Pearl Harbor [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Ernest Arroyo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001

Through striking photographs, this large format chronicle--which features nearly 200 dramatic archival images--captures the shock, the horror, the destruction of December 7, 1941, the fateful day Japan launched its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. With an introduction that describes the events that led up to the assault, extensive captions offering detailed explanations of each phase of the battle, and sidebars commemorating those whose courage will never be forgotten, this is truly a thoughtful tribute as well as an outstanding pictorial re-creation of this earth-shattering event.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sometimes the most illuminating way to learn about history is through photos that capture the atmosphere in a way words cannot. The black-and-white photos in Ernest Arroyo's book Pearl Harbor do this brilliantly. One depicts sailors in the midst of salvaging remains of damaged seaplanes when they are interrupted by the explosion of a torpedo obliterating a vessel. Half the sky is lit by fire, the other darkened with thick black smoke. It's impossible not to lament the Pearl Harbor tragedy as Arroyo guides the reader through a timeline beginning with the soldiers' activities the evening preceding the bombing. Some watched movies, others attended hula presentations, and others wrote home--what was for many one last letter. Several pages then describe the bombing and its aftermath for the United States. Arroyo includes statistics, as well as personal accounts of individual trials among military members and civilians. These tales convey the men's everyday humanity (some are described in combat in their pajamas), but also their exceptional courage, including those awarded medals of honor for displaying "complete disregard of [their] own [lives]." No one who reads this book will say they don't "remember Pearl Harbor," which Arroyo states as his objective. --Yvonne Schindler

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Metro Books; illustrated edition edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586631497
• ISBN-13: 978-1586631499
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 11.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,056,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual perspective on Pearl Harbor, July 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

First of all you should be aware that this is primarily a picture book. There is NO unifying text from page to page or chapter to chapter. It IS a VISUAL history with many, many photographs, some classic some I have never seen before. All photos have a nice caption that some times runs to 60-70 words and does a fine job of placing the action in perspective. The author also accompanies the the photos with biographical sketches of the main figures in the PH story and gives a summary of the medal of honor winners at PH. All in all a very good book that is light years ahead of the movie by the same name and should NOT be confused with the Disney version. Of especially good interest are the maps and diagrams including one detailing the location and fate of all of the ships in PH. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pearl Harbor through the lens, April 23, 2002

By 

Jeffrey T. Munson (Dixon, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

Sometimes the best way to learn about something is through photographs, and this book certainly delivers. There are many photographs in this book that I have never seen before. The captions that go along with each photograph describe in detail the action taking place in the photograph. This book also makes an excellent companion to other books about Pearl Harbor that contain text.