Hampton Sides
Author of Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission
About the Author
Hampton Sides, contributing editor of "Outside" & editor of "The Wild File," is also the author of "Ghost Soldiers". He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Publisher Provided) Hampton Sides received a BA in history from Yale University. He is editor-at-large for Outside Magazine and has also written show more for National Geographic, The New Yorker, Esquire, Preservation, and Men's Journal. His magazine work has been nominated twice for National Magazine Awards for feature writing. He is the author of several books including Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder, Hellhound on His Trail, and In the Kingdom of Ice. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Author Hampton Sides at the 2018 Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas, United States. By Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74237058
Works by Hampton Sides
Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission (2001) 3,182 copies, 62 reviews
Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West (2006) — Author — 2,228 copies, 48 reviews
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette (2014) — Author — 1,488 copies, 67 reviews
Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the International Hunt for His Assassin (2010) — Author; Narrator, some editions — 1,039 copies, 47 reviews
The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook (2024) — Author — 934 copies, 26 reviews
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War's Greatest Battle (2018) — Author — 477 copies, 20 reviews
Why Moths Hate Thomas Edison: And Other Urgent Inquiries into the Odd Nature of Nature (Outside Books) (2001) — Editor — 74 copies, 1 review
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission {abridged audio} (2001) 32 copies, 3 reviews
Stomping Grounds: A Pilgrim's Progress Through Eight American Subcultures (1992) — Author — 30 copies
Unseen Titanic 1 copy
In pursuit of happiness 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Sides, Hampton
- Legal name
- Sides, W. Hampton
- Birthdate
- 1962
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Yale University
- Occupations
- journalist
- Organizations
- Outside
- Awards and honors
- 2002 PEN USA Award for nonfiction
2002 Discover Award from Barnes & Noble - Short biography
- Hampton Sides (born 1962 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American historian and journalist. He is the author of Hellhound on His Trail, Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder, and other bestselling works of narrative history and literary non-fiction. Sides is editor-at-large for Outside magazine and has written for such periodicals as National Geographic, The New Yorker, Esquire, Men's Journal, and The Washington Post. His magazine work, collected in numerous published anthologies, has been twice nominated for National Magazine Awards for feature writing.
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Places of residence
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War's Greatest Battle by Hampton Sides
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at the Reservoir, the Korean War’s Greatest Battle,
Hampton Sides, author, David Pittu, narrator
There are few books I would like to award more than 5 stars, but this is one of them. Not only is it researched thoroughly and written logically, with the clear lens of the backward glance, the audio has a pitch perfect narrator, imparting the story with the clarity and structure the author intended. He plants the reader right in the thick of every scene with show more descriptions and prose that transcend the time and place without his ever usurping or going beyond the purpose for which he was chosen. He brings the story to life and engages the reader completely. Although history can be dry to some, this is not, and I think there will be few who will not read it through, experiencing what the soldiers did in each battle. Not a single reader will fail to understand the need to have toxic masculinity when fighting this war, or any, for that matter. War is evil, no doubt about it, but when engaged in it, one must be totally absorbed in it.
Although the book covers the reason America was in Korea, the infighting between the Marines and the Navy, and the incompetence of some of the commanding officers who designed and implemented the tactics of the Korean War, it dwells mostly on the courage and stamina of the brave soldiers who fought against all odds, to overcome the enemy, in a strange place, in an unkind climate. They bravely fought the Chinese soldiers who were instructed to defy and ignore every rule of the Geneva Conventions, by their leader, Mao Tse-tung.
It was 1950, the American soldiers were young, they were devoted to the cause and they were a brotherhood of men. Although these marines, who came from many backgrounds to fight the battle of the Chosin Reservoir, were eventually forced to retreat, they can only be described as displaying what today would be called something akin to male toxicity, yet without these kinds of soldiers, we Americans, not by our own choice, might all be speaking a different language than our own English. The Commanding officer, of the First Marine Division, General Oliver Smith, is an unsung hero of the war. He saved more men then was thought possible, against odds also thought impossible. Another unsung hero, in this historic, but little known battle, was Lieutenant Colonel John Partridge. He never gave up, which is a huge quality of toxic masculinity. It is the idea of maintaining perseverance in the face of extreme danger and impossible odds and of then accomplishing the impossible in just that way.
