the research proving it was Schultz and not Bradley was convincing enough for the Marines to modify the statue and replace Bradley’s face with Schultz’s. Bradley wrote the book long before this came out; ironically in his introduction he says his father is the most recognizable person in the photograph. He also notes that Marines on Iwo Jima thought the first flag-raising was the important one and the second sort of an afterthought; perhaps that was Jack Bradley’s reason for silence; he’d done everything his comrades expected of him and more; he’d raised an American flag in victory on Mt. Suribachi; and explaining any further just wasn’t part of his character. Still, it just seems a little off-putting.
All that aside, this is a pretty good book. As Ambrose said, the story of boys growing up all over the US and men in combat in the Pacific is as good as they come and obviously a labor of love. Photographs of the participants; a decent map of the Iwo Jima campaign; endnotes.
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LibraryThing member bookstorebill
Haven't finished reading it yet, but I'll update this when I do.
LibraryThing member Devildogsmith
Excellent account of the men who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi and the events both before and after the immortal photograph, while debunking the myths surrounding this defining moment in history. A must read for any Marine or student of Marine Corps history.
LibraryThing member MetalgoddessAMB
I can't describe what this book did to me. I cried for weeks. It really messed me up. emotionally powerful. Great account of the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. You really get to know them. true american heros. 100 times better and way more emotional than the movie.
LibraryThing member djaquay
A wonderful look into that famous photograph of Iwo Jima. But beyond that, it's a wonderful look into several lives that just happened to come together at the taking of that photo, and a touching look by a son into his father's life. Heartwarming, educational and inspiring.
LibraryThing member seoulful
A graphic, compelling story of the six men who were forever remembered as the flagraisers on Iwo Jima. Written by the son of one of the men, the book takes us through the background, training and war of each of them. We learn how men of ordinary circumstances in civilian life performed
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extraordinary acts in battle. We see the horror of Iwo Jima as remembered by the friends of the flagraisers and we learn of the after-effects of battle on different personalities as they came home and tried to adjust back to civilian life. An intimate look into the family of one of the flagraisers, Jack Bradley, who performed courageously in battle as a Navy medic, but chose to turn off the war like a lightswitch when he came home, bury his memories and disdain the constant pull of those seeking his story. In the light of modern psychological theories on repression, his ability to lead a successful life and rear a good family was a remarkable victory as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member morryb
Flags of our Fathers' is not only the story of the raising of the flag at Iwa Jima, is is a study of the Marines and of the men who knew that there were ideas that were much bigger than themselves or their individual rights. It is a story of how these men were trained , and how it was ingrained in
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their minds that Marines never leave marines behind. Time after time you see how ordinary men preformed extraordinary feats. This is a book that should be read by every young man before he graduates form high school. It should be read by everyone before they become a citizen. This is a book in which the author does not seek to be "fair and balanced" but rather he seeks to tell the truth as it was. It is the story of how America was used to defeat an evil empire and the men of the greatest generation. Show Less
LibraryThing member amusingmother
I loved this book. Why I love reading WWII books completely escapes me but the research that went into this book is incredible. The details horrify and engage me. This is an excellent book to understand why Iwo Jima, how, and at what cost. It also gives a moment by moment commentary of the seconds
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of the flag raising. Includes how each of the six flag bearers lived and died. Show Less
LibraryThing member IllanoyGal
This was a hard book to read as my father was a SeaBee who landed on Iwo Jima with the Marines and was put to work building the airfield so desperately needed by the bomber pilots on their return trips from their missions to Japan. The book held me to the very end even though it didn't really cover
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the role of the SeaBees. What a shame that story has never been covered adequately. Show Less
LibraryThing member DirtPriest
Now here's how you write a history book! This follows the life of the six Marines that are in the famous picture that was later made in to statues to honor the Marine Corps. There names were Mike Strank, Franklin Sousley and Harlon Block, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley. The first three
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died in action and never made it off Iwo Jima. Mr. Bradley is the author's father, and by refusing to talk to his family about the battle, indirectly inspiring his son to write this fine book. There is a rather brief look at their childhood, details of their training and their action on Iwo and a few chapters on the War Bond fundraising tours that the survivors were asked to participate in. A large part of the narrative is taken from quotes and writings of the six soldiers and their friends, families and soldier buddies, as many people as the author could find to talk to. To me, that's what sets this book apart from the majority of bland history texts. There is definitely a personal and emotional connection that is rare in the non-fiction world. I highly recommend it to casual readers who may not want to read a war story about arguably the most horrific battle in the modern era. The blood and guts is kept to a minimum (but what constitutes the minimum in such a bloody battle?) and the emotion on many levels is important and should be read by every American to get a sense of what our soldiers have had to do in a REAL war. Show Less
LibraryThing member DrT
Flags of our Fathers by James Bradley with Ron Powers was my next book. While the concept of this book is interesting, it took a lot for me to really get into it. This was a book about the men in the photo that put up the U.S. Flag on the hill in Iwo Jima. James Bradley’s father was one of those
