Into the Rising Sun, Patrick K. ODonnell
Into the Rising Sun, Patrick K. ODonnell
List: $20.95 | Sale: $14.66
Club: $10.47

Into the Rising Sun
In Their Own Words, World War II’s Pacific Veterans Reveal the Heart of Combat

Author: Patrick K. O’Donnell

Narrator: Jeff Riggenbach

Unabridged: 9 hr 12 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/25/2005

Synopsis

Patrick O’Donnell has made a career of uncovering the hidden history of World War II by tracking down and interviewing its most elite troops: the Rangers, Airborne, Marines, and First Special Service Force, forerunners to America’s Special Forces. These veterans were often the first in and the last out of every conflict, from Guadalcanal and Burma to the Philippines and the black sands of Iwo Jima. They faced a cruel enemy willing to try anything, including kamikaze flights and human-guided torpedoes. Over the course of the war, they had spearheaded D-day-sized beach assaults, encountered cannibalism, suffered friendly-fire incidents, and endured torture as prisoners of war. By at last telling their stories, these men present an unvarnished look at the war on the ground, a final gift from aging warriors who have already given so much.

About Patrick K. O’Donnell

Patrick K. O’Donnell is a bestselling military historian and the critically acclaimed author of numerous books, including Beyond Valor, Dog Company, and First SEALs. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Fox News. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.

About Jeff Riggenbach

Jeff Riggenbach (1947-2021) narrated numerous titles for Blackstone Audio and won an AudioFile Earphones Award. An author, contributing editor, and producer, he worked in radio in San Francisco for more than thirty years, earning a Golden Mike Award for journalistic excellence.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Noah on August 11, 2018

This oral history of the Asian theater in WWII, as seen through the eyes of the American servicemen who fought there, is a powerful book. The stories these men have to tell are harrowing, and filled with courage, cruelty, savagery, selflessness, horror, and every other extreme human emotion. I was v......more

Goodreads review by Robert on September 10, 2021

A well organized collection of powerful and enlightening memoirs from the Pacific Theater of WWII mixed with pertinent context and background. Solid.......more

Goodreads review by Steve on January 15, 2024

I listened to the unabridged audiobook of this work. Patrick J. O'Donnell's books do a great job of sucking away the jingoism and mindless "glory" that has cloaked accounts of war. He interviews veterans, and they spare nothing in giving their first hand accounts of the horror and despair of combat.......more

Goodreads review by Don on August 28, 2015

My dad served in the Pacific during World War II so I chose this book to give me a glimpse of what it was like for him. The book describes the war in the Pacific as “a war without mercy” and the accounts that the soldiers give of combat there prove that to be true. It was the most savage and brutal......more

Quotes

“Patrick O’Donnell may be the next Studs Terkel. Spending untold hours with proud and often laconic veterns, coaxing their stories with meticulous care, he has shown us the wet, dark, jungled truth of the Pacific War.” Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers

“Succinct historical narratives help set the stage for these eyewitness accounts, which often involve horrific tales of best friends killed, whole units decimated, and the madness of wartime atrocities. This important work preserves these veterans’ shocking and moving stories for generations to come. Highly recommended.” Library Journal

“An abundant, interesting, and accurate chronicle of the war…Those seeking the uncensored truth and a dose of military history will not be disappointed.” AudioFile

“A superior addition to World War II oral archives.” Booklist

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List