Truman, led down the garden path by Douglas MacArthur, who was beginning to be ruled by his arrogance more than careful thought and planning, approved the war strategies he proposed. Unfortunately, they led to unnecessary loss of life and the eventual stalemate decision of the war, with no clear winner, as the odds were stacked against them by an arrogant General. Still, though outnumbered, the soldiers did perform valiantly. Many of the commanding officers, like General Ned Almond, were political, and their carriage and behavior belied the reality and casualties of war. More concerned with their image and future, they made decisions founded on their own fantasies and not the intelligence with which they were provided, but ignored. Some blamed their failures on others, putting innocents in harm’s way to justify their actions. MacArthur wanted the spectacle of war, the photo ops and the praise and began to lose sight of the danger of failure. Almond, who supported MacArthur was a racist until he died and he blamed the black soldiers for failures. Racism was alive and well as the Korean War raged, but there were examples of heroism and brotherhood in spite of it. The soldiers were cut from a different cloth than many Americans today with the idea of nationalism and love of flag and country being so widely disparaged.
The story is told in five parts beginning with start of the war in Seoul, and ending with the evacuation by sea to the United States for the soldiers of General Smith’s valiant regiment. Two of the generals, MacArthur and Smith, who were involved in the battle plans, one laying them out and the other carrying the orders out, were as different as they could be. While MacArthur never met a spotlight he did not like, Smith preferred his privacy. He did not need medals or cameras as MacArthur fed upon those needs. Smith’s concern was for the safety of his men and winning the battle. MacArthur’s concern was pretty much for his own image and success, which is what led to his ultimate failure.
There were so many unsung heroes who did not claim the center of attention and yet fought and/or died with incredible valor. Their respect for their commanding officers and their country was beyond admirable. The marines were duty bound and they performed their duties with gallantry and honor whenever possible. They were a brotherhood of men, devoted to each other and their country. They devised ways to defeat the enemy in the face of the most dreadful odds. They did not give up. How many of us retain such strong convictions, today, convictions that would spur us on beyond what is thought humanly possible? Today, such qualities are often mocked, especially in men, and not given the praise they deserve.
Sometimes men and women are called upon to do things they do not like, but for the sake of the greater good, they perform their duties with bravado and spirit. Their daring should be respected. Perhaps we need to reinstate the draft, or a draft of some kind, like the Peace Corps, that is not voluntary, so that all young people give some time to the service of their country and do not expect their country to serve them. I cannot write more without giving the heart of the book away, but if every high school student read and analyzed this book, male and female, in a genderless society some think is utopia, they would begin to understand far more about their country than they do now, as they think only of their technical devices, their idealism and self-serving needs. As President John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. America may have lost its way, but it can find its way back if we start educating our young to love it once again. show less
Hampton Sides, author, David Pittu, narrator
There are few books I would like to award more than 5 stars, but this is one of them. Not only is it researched thoroughly and written logically, with the clear lens of the backward glance, the audio has a pitch perfect narrator, imparting the story with the clarity and structure the author intended. He plants the reader right in the thick of every scene with show more descriptions and prose that transcend the time and place without his ever usurping or going beyond the purpose for which he was chosen. He brings the story to life and engages the reader completely. Although history can be dry to some, this is not, and I think there will be few who will not read it through, experiencing what the soldiers did in each battle. Not a single reader will fail to understand the need to have toxic masculinity when fighting this war, or any, for that matter. War is evil, no doubt about it, but when engaged in it, one must be totally absorbed in it.
Although the book covers the reason America was in Korea, the infighting between the Marines and the Navy, and the incompetence of some of the commanding officers who designed and implemented the tactics of the Korean War, it dwells mostly on the courage and stamina of the brave soldiers who fought against all odds, to overcome the enemy, in a strange place, in an unkind climate. They bravely fought the Chinese soldiers who were instructed to defy and ignore every rule of the Geneva Conventions, by their leader, Mao Tse-tung.