The book follows the guys, told about what they were like and how they entered, the new approach to war and their personal history, what it was like for them and their response to the notoriety of the actual picture/event, the errors in publicity about it, and the horror of war and what was seen while there, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder consequences, the death of many of our men, and how some of them tried to get back into normal life but had difficulty in various ways. I’m thankful they were able to put down a plaque for their father and write about what it was like, and how these people were real people that risked and gave their lives and some of the lucky ones that were able to make it through. Ira Hayes was one of the men that was among those men that helped raise our flag, how he drank a lot, was arrested a ton of time, how others wanted the fame and how others wanted it to be known for the heroes of all the men that were there not just the little group that put up that flag, how they just did what anybody would have done-“If somebody needed help you would help them” and how the whole situation was great because of their willingness to risk their lives and give their lives. I appreciated that about the book, was sorry about a lot of it, and it grew on me as I read it. I’d have to give it a 2 out of 5 stars though. I’m glad I got through it but I don’t think I’ll read it again. I will continue to teach my children to respect our military men and women and to understand what they gave up for us. I hope this little thread is not offensive to anybody. I know there was more to write about this book but I’ll just leave it where it is. I’d be happy to talk to you all more about it if you have any questions.
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men. He wondered about why his father didn’t talk about it and about the other men in that picture. Basically this book goes through the boys/young men that went to war with the Japanese in WWII. It was not the war and the HUGE respect and thankfulness I have for what these men did for us that stood in the way of this book for me. I’m not quiet sure what it was really but I want to say it dragged for me at first but I do not want to seem disrespectful about what they did for us. The book follows the guys, told about what they were like and how they entered, the new approach to war and their personal history, what it was like for them and their response to the notoriety of the actual picture/event, the errors in publicity about it, and the horror of war and what was seen while there, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder consequences, the death of many of our men, and how some of them tried to get back into normal life but had difficulty in various ways. I’m thankful they were able to put down a plaque for their father and write about what it was like, and how these people were real people that risked and gave their lives and some of the lucky ones that were able to make it through. Ira Hayes was one of the men that was among those men that helped raise our flag, how he drank a lot, was arrested a ton of time, how others wanted the fame and how others wanted it to be known for the heroes of all the men that were there not just the little group that put up that flag, how they just did what anybody would have done-“If somebody needed help you would help them” and how the whole situation was great because of their willingness to risk their lives and give their lives. I appreciated that about the book, was sorry about a lot of it, and it grew on me as I read it. I’d have to give it a 2 out of 5 stars though. I’m glad I got through it but I don’t think I’ll read it again. I will continue to teach my children to respect our military men and women and to understand what they gave up for us. I hope this little thread is not offensive to anybody. I know there was more to write about this book but I’ll just leave it where it is. I’d be happy to talk to you all more about it if you have any questions.
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LibraryThing member mzzkitee
I loved this book. This book made me want to learn more about iwo Jima. I think the movie adaptation was very accuarate too.
LibraryThing member champak258
Really good book. I would say that it is really cool how he gets you almost inside the head of the people who raised the flag.
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
The reading of Flags of Our Fathers was very timely. February 19th marked the anniversary of the famous flag raising on Iwo Jima, Japan. The first word that comes to mind when I think about Flags of our Fathers is respect. This was a book written with the utmost respect, not only for the author's
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own father, but for the other five men responsible for raising the flag on Japan's Iwo Jima. Everyone knows the photograph born of that historical event but not many can name the six men involved. In fact, even fewer would guess there were six men there. Unless you scrutinize the photograph, at first glance, there are only four. James Bradley, with the help of Ron Powers, brings to life all six men. He brings them out of historical obscurity and into present-day focus. Show Less
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Narrated by Stephen Hoye. The author was never fully aware of his father’s experience in the battle of Iwo Jima during WWII, especially his role in the famous flag-raising picture, until after his father’s death. Through interviews with Iwo survivors, family members, and relatives of Iwo
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soldiers, the author tells the story of the horrors of battle, the two flag-raisings, and the reluctant heroes that were the three surviving flag-raisers: his father Doc Bradley, Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes. Very rich story; really learned a lot about WWII and the Pacific battles, and the famous picture will forever have additional meaning for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member PikeH
This edition was adapted for young people and won the Alex Award and William E. Colby Award in 2001. James Bradley tells the story of the six men who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. This image is iconic in American History and raised the morale of US citizens in 1945. Bradley writes in a fluent
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narrative that allows readers to feel as if they are part of the story. The photographs and maps included help students understand the time period. Show Less
LibraryThing member wwe121424
I mean it's O.K.
