1942: The Year That Tried Men's Souls

I've read a lot about the major WWII Pacific and north African campaigns of '42, a year that began for the US in December 1941 with the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, ending with major Allied victories in north Africa and the Pacific the following December 1942. So what could the author possibly tell me I didn't already know?

Not much, but it wasn't what he said as it was how he said it.

Mr. Groom's narrative was gripping without providing much new information I had not read previously. Nonetheless, while I knew the outcomes, I was still compelled to read, often depressed and sad as he described the world-changing events taking place almost every day of 1942.

Mr. Groom told the story of this pivotal war year in such show more a way as to make me feel I personally lived through it. He personalized facts I knew well making me, the reader, feel more like a participant.

If you have little knowledge of WWII and would like to learn more. If you need help making sense of many of the major war events, many of which occured in 1942. If, like me, you have read numerous books about WWII, read this one.

1942 is, arguably, the key year of the war for combatants and civilians alike. This book will help you understand why while at the same time making you feel as though you had been there when it all happened. show less

Before starting, I wanted to apologize for getting this on here a few days late. I’ve had a weird couple of days.
I kept going back and forth between giving this book 3/5 stars or 4/5 stars. This is mainly because - coming into this book after reading Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile - I had relatively high expectations for this book. (It’s also why it took me a couple of days to get the review together.) However, after thinking about it, I decided to go with 4/5 stars. This book was really good for what it was, and Groom presents good information on World War II with his focus on 1942. It was well done, but it didn’t grab my attention as much as I had hoped.

This book is a wonderfully entertaining if not entirely accurate popular history by a good author. The subject of the book is primarily operations of the United States armed forces during the year 1942. While some of the information supplied in the book is just plain wrong, (for example, where Groom refers to the carrier Saratoga as being involved in Midway ops, and another place he refers to a German Tiger tank as a "Mark IV") the author does give an accurate overview of World War Two from the American perspective, during this frightful year. One of the greatest strengths of this book are the jewels of little known anecdotes scattered throughout the story. If you are looking for a good leisurely read by an entertaining author, 1942 is show more a good choice and a worthy investment of couch time. Just be careful about quoting any facts from it. show less

Chronicles the events of WW2 in the year 1942. A page-turner with some horrific incidents recorded of the Japanese atrocities committed against the American POWs. Well written and well researched.

Easy to read - kind of "history light" - very informative and interesting but does not get bogged down in the minutia.
Groom follows specific individuals throughout and takes the reader back occasionally to "catch up" on their story - individuals well know as well as some mostly forgotten over time.

Cannot remember where I got this book from, but it was already on my shelf when I began my research project on Guadalcanal logistics for the GCMH program at the NWC. Was enjoyable to read and understand the larger issues going on throughout that year that included the first offensive in the Pacific. Became a helpful secondary source for my project.

Very readable, using info based upon personal accounts. Covers history leading up to WW2. Short chapters and concise personal accounts make it easy to put down and pick up again.