Sea of Glory: A Novel Based on the True WWII Story of the Four Chaplains and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester [Hardcover]

Ken Wales (Author), David Poling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

During the heart of World War II, four military chaplains boarded the legendary U.S. Army Transport ship Dorchester with the daunting task of taking care of the 902 passengers aboard. These very different four men would demonstrate to the world they shared an uncommon faith and valor. George Lansing Fox, a Methodist minister, Alexander D. Goode, a Rabbi, Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister, and John P. Washington, a Catholic priest, work day by day to make life aboard the Dorchester bearable as they sail for Greenland. On February 3, 1943, a German submarine ends their journey. This historical novel captures the feel of America in the middle of the war, when the tide was clearly turning our way. Aboard the Dorchester is a cast of characters whose lives are changed forever by their encounters with the chaplains, including the men whose lives are saved by the chaplains’ heroic act.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Does factual history make for good fiction? Well, yes and no in this military novel with strong spiritual themes. Father John Washington, Rev. Clark Poling, Pastor George Fox and Rabbi Alex Goode are thrown together on the doomed army transport ship Dorchester in February 1943. As Nazi U-boats lurk just beneath the surface of the western Atlantic, waiting to intercept and destroy ships that pass within torpedo range, spiritual battles take place on board the Dorchester. Not, however, among the clergy. Despite their diverse religious traditions Catholic, Jewish, Methodist and Reformed Protestant the four chaplains find a consistent unity of purpose in boosting the spirits of the military men under their care. Indeed, the spiritual unity is unbelievably idyllic: some disagreement or tension among the four might have made their relationship more convincing. However, the final sacrifice they make based on true accounts is undisputedly inspiring. The novel's strength lies in its detailed depiction of a heavily researched historical event; this is also a weakness, as the reader often feels more like a history pupil than a participant in the adventure. This story might have been better presented as nonfiction. Still, history buffs who prefer a Christian theme in their novels will be happy to find a new offering in the limited pool of titles available to them, and WWII fans will enjoy this retelling of the sinking of the Dorchester.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Amid the secrecy surrounding military transports during World War II, four military chaplains board the U.S.A.T. Dorchester to minister to the 902 soldiers there. George Lansing Fox, a Methodist minister; Alexander D. Goode, a rabbi; Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister; and John P. Washington, a Catholic priest, are men of different faiths, ages, and backgrounds drawn together by an unswerving belief in God. As they show their concern and faith each day, they begin to shape a miracle in one man's heart that will blossom on February 3, 1943, the day a German U-boat torpedoes the Dorchester and the chaplains make a final sacrifice for the crew. While the details about the men's lives prior to boarding the Dorchester are rather dry, Poling (a cousin of one of the ministers) and Wales (a screenwriter for the TV show Christy) pack enough emotion into the rest of the novel to more than compensate. For fans of military fiction and the movie Saving Private Ryan.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Broadman & Holman Publishers; First Edition edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805450009
• ISBN-13: 978-0805450002
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nonfiction as fiction - a success, September 29, 2001

By 

Barry M. Sax (Oak Park CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sea of Glory: A Novel Based on the True WWII Story of the Four Chaplains and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester (Hardcover)

The story of the Four Chaplains has been told before. Indeed, a book of the same name was published in the early 1950s. That book was essentially the individual stories of the Four Chaplains from childhood until they met their collective fate off Southern Greenland on February 3, 1943. Now, in treating the historical event as fiction, based on fact, the authors have made history easier to understand, particuarly for younger readers and those without prior knowledge of the story. Who were these men? How did they become friends. What in their backgrounds allowed them to come together so heroically during the 20 minute between the torpedo exploding and the Dorchester sinking? Where was the ship going and why? What happened to the U-Boat. How did the story of the Four Chaplains survive the sinking? History is more than a collection of facts. Wales and Poling's interpretation have added additional life to a wonderful story that deserves to live on to be read by new generations. This inspirational story of four men of different faiths coming together in a time of crisis is particularly pertinent in the new post-September 1, 2001 America.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Sacrifice, August 24, 2002

By 

Anne (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sea of Glory: A Novel Based on the True WWII Story of the Four Chaplains and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester (Hardcover)

I recently read this book in a summer reading program, and I loved it! It made me think of all the other men and women who gave their lives in World War II. This story follows four naval chaplins on the USAT Dorchester-a rabbi, a Dutch Reformed minister, a Catholic priest, and a Protestant minister. This story tells about their backgrounds, how they came to meet each other on the Dorchester, and the greatest sacrifice they gave (their lives) when the ship sank. This is an outstanding book!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What people are saying vs. the story, April 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sea of Glory: A Novel Based on the True WWII Story of the Four Chaplains and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester (Hardcover)

There are inaccuracies in some of the above criticisms...
like for instance the customer who stated that the words on the cover, "...story of the four chaplains" was a typo and should have been, "...story of four chaplains." This is completely inaccurate as the gentlemen in mention are icons known as "THE Four Chaplains." The customer's complete misinformation stated as 'fact' in [their] review makes me wonder about the validity of [their] other comments.

My suggestion, read the book for the "true story" within -- whether it feels like narrative non-fiction, or novel-style non-fiction is up to you to like or dislike; but the story is well and passionately presented by an author to whom the story obviously has precious meaning.

The book is lovely because the story is lovely. There's just no losing that. Well done.