LibraryThing member mbayle
Perfect for those still enamored with war. Enlightening and all too realistic.
Awards and honors
William E. Colby Award (2001)
Alex Award (2001)
New York Times bestseller (Nonfiction, 2000)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2004.04 | If It Weren’t For Them: Heroes, 2004)
Amazon.com Best Books
Awards and honors
William E. Colby Award (2001)
Alex Award (2001)
New York Times bestseller (Nonfiction, 2000)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2004.04 | If It Weren’t For Them: Heroes, 2004)
Amazon.com Best Books
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(2000) Show Less
LibraryThing member MugsyNoir
A good example of how stories gain momentum through the media. A fine telling of the story of the early battle of Iwo Jima, the soldiers who raised the flag, and who the true heroes were in the Pacific War.
LibraryThing member DanTarlin
The author, the son of one of the subjects of the iconic photograph of marines raising the stars and stripes during the Battle of Iwo Jima, follows all six of the flag raisers from enlistment through the battle, and then on to their lives post-battle as they dealt with the fame stemming from being
Of course the survivors are also dealing with their memories of battle; the best part of the book is the description of the fighting, which was as brutal as any in the history of warfare. The Japanese defending the island knew they had no chance of holding it against such superior numbers. Their plan was to make the Americans pay such a high price that they would shrink from future campaigns and give up on invading the home islands. The defenders thus had no exit plan, and were all expected to die gloriously in battle. They had constructed a series of caves and pillboxes, and basically were "inside the island" rather than on it, so the US marines found themselves being shot at by an enemy they could not see.
Three of the flag raisers never made it off the island, dying in subsequent combat, but the author follows the tribulations of their families too. He focuses most on his father, a naval corpsman attached to the marines for the battle, both because he has the most information and interest in him and because he lived the longest and had the most consequential post-war life.
Of course the photo was of an event of little significance- Mount Suribachi had been captured and was secure, and this was in fact the raising of a second flag to replace the first one that had been raised a few hours earlier. While this point is made over and over in the book, one is struck by why there is thus so much focus on the event in the writing- it might have been more interesting to focus on the rest of the battle. On the other hand, the six soldiers are a wonderfully diverse group of classic American GI stereotypes- Kentucky farmboy, Wisconsin Catholic future undertaker, Texas 7th Day Adventist football player, Manchester NH mill worker, reservation-living Native American, and Czech immigrant son of a blue collar worker.
The book can be repetitive, and it's not as well-written as the European theater books of Stephen Ambrose. But well worth a read.
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in the photo.Of course the survivors are also dealing with their memories of battle; the best part of the book is the description of the fighting, which was as brutal as any in the history of warfare. The Japanese defending the island knew they had no chance of holding it against such superior numbers. Their plan was to make the Americans pay such a high price that they would shrink from future campaigns and give up on invading the home islands. The defenders thus had no exit plan, and were all expected to die gloriously in battle. They had constructed a series of caves and pillboxes, and basically were "inside the island" rather than on it, so the US marines found themselves being shot at by an enemy they could not see.
Three of the flag raisers never made it off the island, dying in subsequent combat, but the author follows the tribulations of their families too. He focuses most on his father, a naval corpsman attached to the marines for the battle, both because he has the most information and interest in him and because he lived the longest and had the most consequential post-war life.
Of course the photo was of an event of little significance- Mount Suribachi had been captured and was secure, and this was in fact the raising of a second flag to replace the first one that had been raised a few hours earlier. While this point is made over and over in the book, one is struck by why there is thus so much focus on the event in the writing- it might have been more interesting to focus on the rest of the battle. On the other hand, the six soldiers are a wonderfully diverse group of classic American GI stereotypes- Kentucky farmboy, Wisconsin Catholic future undertaker, Texas 7th Day Adventist football player, Manchester NH mill worker, reservation-living Native American, and Czech immigrant son of a blue collar worker.
The book can be repetitive, and it's not as well-written as the European theater books of Stephen Ambrose. But well worth a read.
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LibraryThing member bgknighton
James Bradley is the son of John Bradley, one of the six Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. The Marines and the Japanese were in a fight to the death with no quarter given. The fighting on this island was one of the decisive factors in the decision to drop the atomic bomb. There were many
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instances of outstanding courage, but the picture set these six men apart forever. Great book, about ordinary men doing great things. Show Less
LibraryThing member kslade
Great war story by son of one of the flag raisers at Iwo Jima. The father was a medic there. Pretty good film by Eastwood also. (First read in 2003).
I read it again in 2014 and it still is one of the best ever.
I read it again in 2014 and it still is one of the best ever.