It was 1950, the American soldiers were young, they were devoted to the cause and they were a brotherhood of men. Although these marines, who came from many backgrounds to fight the battle of the Chosin Reservoir, were eventually forced to retreat, they can only be described as displaying what today would be called something akin to male toxicity, yet without these kinds of soldiers, we Americans, not by our own choice, might all be speaking a different language than our own English. The Commanding officer, of the First Marine Division, General Oliver Smith, is an unsung hero of the war. He saved more men then was thought possible, against odds also thought impossible. Another unsung hero, in this historic, but little known battle, was Lieutenant Colonel John Partridge. He never gave up, which is a huge quality of toxic masculinity. It is the idea of maintaining perseverance in the face of extreme danger and impossible odds and of then accomplishing the impossible in just that way.
Truman, led down the garden path by Douglas MacArthur, who was beginning to be ruled by his arrogance more than careful thought and planning, approved the war strategies he proposed. Unfortunately, they led to unnecessary loss of life and the eventual stalemate decision of the war, with no clear winner, as the odds were stacked against them by an arrogant General. Still, though outnumbered, the soldiers did perform valiantly. Many of the commanding officers, like General Ned Almond, were political, and their carriage and behavior belied the reality and casualties of war. More concerned with their image and future, they made decisions founded on their own fantasies and not the intelligence with which they were provided, but ignored. Some blamed their failures on others, putting innocents in harm’s way to justify their actions. MacArthur wanted the spectacle of war, the photo ops and the praise and began to lose sight of the danger of failure. Almond, who supported MacArthur was a racist until he died and he blamed the black soldiers for failures. Racism was alive and well as the Korean War raged, but there were examples of heroism and brotherhood in spite of it. The soldiers were cut from a different cloth than many Americans today with the idea of nationalism and love of flag and country being so widely disparaged.
The story is told in five parts beginning with start of the war in Seoul, and ending with the evacuation by sea to the United States for the soldiers of General Smith’s valiant regiment. Two of the generals, MacArthur and Smith, who were involved in the battle plans, one laying them out and the other carrying the orders out, were as different as they could be. While MacArthur never met a spotlight he did not like, Smith preferred his privacy. He did not need medals or cameras as MacArthur fed upon those needs. Smith’s concern was for the safety of his men and winning the battle. MacArthur’s concern was pretty much for his own image and success, which is what led to his ultimate failure.
There were so many unsung heroes who did not claim the center of attention and yet fought and/or died with incredible valor. Their respect for their commanding officers and their country was beyond admirable. The marines were duty bound and they performed their duties with gallantry and honor whenever possible. They were a brotherhood of men, devoted to each other and their country. They devised ways to defeat the enemy in the face of the most dreadful odds. They did not give up. How many of us retain such strong convictions, today, convictions that would spur us on beyond what is thought humanly possible? Today, such qualities are often mocked, especially in men, and not given the praise they deserve.
Sometimes men and women are called upon to do things they do not like, but for the sake of the greater good, they perform their duties with bravado and spirit. Their daring should be respected. Perhaps we need to reinstate the draft, or a draft of some kind, like the Peace Corps, that is not voluntary, so that all young people give some time to the service of their country and do not expect their country to serve them. I cannot write more without giving the heart of the book away, but if every high school student read and analyzed this book, male and female, in a genderless society some think is utopia, they would begin to understand far more about their country than they do now, as they think only of their technical devices, their idealism and self-serving needs. As President John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. America may have lost its way, but it can find its way back if we start educating our young to love it once again. show less
Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West by Hampton Sides
One of the best narrative histories I’ve read in recent years, Hampton Sides’ impressive work cuts through the legends and myths that have developed around Kit Carson, provides a balanced view of his personality and, in the process, draws a vivid picture of what life was like in the 1820’s – 1860’s in western America. Carson became famous during his time, but shunned celebrity. He was unschooled but spoke many languages. He was seen both as a hero and villain, depending on show more perspective. This book explores his complex personality, fierce loyalty, quiet demeanor, and decisive actions. Almost like an 1800’s version of Forrest Gump, Carson had a knack for being at the center of significant historical events. Sides focuses on Carson’s remarkable life as a focal point and common thread in conveying the often-brutal history of the American West, covering the panoramic drama that shaped the history of the region.
