Publisher : Tantor Audio
Publication Date : 2010 05
>> Not all combat all the time
I picked this up immediately upon hearing it was used as a basis for HBO s The Pacific miniseries I fully expected to see lots of commentary on combat but what I got turned out to be more than that Sure Leckie does talk about his harrowing experiences upon arriving on Guadalcanal and engaging the Japanese forces there but it is the time spent in between the fighting that reflects most on Leckie s memoir
The first third of the book concerns Leckie s enlistment and training in the marine corps in and around Parris Island We discover the trials he faces learning how to fight as well as how he comes to cherish his friends in the camp This definitely serves Leckie s humanity as he becomes a trained killer for the United States Marines prior to his deployment
Another very interesting piece is when Leckie and his mates are shipped to Australia for R R after the Guadalcanal campaign What ensues is nothing short of The Great Debauch as Leckie nicknames it
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in World War II and especially the personal aspect of the Pacific conflict through a common man s eyes Those seeking detailed combat stories and analysis will be disappointed I m afraid It does get a little wordy in places but its nothing that detracts from the overall experience I suggest reading this along with With the Old Breed an excellent book in its own right Leckie s memoir is a treasure from someone who was there and graciously provides us with an eye opening and sometimes candid view of the world at war from where he stood and fought at that time in history
>> Didn t like writing style
Really didn t care for the style of narrative in this book it was really tedious and kind of annoying I stopped reading it about halfway through and I m not sure if I ll ever pick it back up to finish it It just wasn t that interesting to me
>> The human side to the marines of the Pacific War
Leckie s memoir of his time in WWII is certainly not a combat memoir Sure there is combat since he fought in Guadalcanal New Britain and Peleiu but right from the beginning you can see that Leckie s memoir is one of the marine itself and the institute that the marine must live in Not knowing this might lead to a false impression but once you know it lends a lot to the understanding of a marine in the Pacific
Leckie is very descriptive bringing the reader right in to the life and times of a marine entering WWII You feel as though you are there with him when he enlists and goes through 6 weeks of boot camp And again when he sets sail and finally lands at Guadalcanal We are shown the life of a marine his thoughts his fears his weaknesses and most certainly his experience as he fought the Japanese But the combat is quickly brushed over as Leckie focuses more on the human side of himself and his fellow marines This was very disappointing at first because I wanted to read about his battle experiences in detail not in everything but his combat experience
This is soon forgotten as we then move to Melbourne and shown the miriad ways that the marines humored themselves how they had to avoid the MPs and thus the brig and how on numerous occasions he was successful in avoiding the brig This to me showed the human side of the soldier and really showed how the soldier interacted and lived Without this bird s eye view then we would be left simply with a generic attempt by other marines to only discuss their combat experience Don t get me wrong I love reading about the combat experience but Leckie s account it so much more deep and in depth that it makes me see the marines in a whole different light A brighter light that shows you who they were
The downside is that sometimes he waxed poetically too much and there was very little combat Is this a recommend for the WWII enthusiast Certainly a must I would add as Leckie shows us what war is and why it was fought Most poignantly is his epilogue and the reader can t help but be touched at what he and other men have sacrificed for our country And then to have it turned and ask for forgiveness as he closes his memoir with forgive us for that awful cloud A recommend
4 5 stars
Click Above Or Below To See More Detail >>> Helmet for My Pillow From Parris Island to the Pacific