LibraryThing member JBGUSA
The book was itself a gripping page turner, but as you will see from the end of this review, there is more to my emotions connected with its reading. I was going to write "immensely enjoyable" concerning the book, but there was way too much gore for that. And warning, it's not bedtime reading.
The protagonist, the author's father, john or "Jack" Bradley was one of six that were in the iconic picture of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. As it happens the flag raising was one of the few relatively mellow interludes at Iwo Jima. Thus Jack Bradley did not regard himself as a hero. Nor did all but one of the flag raisers.
The military aspect is important; if not for the soldiers who fought, died and faced indescribable brutality we might not be blessed with the freedoms we take too much for granted. Freedom isn't free. The next time anyone tells you that America is not a great country, though with blemishes, or you think that yourself, do yourself a favor; read this book or, as applicable, hand someone a copy.
The subtext of the book consists of the core American values it describes; the simple decency that helps make our nation great. After the war ended he avoided publicity, shunned the inevitable hero worship, and spent his time concentrating on running a business and raising a family based on integrity and kindness.
Back in what must have been late 2006 I took my stepfather of more than 30 years out to see the movie "Flags of Our Father." He had fought in WW II, in North Africa and I believe Europe. That was a major part in our almost lifelong bond. I believe, but am not certain, that I got the book from his shelf. I may have purchased it as a holiday or birthday gift. His life in many respects echoed that mantra of decency, integrity and kindness that I have cherished while he was alive and for the more than six years since his passing.
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However, aside from the battlefield scenes it is a book that needs to be read. The protagonist, the author's father, john or "Jack" Bradley was one of six that were in the iconic picture of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. As it happens the flag raising was one of the few relatively mellow interludes at Iwo Jima. Thus Jack Bradley did not regard himself as a hero. Nor did all but one of the flag raisers.
The military aspect is important; if not for the soldiers who fought, died and faced indescribable brutality we might not be blessed with the freedoms we take too much for granted. Freedom isn't free. The next time anyone tells you that America is not a great country, though with blemishes, or you think that yourself, do yourself a favor; read this book or, as applicable, hand someone a copy.
The subtext of the book consists of the core American values it describes; the simple decency that helps make our nation great. After the war ended he avoided publicity, shunned the inevitable hero worship, and spent his time concentrating on running a business and raising a family based on integrity and kindness.
Back in what must have been late 2006 I took my stepfather of more than 30 years out to see the movie "Flags of Our Father." He had fought in WW II, in North Africa and I believe Europe. That was a major part in our almost lifelong bond. I believe, but am not certain, that I got the book from his shelf. I may have purchased it as a holiday or birthday gift. His life in many respects echoed that mantra of decency, integrity and kindness that I have cherished while he was alive and for the more than six years since his passing.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Audio book read by Stephen Hoye
A lucky photograph captured the imagination of the American people and helped raise the spirits of a nation (and LOTS of money in war bonds). This is the background story of the famous shot of the flag being raised on Iwo Jima.
Author James Bradley’s father was one
Though he spends a good part of the book giving us background on the six young men whose destinies would converge on Mount Suribachi during one of the bloodiest battles of the war in the Pacific, Bradley manages to keep the story moving forward. He walks a fine line between personal anecdote and the tension of a battlefield report.
Stephen Hoye is best when reading the battle scenes. When he slows down to give importance to a phrase or section his voice takes on an irritating quality that detracts from the message. Trust the listener, Mr Hoye. We will figure out what is important without your “acting” it for us. Despite this irritation, I still give the book 5 stars because Bradley’s work is gripping, emotional, dramatic, touching and inspirational.
A lucky photograph captured the imagination of the American people and helped raise the spirits of a nation (and LOTS of money in war bonds). This is the background story of the famous shot of the flag being raised on Iwo Jima.
Author James Bradley’s father was one
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of those six young men whose lives were changed by a photographer taking one more shot. In trying to explain his father’s long years of silence about his experiences during World War 2, Bradley discovered not only John “Doc” Bradley’s story, but that of the other men who fought to take Iwo Jima. Though he spends a good part of the book giving us background on the six young men whose destinies would converge on Mount Suribachi during one of the bloodiest battles of the war in the Pacific, Bradley manages to keep the story moving forward. He walks a fine line between personal anecdote and the tension of a battlefield report.
Stephen Hoye is best when reading the battle scenes. When he slows down to give importance to a phrase or section his voice takes on an irritating quality that detracts from the message. Trust the listener, Mr Hoye. We will figure out what is important without your “acting” it for us. Despite this irritation, I still give the book 5 stars because Bradley’s work is gripping, emotional, dramatic, touching and inspirational.
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Subjects
Awards
Alex Award (2001)
William E. Colby Award (2001)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2000-05
Physical description
576 p.; 4.2 inches
ISBN
0553589342 / 9780553589344