I gained an appreciation for the personalities involved – not only Kit Carson, but also John C. Fremont, James K. Polk, Stephen Watts Kearny, Edward Canby, Thomas Hart Benton, Jessie Benton Fremont, James Henry Carleton, Navajo leaders Narbona, Manuelito, and Barboncito, and a host of others. This book covers Carson’s many roles as a trapper, scout, explorer, soldier, and family man. It never strays too far from his life in relating historic events. It covers a vast swath of history: the expansion of the United States into current-day California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War battles in New Mexico, and the internecine clashes with the Navajo and other tribes. A significant portion is devoted to the encroachment of white civilization on the aboriginal people, as well as related salient issues such as reservations, relocation, and attempts to change their customs and ways of life.
I particularly enjoyed the author’s writing style, which flows artfully and elegantly. His descriptions of the terrain are stunning. He has a gift for telling a compelling story while imparting historic facts. The structure of this book is like a dog herding sheep, shifting among different perspectives, but keeping the multiple storylines moving along. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of American western expansion and corresponding impact on its people, land, and culture. show less
I gained an appreciation for the personalities involved – not only Kit Carson, but also John C. Fremont, James K. Polk, Stephen Watts Kearny, Edward Canby, Thomas Hart Benton, Jessie Benton Fremont, James Henry Carleton, Navajo leaders Narbona, Manuelito, and Barboncito, and a host of others. This book covers Carson’s many roles as a trapper, scout, explorer, soldier, and family man. It never strays too far from his life in relating historic events. It covers a vast swath of history: the expansion of the United States into current-day California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War battles in New Mexico, and the internecine clashes with the Navajo and other tribes. A significant portion is devoted to the encroachment of white civilization on the aboriginal people, as well as related salient issues such as reservations, relocation, and attempts to change their customs and ways of life.
I particularly enjoyed the author’s writing style, which flows artfully and elegantly. His descriptions of the terrain are stunning. He has a gift for telling a compelling story while imparting historic facts. The structure of this book is like a dog herding sheep, shifting among different perspectives, but keeping the multiple storylines moving along. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of American western expansion and corresponding impact on its people, land, and culture. show less
The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides
"The Wide, Wide Sea" by Hampton Sides is the story of Captain Cook's final voyage. The mission was to sail the Resolution and the Discovery in search for the Northwest Passage and return native Tahitian Mai to his homeland laden with animals and gifts. King George III hoped to Tahiti into a more "civilized" society through Mai. On the way they would encounter native Tasmanians (who would become extinct within 100 years) and lead a particularly brutal encounter in Moorea. After an initial show more somewhat peaceful greeting, an act of petty theft convinced Cook to order a fiery decimation of the native village. On one hand, the English believed in private property. Period. But the Polynesians believed a person must be worthy of their possessions, or share communally. Clever thievery was an act of skill, not necessarily of maliciousness. This major cultural difference was one that Cook wouldn't acknowledge, and ultimately proved to be his downfall in Hawaii.
