Writing in 1978 or thereabouts, he illustrates perfectly a Me Generation dream sequence which is absent the conviction of necessity. William Manchester sounds to be the source of much of today's ambivalent confusion about war, and is writing a fact filled, yet soppy emotional memoir / history of compelling stuff.
A memorable and beautifully crafted book which it is a pleasure to recommend. This return journey seems to have been in part an exorcism - and one is left with the impression that while Mr Manchester may have been able to forgive himself for some of the things he had to do, he is never likely to forget them. War requires intelligent, humane and kind people to perform atrocious acts, and Mr Manchester conveys the tensions this situation set up in him very well indeed. I have no idea how authentic a view of the Pacific war this is from an historical point of view: but as personal history written by a combatant it is utterly convincing. Mr Manchester writes in a graceful, muscular prose which knits up into a powerful and utterly absorbing narrative, parts of which made me laugh out loud, and other parts of which made me cry. All of which makes this book sound solemn, even dry - far from it. He is also good on the social and cultural losses occasioned by victory. Mr Manchester looks back at his youthful self with a kind of appalled fascination, but manages, without any sentimental heroics, to convey the power and comradeship of being part of a brotherhood under arms.
On the textures of war - spilt blood, torn flesh, terror, anger at waste and stupidity - he is unflinchingly excellent, and for this reason some of the battle sequences are not for the faint hearted.
The middle aged author revisits the places he fought over as a soldier in 1942 - 1945 and mixes gripping reminiscence with wry afterthoughts. I bought this book purely on the author's reputation and also because two months ago I bought his biography of H L Mencken and thoroughly enjoyed it. Like most Englishmen born in the 1940s I know more about the European and African theatres of war than the Pacific theatre. Honest, humane and intelligent personal history
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