James Bradley's "Flyboys"

[Forgotten Field]

If you haven't read it, you should. Lots of interesting stuff including pictures of a flying TBM that shouldn't be... But fair warning- some of the stuff is disturbing.

[bdk]

But fair warning- some of the stuff is disturbing.

In what way?

[Forgotten Field]

...I don't want to ruin it for anybody.

[srpatterson]

I'm sorry you didn't like it Rob, as it was a book that I couldn't put down.

In particular I appreciated James Bradley's through research and his ability to examine and explain the historical events that led the participant nations and their citizens toward war. The book does have some disturbing moments, but warfare is not a clean business.

My wife also enjoyed "Flyboys", and I think it has given her a new perspective on the war, as opposed to the typical Hollywood stereotypes of the young pilots and soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

[Jack Cook]

IN READING THE BOOK, IT SEEMED TO ME THAT BRADLEY SYMPATHIZED TOO MUCH WITH THE JAPANESE. HIS LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE JAPANESE PEOPLE, GAINED FROM LIVING THERE FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, GREATLY BOTHERED HIS FATHER WHO WAS ONE OF THE IWO JIMA FLAG RAISERS AND I FELT TAINTED THE BOOK. IT WAS ALSO TO GRAPHIC IN DETAIL FOR MY TASTE.

I have "Flyboys" but haven't finished reading it yet. However, his first book, "Flags of Our Fathers" is a book that I absolutely could not put down. Yes it was detailed in the account of Iwo Jima and the horrors that took place but without it, I don't feel like he could've gotten the point across about that little island being such a pure hell.

No, "Flags of Our Fathers" has nothing to do with aviation but it does have everything to do with the Greatest Generation and what they went through, as well as how much that one picture meant to this entire country during that time.

If you guys have read both, how does "Flyboys" compare?

Ryan

[Forgotten Field]

I don't know how somebody can get "sympathetic" to the Japanese in the novel. They (and the Americans) were documented as being true savages, with lots of stuff. When I got done reading it, I went up to my study, and wanted to immediately throw my Japanese aircraft pieces into the harbor. I felt the same about what was described about the Americans. Abu Ghraib? Peanuts compared to what both Japanese and Americans did to each other and people who got in our way during our history. He does explain how the changing warrior culture of Japan was twisted for political means (re: "Iraq has WMD, Iraq is connected with terrorists"- I'm using examples here as I don't want to spoil the book for anybody). I think he hits it well on the head, and for a westerner to have such a keen perception into the oriental mind, he should be praised. But I don't think he went light on anybody in the book. He stated facts, events leading up to facts, explanations of events leading up to facts, and background to understand the explanations. For me, the book is too CNNish- not enough real indepth analysis for me, but I suspect he threw a lot of that away so he could get the book to publication. I am hoping to ask him about that here in Maryland when he visits in a few days.