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To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor

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'To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor' by Jeff Shaara is a gripping historical fiction novel that vividly brings to life the events surrounding the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The book follows a diverse set of characters, from ordinary sailors like Tommy Biggs on the USS Arizona to key historical figures like Admiral Yamamoto and Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Through these characters, the readers get a multifaceted view of the lead-up to the attack, the planning involved, and the devastating consequences of the event. Shaara's writing style seamlessly weaves together historical facts with engaging storytelling, providing a comprehensive and immersive experience for the readers.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, merging real and fictional figures, and providing diverse perspectives on the events surrounding Pearl Harbor.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is immersive and well-researched, effectively blending detailed historical facts with engaging character-driven narratives.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot explores the attack on Pearl Harbor by intertwining the stories of real historical figures and fictional characters, presenting multiple perspectives on the pivotal event.

Setting:

The setting is vividly depicted, focusing on Hawaii in 1941 just before the Pearl Harbor attack.

Pacing:

The pacing is engaging and fast-moving, maintaining reader interest with a blend of tension and reflection.
He knew he could hammer the ball when it left Russo’s hand. The stripe of tape spun slowly, a lazy fastball, too lazy, floating toward him like a fat melon. He cocked the bat, then sprung forward, the...

Notes:

Jeff Shaara's writing immerses readers in historical events from the first page.
He brings both real and fictional characters to life from the American and Japanese sides.
The story takes place in Hawaii, specifically from the events leading up to Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The novel is told through the perspectives of key characters, including Navy volunteer Tommy Biggs, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
Over 70% of the novel focuses on three main perspectives, depicting their experiences before and during the attack.
Shaara effectively blends factual history with character development, making the events relatable.
The book explores the meetings between American leaders and the intelligence leading up to Pearl Harbor.
It provides insight into the planning of the attack from the Japanese perspective.
The characters represent various roles, including intelligence officers, fleet commanders, and even army radar operators who spotted the attack.
Many readers appreciate the mix of actual events with personal stories, making it a compelling read for history enthusiasts.

From The Publisher:

The New York Times bestselling master of military historical fiction tells the story of Pearl Harbor as only he can in the first novel of a gripping new series set in World War II's Pacific theater.

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt watches uneasily as the world heads rapidly down a dangerous path. The Japanese have waged an aggressive campaign against China, and they now begin to expand their ambitions to other parts of Asia. As their expansion efforts grow bolder, their enemies know that Japan's ultimate goal is total conquest over the region, especially when the Japanese align themselves with Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy, who wage their own war of conquest across Europe.

Meanwhile, the British stand nearly alone against Hitler, and there is pressure in Washington to transfer America's powerful fleet of warships from Hawaii to the Atlantic to join the fight against German U-boats that are devastating shipping. But despite deep concerns about weakening the Pacific fleet, no one believes that the main base at Pearl Harbor is under any real threat.

Told through the eyes of widely diverse characters, this story looks at all sides of the drama and puts the reader squarely in the middle. In Washington, Secretary of State Cordell Hull must balance his own concerns between President Roosevelt and the Japanese ambassador, Kichisaburo Nomura, who is little more than a puppet of his own government. In Japan, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto wins skeptical approval for his outrageous plans in the Pacific, yet he understands more than anyone that an attack on Pearl Harbor will start a war that Japan cannot win. In Hawaii, Commander Joseph Rochefort's job as an accomplished intelligence officer is to decode radio signals and detect the location of the Japanese fleet, but when the airwaves suddenly go silent, no one has any idea why. And from a small Depression-ravaged town, nineteen-year-old Tommy Biggs sees the Navy as his chance to escape and happily accepts his assignment, every sailor's dream: the battleship USS Arizona.

With you-are-there immediacy, Shaara opens up the mysteries of just how Japan-a small, deeply militarist nation-could launch one of history's most devastating surprise attacks. In this story of innocence, heroism, sacrifice, and unfathomable blindness, Shaara's gift for storytelling uses these familiar wartime themes to shine a light on the personal, the painful, the tragic, and the thrilling-and on a crucial part of history we must never forget.

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About the Author:

Jeff Shaara is the New York Times bestselling author of The Fateful Lightning, The Smoke at Dawn, A Chain of Thunder, A Blaze of Glory, The Final Storm, No Less Than Victory, The Steel Wave, The Rising Tide, To the…

 
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