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

I have been buying the books by this author as gifts for my husband and Dad. They have really enjoyed all of them.

good oral history. enjoyed it very much

Outstanding book. Patrick O'Donnell set out to do interviews with World War II veterans-- in an attempt to portray exactly what war looks like to the soldier.As he got started, he discovered that there were two wars-- the Pacific war and the European war-- that were very different from each other. He wrote "Into the rising Sun" about the Pacific war and "Beyond Valor" about the European war.This is an outstanding pair of books and gives a "boots on the ground" view of war. An excellent idea, well executed.I take my hat off to Patrick O'Donnell for his outstanding achievement.

maybe I'm basing my review on personal reasons (OK, So I am!) but this book is really outstanding. My Uncle, Emmitt Hays, who is quoted in this book, told me about it or else I wouldn't have known...So, after reading of his part in WWII, I then was so interested that I went back and read the entire book (paperback version). I have now re-read it so many times that I am now ordering the hard-back edition. If you have an interest in the Marine's POV of the Pacific War,then you can't go wrong with this book, no matter what version.

The content is very thorough and historical. It covers all the Pacific Islands, and the coverage is the most complete: From the table of contents, to the charts, maps, and photos. Each section gives an overview, then narratives by the people who fought the war, which makes for a very believable and interesting read. Worth reading for the second time.