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Islands of the Damned: A Marine at War in the Pacific Audiobook
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(3.04) - 371 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
This is an eyewitness—and eye-opening—account of some of the most savage and brutal fighting in the war against Japan, told from the perspective of a young Texan who volunteered for the Marine Corps to escape a life as a traveling salesman. R. V. Burgin enlisted at the age of twenty and, with his sharp intelligence and earnest work ethic, climbed the ranks from a green private to a seasoned sergeant. Along the way, he shouldered a rifle as a member of a mortar squad. He saw friends die and enemies killed. He saw scenes he wanted to forget but never did—from enemy snipers who tied themselves to branches in the highest trees, to ambushes along narrow jungle trails, to the abandoned corpses of hara kiri victims, to the final howling banzai attacks as the Japanese embraced their inevitable defeat.
An unforgettable narrative of a young Marine in combat, Islands of the Damned brings to life the hell that was the Pacific War.
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"I picked this book up at the WWII Museum in NOLA, and I extremely glad I did. Really, this thing was a page turner & made me truly in awe of my Marine predecessors. I could never have done what they did. If you want to read pretty much the BEST personal account of a war, this is it. He speaks plainly, doesn't try to airbrush anything at all. Amazing book. Amazing man."
— Janine (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Sean Runnette uses a voice and rhythm just right for the job. The timing of his phrases fits the prose so aptly that one can easily imagine him to be the Marine recounting the traumatic events still stored in his memory.”
— AudioFile -
Sean Runnette uses a voice and rhythm just right for the job. The timing of his phrases fits the prose so aptly that one can easily imagine him to be the Marine recounting the traumatic events still stored in his memory.
— AudioFile
Awards
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A History Book Club Pick
Islands of the Damned Listener Reviews
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" Enjoyed listening to Burgin's side of his action (participation in The Pacific miniseries). Obviously in a miniseries they write it to audiences. "
— ANR, 5/31/2024 -
" A decent first person account of the battles on Peleliu and Okinawa. However, it wasn't even close to the quality of writing and feelings you got from reading Eugene Sledge's book about the same battles. If you want to read only one book like this, read Sledge's. "
— Wayne, 2/8/2014 -
" Sent to the Pacific as a Marine replacement after Guadalcanal, Burgin writes of his experiences as a Marine fighting from New Britian to Okinawa, especially the Battle for Peleliu. "
— Fredrick, 2/6/2014 -
" Excellent narration. Honest and real stories, not just admirals. "
— A, 1/25/2014 -
" Loved it - this book takes you into the trenches and mindsets of the infantry grunts that endured the Pacific war. Presented in a very unpretentious way by your average infantry soldier. "
— Thomas, 1/19/2014 -
" Goes hand-in-hand with Sledge's With the Old Breed. POV is from Sledge's squad leader who served from Gloucester to Okinawa. "
— Mitchell, 1/6/2014 -
" Not bad, not great. Just a discussion of battles. People looking for deep thought or reflections on war need to look elsewhere. "
— Ray, 12/14/2013 -
" Not the best history book on WWII. More of a travelog of here is where I have been. Interesting when comparing this book with Eugene Sledge's book, which I did enjoy more. "
— Olyj, 12/1/2013 -
" A fascinating read about one Marine's experiences fighting in the Pacific in WWII. "
— Scott, 11/28/2013 -
" Very personal and highly readable account. "
— Art, 11/12/2013 -
" Excellent book recounting the life of Burgin as a Marine fighting the Japanese across the many islands of the Pacific campaign. "
— Matt, 11/10/2013 -
" Fantastic account, imo completes a fine trilogy with Sledge & Leckie. Gritty, brutal, honest "
— Joseph, 7/30/2013 -
" I have just startded the book today nothing is going on but it looks like a good book. "
— Troy, 6/14/2013 -
" Read like I was sitting at the kitchen table with the author and some of his marine buddies listening to them shoot the bull. Great, quick, occasionally disturbing, extremely eye-opening read. "
— Rivka, 5/4/2013 -
" Whether your a history or war buff, or just an old Marine like myself you will like this one. I like the style, the first person narrative of the authors account of his days in the Pacific. A quick but engaging read. "
— Tvolsfan4life, 3/25/2013 -
" An interesting, first person account of the war in the Pacific from a Marine's point of view. "
— Shawn, 8/11/2012 -
" This has become my favorite USMC WWII account, documenting the authors prewar civilian life, training and the Pacific campaigns. A Well written first person account. "
— Art, 7/13/2012 -
" This book read more like a diary...with quiet narrative about the horrors of war and the human toll it takes. Not nearly as good as Sledge's book (who served with Burgin), but important nonetheless as we continue to lose this great generation of heroes to age. "
— Amber, 5/26/2011 -
" Not as good as Sledge's but worth the read for another POV. "
— Alwyn, 5/26/2011 -
" A decent first person account of the battles on Peleliu and Okinawa. However, it wasn't even close to the quality of writing and feelings you got from reading Eugene Sledge's book about the same battles. If you want to read only one book like this, read Sledge's. "
— Wayne, 5/12/2011 -
" Not the best history book on WWII. More of a travelog of here is where I have been. Interesting when comparing this book with Eugene Sledge's book, which I did enjoy more. "
— Olyj, 2/18/2011 -
" Not as good as Sledge's but worth the read for another POV. "
— Alwyn, 2/6/2011 -
" An interesting, first person account of the war in the Pacific from a Marine's point of view. "
— Shawn, 1/11/2011 -
" Whether your a history or war buff, or just an old Marine like myself you will like this one. I like the style, the first person narrative of the authors account of his days in the Pacific. A quick but engaging read. "
— Tvolsfan4life, 7/29/2010 -
" A fascinating read about one Marine's experiences fighting in the Pacific in WWII. "
— Scott, 7/6/2010 -
" I have just startded the book today nothing is going on but it looks like a good book. "
— Troy, 3/3/2010
About the Authors
R. V. Burgin served as a sergeant in the First Marine Division in World War II. He is a veteran of the campaigns for New Georgia, Peleliu, and Okinawa and was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. He was featured in Eugene Sledge’s classic memoir With the Old Breed, and he is portrayed in HBO’s dramatic series The Pacific, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.
William Marvel, now retired, had been writing features for the Dallas Morning News since 1986. He earned his bachelor of arts from Regis University in Denver and did two years of graduate study in English literature at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He worked as a reporter and editor at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, an art critic and senior arts editor at the National Observer, and an art writer at the Dallas Times Herald. Marvel also freelanced for numerous publications.
About Sean Runnette
Sean Runnette, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has also directed and produced more than two hundred audiobooks, including several Audie Award winners. He is a member of the American Repertory Theater company and has toured the United States and internationally with ART and Mabou Mines. His television and film appearances include Two If by Sea, Cop Land, Sex and the City, Law & Order, the award-winning film Easter, and numerous commercials.