I wasn't a fan of how Sides handled Cook's attack on Moorea. Not defensive of his actions specifically, but quick to explain it away as a bout of mental illness. Sides quotes Cook's defenders and suggests that a battle-hungry Mai was partially to blame, but doesn't posit the idea that maybe Cook was acting on personal pride. Sides also made the mistake of wondering why the natives didn't fight back. Fear and cultural destruction are powerful tools and Cook knew how to utilize them effectively. I'm still not convinced that Cook was "unique" in his respect for Indigenous peoples, for his acts of violence prove he really was no different than any other 18th century Royal navyman. His treatment of Mai doesn't make for a fair argument because Mai had been indoctrinated as a beneficial tool for colonialism. However, if you can overlook these flaws, you will learn the finer details of Cook's final voyage in a detailed, accessible and compelling way. I do enjoy Sides' narrative voice very much, I only wish they had been a bit more critical and objective of Cook. Since this book only covers Cook's final voyage, the reader is given minimal insight into Cook's mindset on the previous two. If a reader is already fully familiar with Cook, perhaps some his actions would appear more "out of character." show less
I wasn't a fan of how Sides handled Cook's attack on Moorea. Not defensive of his actions specifically, but quick to explain it away as a bout of mental illness. Sides quotes Cook's defenders and suggests that a battle-hungry Mai was partially to blame, but doesn't posit the idea that maybe Cook was acting on personal pride. Sides also made the mistake of wondering why the natives didn't fight back. Fear and cultural destruction are powerful tools and Cook knew how to utilize them effectively. I'm still not convinced that Cook was "unique" in his respect for Indigenous peoples, for his acts of violence prove he really was no different than any other 18th century Royal navyman. His treatment of Mai doesn't make for a fair argument because Mai had been indoctrinated as a beneficial tool for colonialism. However, if you can overlook these flaws, you will learn the finer details of Cook's final voyage in a detailed, accessible and compelling way. I do enjoy Sides' narrative voice very much, I only wish they had been a bit more critical and objective of Cook. Since this book only covers Cook's final voyage, the reader is given minimal insight into Cook's mindset on the previous two. If a reader is already fully familiar with Cook, perhaps some his actions would appear more "out of character." show less
In the latter part of the 19th century much of the world was gripped what could be called Arctic fever. As one of the last untapped regions of the world, nations were eager to be the first to reach the North Pole. The prevailing theory of the time, believed by many to be indisputable fact, was that beyond the ice pack of the northern latitudes was an Open Polar Sea, the waters temperate and the climate mild.
After taking part in an Arctic rescue mission to find the remaining survivors of the show more Polaris off the coast of Greenland, American Navy Lt.George W. DeLong was eager to return. Upon his return to the United States he worked tirelessly to find a way to captain his, own Arctic expedition. With the funding of the affluent newspaperman James Gordon Bennett, Jr. and the support of the U.S. Navy, DeLong embarked from San Francisco for the Bearing Strait convinced that this as yet untried route would successfully take him to the top of the world.
However shortly after crossing through the Strait, DeLong's ship became trapped in the ice pack. The ship drifted for two years, heading generally northwest to regions approximately a thousand miles above Siberia. And there after popping free of the ice for abrief time in an unusually mild summer, their ship sank. DeLong and his men made a desperate march across ice flows, towing their cutters in search of land, hoping beyond hope to reach salvation in Siberia.
This is a tale both harrowing and heroic. Told in a narrative style reminiscent of Laura Hildebrank and Erik Larson, this book was a genuine, late-night, keeping me up late into the night. Sides had access to a treasure of previously unpublished correspondence between DeLong and his wife Emma, which he incorporated throughout the book, which gave the reader a strong sense of connection to them both. This is by far the best non-fiction book I have read this year and in reality one of the best books I have read in all of 2014. I highly recommend it to fans of the history of exploration or adventure in general. show less
After taking part in an Arctic rescue mission to find the remaining survivors of the show more Polaris off the coast of Greenland, American Navy Lt.George W. DeLong was eager to return. Upon his return to the United States he worked tirelessly to find a way to captain his, own Arctic expedition. With the funding of the affluent newspaperman James Gordon Bennett, Jr. and the support of the U.S. Navy, DeLong embarked from San Francisco for the Bearing Strait convinced that this as yet untried route would successfully take him to the top of the world.
However shortly after crossing through the Strait, DeLong's ship became trapped in the ice pack. The ship drifted for two years, heading generally northwest to regions approximately a thousand miles above Siberia. And there after popping free of the ice for abrief time in an unusually mild summer, their ship sank. DeLong and his men made a desperate march across ice flows, towing their cutters in search of land, hoping beyond hope to reach salvation in Siberia.
This is a tale both harrowing and heroic. Told in a narrative style reminiscent of Laura Hildebrank and Erik Larson, this book was a genuine, late-night, keeping me up late into the night. Sides had access to a treasure of previously unpublished correspondence between DeLong and his wife Emma, which he incorporated throughout the book, which gave the reader a strong sense of connection to them both. This is by far the best non-fiction book I have read this year and in reality one of the best books I have read in all of 2014. I highly recommend it to fans of the history of exploration or adventure in general. show less
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