The Pacific

Hell Was an Ocean Away

By: Hugh Ambrose

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

The New York Times bestselling official companion book to the Emmy® Award-winning HBO® miniseries.

Look for The Pacific miniseries, now available to stream on Netflix!

Between America's retreat from China in late November 1941 and the moment General MacArthur's airplane touched down on the Japanese mainland in August of 1945, five men connected by happenstance fought the key battles of the war against Japan. From the debacle in Bataan, to the miracle at Midway and the relentless vortex of Guadalcanal, their solemn oaths to their country later led one to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and the others to the coral strongholds of Peleliu, the black terraces of Iwo Jima and the killing fields of Okinawa, until at last the survivors enjoyed a triumphant, yet uneasy, return home.

In The Pacific, Hugh Ambrose focuses on the real-life stories of five men who put their lives on the line for our country. To deepen the story revealed in the HBO® miniseries and go beyond it, the book dares to chart a great ocean of enmity known as the Pacific and the brave men who fought.

Critic reviews

Praise for The Pacific

“Doing for the war against Japan what Band of Brothers did for the war against Germany, Ambrose’s history effectively immerses readers in the Good War’s second front.”—Publishers Weekly

“Ambrose’s narrative is convincing...[he] shows the possibilities of readable and complex military history.”—Dr. Allan Millett, Director, Eisenhower Center for American Studies, The National World War II Museum

Title is a little misleading

I was skeptical of this book. Some of the keys figures like E. B. Sledge have fine books they wrote, which vividly portrayed their time in combat. I didn't find this volume as compelling as With the Old Breed, but it's still a fine work. The title is misleading as it's not a comprehensive telling of the War in the Pacific. It covers a lot of the major events of the war, through the eyes of a number of men in the Navy and Marine Corps. The book does jump around a bit as some of the men overlapped in time and space but not in function. The choice of men was excellent. I've read enough that I understand the overriding arch of the story of the Pacific War, and I don't think this is a good book to start with. I don't think it does enough to make all the pieces fit. Yet, if he had, it would have been less interesting as there is so much to tell. I think the book is a compromise, and, as such, has some limitations. Overall, it's a fine book, telling some wonderful stories. However, I could have skipped this one, and not missed too much. I'd really like to give the book 3.5 stars, as 3 wouldn't do this justice.

Horrific Historical Period Told with Honor and Honesty

Obviously, this book was the core for the TV miniseries, “Pacific”, just as his Father’s book was the core of the miniseries, “Band of Brothers”.

Hugh demonstrates the same talent for researching the people, places and events that his Father did. But, he doesn’t have the same gift of telling it all in a compelling story. But, please understand, this book is an excellent listen, equal to the mainstream authors of today. Very few authors could stand up to the prose of Stephen Ambrose.

The only negative that detracts from an otherwise excellent narration is the continued mispronunciation of names and places. The audio book’s editors should have picked these up to yield an outstanding narration.

I recommend this audio book to any WW2 buff.

The Pacific, The Book

Loved this book. It was better than the miniseries because it included more historical information and details the movie didn't have. I recommend it completely.

The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose

This book is over twenty hours long and chronicles the WWII action in the Pacific against the Japanese nation.
It held my attention the whole time.
There were three main characters,each of which were hero’s during the war but not well known to the average person. At least I had not heard of them in the past.
This book is historically accurate without sounding like a textbook.
For anyone who enjoys WW11 stories, this book will be fascinating.

Awe, Amazement, and Nothing but Respect

I have worked for the USMC as a civilian for almost five years, and have always had an appreciation for the men and women I serve, but I cannot say enough about those who fought in the war in the Pacific. The enemy was clear and decisive, yet the stories of the main characters are gripping, and you feel like you know these men by the time you reach the last few hours of the book. I HIGHLY recommend this book!