Hornfischer, James D.

Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal

ISBN: 9780553806700
New York, NY: Bantam Books, 2011. First Printing. Hardcover. “War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.”--Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023), Blood Meridian, or, The Evening Redness In The West. The Guadalcanal campaign, known more commonly as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed “Operation Watchtower” by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater of World War II. It was the first major land offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan. The Battle of Guadalcanal has long been credited as a Marine victory. Now, with his powerful tapestry of the Navy’s harrowing engagement, James D. Hornfischer tells for the first time the full story of the men who fought in destroyers, cruisers, and battleships in the narrow, deadly waters of “Ironbottom Sound.” Here, in concise, visceral detail, are the seven major naval actions that began in August 1942, a time when the war seemed doomed and America fought on a razor’s edge, with the outcome always in doubt. Working from new interviews with survivors, unpublished eyewitness accounts, and newly available documents, Hornfischer paints a vivid picture of the officers and enlisted men who opposed the Japanese in America’s eleventh hour. The first major work on this subject in almost two decades, "Neptune’s Inferno" does what all great battle narratives do: It tells the gripping human stories behind the momentous events and critical decisions that altered the course of history and shaped so many lives. From the collection of George V. Buehler (1933-2020), who was a prominent real estate developer & collector in Massachusetts & Arizona. We found & have retained, between blank rear endpaper & paste-down, printed-out documentation relating to Buehler's purchase of this item during 2011, two of three folded & all in extremely fine condition. Hardcover in unclipped dust-jacket, first edition as stated on copyright page, first printing as indicated by the number sequence thereon. Book is in very fine condition with light wear to fine edges; dust-jacket is in very fine condition with minor smudging to front and back covers. An extra handling fee will be added for shipping due to the weight of this item. Very Fine / Very fine. [Item #5680]

Price: $30.00