In Harm's Way
Doug Stanton Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)

Books

Movies

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Mystery/Thriller

Literature

Romance

Biography

Video

Doug Stanton Books	New book search	Doug Stanton Message Board
Get more information about this book

Plot Summary of In Harm's Way

"The story of the USS Indianapolis, misplaced by the Navy and torpedoed by a Japanese sub just before the end of World War II, so that its crew floundered in the Pacific Ocean -- drowning, going mad, eaten by sharks -- for more than three days, has been told before (and not just by Captain Quint in the movie "Jaws"). It's a story one cannot hear too many times, though, and Stanton adds a bit to previous narratives by such writers as Richard Newcomb and Raymond Lech by filling in more of the background, from details about on-board life (what and how much the sailors consumed) to physical conditions (the nature of shark behavior, the degradation of body temperature over time when one is continually in the water, the mortal threat sea water itself poses to the human body). The author manages to get in a lot of detail without ever slowing a narrative that is crisp and reads swiftly. Although Congress finally passed an amendment exonerating the ship's captain, Charles McVay, in October 2000, the Navy has yet to expunge the conviction on his record for a disaster not of his making and in which he behaved honorably. A stunning tale, well told."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of In Harm's Way

Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Kind Of History
Time of history: - 1940's
History of military? Yes
Armed Forces: - Navy
History of disaster/tragedy? Yes
Kind of disaster: - Boat/Dicaprio event
Nationality? - American--General
Specific war? - World War II

Subjects of this Historical Account
Is the portrayal sympathetic? - Sympathetic
From a certain profession/group? - naval soldiers

Setting
Ice Caps/Sea? Yes
Where? - Ocean
Water? Yes
Water: - warship - swimming on - drowning - lost at sea - feeding sharks

Style
How much gore? - 4 ()
How fast-paced is the book? - 7 ()
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Book makes you feel... - in awe
How much focus on stories of individuals? - Focuses on brief history of a lot of players
How much romance? - 1 ()
Is book humorous? Yes
How much humor? - 2 ()
If humorous, kind of humor - Dry-cynical
Minor characters feature lots of: - military
Pictures/Illustrations? - A significant amount
Maps necessary? - Necessary maps provided
Length of book - 250-300 pages
How much emphasis on small details? - 4 ()

Most similar books to In Harm's Way
All the Drowned Sailors by Raymond B. Lech
The New Breed by Andrew Geer
Day of Infamy by Walter Lord
Above an Angry Sea: U.S. Navy B-24 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Operations in the Pacific by Alan C. Carey
We Flew Alone: United States B-24 Squadrons in the Pacific by Alan C. Carey

Click here for more information about this book

Search for another book

Doug Stanton

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback

Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM
Marlo Morgan 9:54:58 PM

More message boards

In Harm's Way Doug Stanton Book Review

In Harm's Way
Doug Stanton Book Review