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Walter Lord
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Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons (Bluejacket Books) Kindle Edition

by Walter Lord (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,046 ratings
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From the bestselling author of Day of Infamy: In the bloodiest island combat of WWII, one group of men kept watch from behind Japanese lines.
 The Solomon Islands was where the Allied war machine finally broke the Japanese empire. As pilots, marines, and sailors fought for supremacy in Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and the Slot, a lonely group of radio operators occupied the Solomon Islands’ highest points. Sometimes encamped in comfort, sometimes exposed to the elements, these coastwatchers kept lookout for squadrons of Japanese bombers headed for Allied positions, holding their own positions even when enemy troops swarmed all around. They were Australian-born but Solomon-raised, and adept at survival in the unforgiving jungle environment. Through daring and insight, they stayed one step ahead of the Japanese, often sacrificing themselves to give advance warning of an attack.

In Lonely Vigil, Walter Lord, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of A Night to Remember and The Miracle of Dunkirk, tells of the survivors of the campaign and what they risked to win the war in the Pacific.
 
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  1. Part of series
    Bluejacket Books
  2. Print length
    268 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  5. Publication date
    6 Mar. 2012
  6. File size
    4.9 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Product description

About the Author

Norman Dietz is a writer, an actor, and a solo performer. He has also performed frequently on radio and television, and he has recorded over 150 audiobooks, many of which have earned him awards from AudioFile magazine, the ALA, and Publishers Weekly. Additionally, AudioFile named Norman one of the Best Voices of the Century.

Walter Lord (1917-2002) was an acclaimed and bestselling author of literary nonfiction best known for his gripping and meticulously researched accounts of watershed historical events. Mr. Lord graduated from Gilman School, Baltimore, Maryland, in 1935, Princeton University in 1939, and Yale Law School in 1946.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0078X73H0
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (6 Mar. 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,046 ratings

About the author

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Walter Lord

Walter Lord

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Walter Lord's A Night to Remember is a minute-by-minute account of the Titanic's final hours. Lord wrote 12 books, honing an eye-witness approach to history whether it was Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor (Day of Infamy) or the defense of the Alamo (A Time to Stand) or the Battle of Midway (Incredible Victory). In The Way It Was, he tells his own story, about his life and books.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • pat
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is such a well written masterpiece. It really transports you to the south seas island that were brutally governed by imperial japan.
    One person found this helpful
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  • DGRN
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lonly Vigil. Coastwatchers of the Solomons.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2009
    A very interesting book about a phase of the second world war which is not very well known. Very enjoyable for me since I am very interested in radio communication. The book was in very good condition.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • LesHT
    5.0 out of 5 stars Little known heroes.
    Reviewed in Australia on 6 October 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Having been to Guadalcanal a few times and visiting some notable WWII sights I found the stories of the Coast Watchers very interesting and was able to relate to a few of the locations mentioned in this book. A very good read.
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  • Tom
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book !
    Reviewed in Canada on 10 March 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The focus is on the personnel involved in the operations of the coastwatchers during the battles of the Solomon Islands.
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  • Andy in Washington
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on 19 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The Coastwatchers of the Pacific war have always fascinated me. To live on a remote, tropical island is somewhat of an amazing feat all by itself, but to do it hundreds of miles behind Japanese lines is quite another. And to do that while being a crucial part of the largest military force ever created-simply amazing. walter Lord does an excellent job of telling their story.

    === The Good Stuff ===

    * This is not a book about the Pacific War, and there is little concentration on WWII strategy, major naval or land battles, or Allied or Japanese armed forces. Rather it is the story of the Coastwatchers, their struggles, successes and adventures. Lord captures the determination and bravery of these fighters, and many of the stories are enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck.

    * The Coastwatchers were quite a collection of personality types. There number included Colorado ranchers, miners, department store buyers and even the occasional missionary-certainly not the Special Forces commando you would expect. Lord captures the personalities and quirks of these men quite well. Imagine a man, living in on a remote jungle island, who expected, and often managed to achieve, having iced bowls to surround his butter dish. Certain standards must be maintained.

    * There is a nice balance of seriousness and the lighter side of things. The Geneva Convention was seldom observed in the reconnaissance war, and you know things are bad when members of the clergy see the justification of executing prisoners. On the other hand, Lord captures some of the day-to-day humor of the jungle. Imagine two shot-down US pilots, gesturing and trying to communicate to a group of natives that they are Americans...only to be formally greeted in the King's finest English.

    * Finally, and most importantly, Lord captures how the Coastwatchers were integrated into Allied strategy, and were an important part of the victory. On the side, they rescued quite a few fliers and occasionally large numbers of crew from ships. They even rescued the soon-to-be-famous commander of a PT boat, but never received credit until years later due to wartime secrecy rules.

    * I shouldn't have to add this, but there were pleasantly few typos and transcription errors for a Kindle book.

    === The Not-So-Good Stuff ===

    * The book needs some better maps. There were a few, but they were a bit tough to navigate, at least on my classic Kindle. Internet maps are of some help, but many of the place names are a bit of a challenge to find.

    * The narrative can get confusing and somewhat convoluted. Some of the longer descriptions could have been clearer and more concisely written, and I occasionally had to backtrack and reread a section to gain the context. However, Lord generally writes well, and the book is easy to read.

    === Summary ===

    I enjoyed the book very much. It comes up a little short as a formal history of the Battle of the Solomon Islands, but more than makes up for that by capturing the spirit and tactics of the Coastwatchers. I'd certainly recommend it for any WWII fan, but even general history buffs will find it an enjoyable read.
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  • Friedrich Gottschalk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Geschichte gut erzählt
    Reviewed in Germany on 20 November 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Die "Coastwatcher" auf den Solomon-Inseln haben nicht unwesentlich zum allierten Erfolg in diesem Bereich beigetragen. In den einschlägigen Geschichtswerken werden sie aber eher am Rande erwähnt. Walter Lord, ein Historiker mit einem brillianten Erzählstil, berichtet in diesem Buch ausführlich über dieses im deutschen Sprachraum eher unbekannte Kapitel des 2. Weltkrieges. Natürlich sollte man schon recht gute Englischkenntnisse haben, aber wer sich mit diesem Teil der Geschichte beschäftigt, wird ohnehin auf angloamerikanische Literatur zurückgreifen müssen und hat daher entsprechende Vorkenntnisse. Einmal zur Hand genommen, möchte man gar nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen.
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  • DRB
    4.0 out of 5 stars Coastwatchers
    Reviewed in Canada on 23 December 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is the most detailed history of the coastwatchers in the Pacific WWII that I've read. It is well done and gives a good historical account of their contribution to the war in the Solomon Islands.
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