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Walter Lord
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Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomans (Bluejacket Books): Coastwatchers of the Solomons Paperback – 15 Oct. 2006

by Walter Lord (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,039 ratings
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Called a stirring tale of forgotten heroes splendidly told by a master narrator, this saga of the valiant coastwatchers of the Pacific War exemplifies that rare combination of careful research and exciting narrative style that became a hallmark of Walter Lord's best-selling books. Though their importance has long been acknowledged, the coastwatchers had received relatively little attention until the publication of this book in 1977. The remarkable band of individualists, operating deep behind Japanese lines in the dark days of 1942-43, lived by their wits alone yet gave the Allies their best intelligence and rescued many a man from downed planes and sinking ships including John F. Kennedy and his PT-109 crew. To piece their story together, Lord traveled 40,000 miles to interview participants, check archives, and examine private letters and diaries. He even made a three-day hike through the Guadalcanal jungle to inspect the coastwatcher hideout on Gold Ridge so he could successfully put readers in their shoes. The book's varied cast of intriguing characters has attracted readers ever since.
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  1. Part of series
    Bluejacket Books
  2. Print length
    322 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Naval Institute Press
  5. Publication date
    15 Oct. 2006
  6. Dimensions
    14.61 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
  7. ISBN-10
    9781591144663
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1591144663
  9. See all details
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Product description

About the Author

Walter Lord, an OSS officer in World War II and native of Baltimore, is the author of such best sellers as A Night to Remember, Day of Infamy, and Incredible Victory.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1591144663
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Naval Institute Press; New edition (15 Oct. 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781591144663
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591144663
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.61 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,039 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.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,039 global ratings

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.
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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.
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Top reviews from other countries

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LesHT
5.0 out of 5 stars Little known heroes.
Reviewed in Australia on 6 October 2020
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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
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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
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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
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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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