Pacific Theater PB "Must Read" suggestions?

Newbie needs some help. I’ve just started my WWII library and only have a few paper backs. I’m looking for a PB suggestion list of “Must Read” titles for the Pacific Theater.
I would like to start with overveiw PB's of the major battles. These are my recent purchases and all I have so far for the Pacific Theater.

The Pacific War by John Costello
Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle by Richard B. Frank
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall

Any additional "Must Read" PB suggestions would be appreciated!

____________________________________________________________________
"War Eagle!"

 

"The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" - James D Hornfischer
"Halsey's Typhoon" - Robert Drury
"The Last Epic Naval Battle: Voice from Leyte Gulf" - David Sears

All three are in paperback; And great reads as well!

PS - Welcome to WWIIF!

 

texson66: Thx! Checkin' them out now.

 

John,

You might consider the purchase of "Guadalcanal Diary" by Richard Tregaskis. Published in 1943 in HB and several PB's since that date.
Another good book is "Submarine" by Cmdr. Edward L. Beach.

Enjoy!

Ol' John

 

Last stand is a definite must

 

Hello,


All 15 vols. of S.E. Morison's History of US Naval Operations in WWII

H.P. Wilmott's Empires in the Balance (1982) and The Barrier and the Javelin (1984)

G. Hermon Gill's two-volume history of Royal Australian Navy operations in WWII (extremely detailed & well-researched )

Theodore Roscoe's U.S. Destroyer Operations in World War II (1953)

And I Was There (1985) by RADM Edwin Layton, USN (ret.)

James D. Hornfischer's The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors (2004) and Ship of Ghosts (2006) Personal prejudice here!

Jon Parshall/Anthony Tully's Shattered Sword (2005)

Ray Parkin's Trilogy (Into the Smoke, etc.)

The two best works--both true masterpieces--of historical fiction based upon actual events that will give you a feel for the period:

The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk (1951)
Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard (1983?)

That's a good start for anyone seriously interested in this big subject.

FWIW

 

For a single-volume treatment of the both the Pacific and CBI theaters, including background naval thinking that preceded the war, you can't go wrong with Spector's Eagle Against the Sun. I highly recommend this excellent work.

JT

 

John Pine,

if you dont know it, we have Jack, SouthWestPacificVet, in several threads with his recollections and stories about his time in WWII. It's a lot better than a paper back! He's been there and can tell you about it through this forum!

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys!

texson66: "if you dont know it, we have Jack, SouthWestPacificVet, in several threads with his recollections and stories about his time in WWII. It's a lot better than a paper back! He's been there and can tell you about it through this forum!" No, I didn't know that. I'll do a thread search by his user name. Thx!

 

In no particular order –

Iwo Jima – Richard Newcomb
Retribution – Max Hastings
Midway Inquest – Dallas Woodbury Isom
Helmet for my Pillow – Robert Leckie
With the Old Breed – Eugene Sledge
Day of Infamy – Walter Lord
Thunder Below – Eugene Fluckey
Guadalcanal – Richard Frank
Silent Victory – Clay Blair
Utmost Savagery – Joseph Alexander
Miracle at Midway – Gordon Prange
Incredible Victory – Walter Lord
The Big E – Edward Stafford
Pacific War Diary – James Fahey
That Gallant Ship – Robert Cressman
The First Team – John Lundstrom
The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign – John Lundstrom
Left to Die – Dan Kurzman

 

Slipdigit: So...will it be "7" this year?!

fsbof: Nice list!

 

Okinawa 1945 by George Fiefer