Just finished Ian Toll’s
Twilight of the Gods, which caps off his Pacific War trilogy. I didn’t have much more than a superficial understanding of WW2 in the Pacific before I started Toll’s history two years ago. But after three 800+ page books, I figure I’m up to speed.
The books don’t cover the entire theatre - no China or Burma, and only superficial treatment of New Guinea. So it’s pretty much a history of the war of the American navy and marines in the Pacific. But it touches on every aspect of that war, from carrier operations, all the island hopping, the evolution of submarine strategy, pilot training, life on Pearl Harbour, the bombing campaign against Japan, the political rivalry of the army vs navy, even how generals and admirals employed public relations to gain clout.
And quite readable, for all that - Toll isn’t some dry military historian. Good companion to Dan Carlin’s ‘Supernova in the East’ podcast series from a few years ago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
I read the Buried Giant maybe in 2015 or 2016. I still think about that book because I liked it so much! I might re-read that one.
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It’s been on my ‘to read’ list for a few years, along with Klara.