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6th out of 72 books
—
5 voters
Left for Dead
Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The ship sank in 14 minutes. More than 1,000 men were thrown into shark-infested waters. Those who survived the fiery sinking—some injured, many without life jackets—struggled to stay afloat in shark-infested waters as they waited for rescue. But the United States Navy did not...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
November 11th 2003
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
(first published 2002)
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Left for Dead was a fabulous read that told the story of the USS Indianapolis and how the captain was wrongly accused. The book starts of talking about a boy named Hunter Scott who heard about the sinking of the Indy from Jaws and decided to look into it. He sends something out to find some of the survivors so that he can interview them. Maurice Bell responds, so Hunter goes to interview him and hears the story of the Indy. It all started with World War 2. The Indy was sent to help but a kamakaz...more
I chose this because right before I saw this book in the library I watched an intresting documentary on USS Indianapolis.Also in the book the author writes the words the USS Indianapolis crew members said.In the story the conflict happens when the USS Indianapolis sinks into the shark infested water of the South Pacific and the men are left to survive with no food or drink. The navy does not know there missing even though the Captain of the USS Indianapolis, Captain Mcvay sent out 3 sos signals...more
Left for Dead by Pete Nelson is the story of a boy who tried to change a 50-year-old ruling on the captain of the Indianapolis, a World War Two battle ship sunk by the Japanese. The highest-ranking officer, Captain McVay, was court-martialed and eventually blamed for the sinking. They ruled that negligence on the part of Captain McVay caused the Indianapolis to sink.
In Left for Dead, Nelson follows the quest of Hunter Scott, a sixteen-year-old boy who tries to gain justice for the Indianapolis s...more
In Left for Dead, Nelson follows the quest of Hunter Scott, a sixteen-year-old boy who tries to gain justice for the Indianapolis s...more
Left for Dead
Non fiction
226 pages
Left for dead is a very interesting book about leadership, survival, and reaction. This book was about the crisis; of the U.S.S Indianapolis which was a ship that was sunk in by an enemies suberine. This book tells a stogies of a boy who sought to learn more than anyone ever found out about the U.S.S India and how his mission soon changed from hoping to win the national history project, to clearing the captain of that ships name after the captain had been wrongly...more
Non fiction
226 pages
Left for dead is a very interesting book about leadership, survival, and reaction. This book was about the crisis; of the U.S.S Indianapolis which was a ship that was sunk in by an enemies suberine. This book tells a stogies of a boy who sought to learn more than anyone ever found out about the U.S.S India and how his mission soon changed from hoping to win the national history project, to clearing the captain of that ships name after the captain had been wrongly...more
Read it in seventh grade. This book was quite exciting It kept me wanting to read on. I really felt as if I were a part of the adventure of the combat. It was a great thriller and at the same time a great lesson in history. It is a war time classic. Any one who enjoys an action war thriller or a good non-fiction book would absolutely love to read this. I found this kept my interest. I do have to say that the book starts out a bit slow, but towards the middle it speeds up into a fast pace adventu...more
The authors purpose of this book was to inform readers about how the U.S.S Indianapolis was sank and there was not a lot of information about the U.S.S Indianapolis. The purpose of this book is not even near to entertain a reader what some of these men had to go through is horrific and terrifying that no one on this planet earth could live through. The theme in "Left for Dead" is not and easy lesson to see right away, but it is in there and once you finish the book its pretty clear what the the...more
If you're a fan of the movie Jaws, you know Quint's story about his survival of the USS Indianapolis disaster. After delivering the atom bomb to Tinian (unknown to the crew, who thought the crates in the hold were toilet paper for General MacArthur), the cruiser Indianapolis was sent on a routine mission to the Leyte Gulf to transport troops and join in gunning practice. Lacking any destroyer escort, they were torpedoed by a Japanese sub, plunging the surviving crew members into a nightmarish or...more
Well, this book, in my opinion was pretty neat. I think the author's purpose for this book was to show people how and why many sailors died on the Indianapolis. Also, to show how wrongly Captain McVay was treated in the aftermath. Court Martial-ed? Are you kidding me . . . many ships were sunk in WWII, but one man was apparently to blame for the tragedy.
The theme of this book is stated many times in-between the lines, to find justice for the captain of the USS Indianapolis. McVay was pretty mu...more
The theme of this book is stated many times in-between the lines, to find justice for the captain of the USS Indianapolis. McVay was pretty mu...more
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I would never consider myself into military history, but this book had me riveted. Heroism and injustice on such a large scale, and the power of one teenager to literally rewrite the historical record by challenging a navy court-martial. So it's not just my adoration of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men that makes me recommend this one absolutely for every reader, kid or adult. It's empowering, horrific, incredible stuff, and Pete Nelson did a superb job bringing the story alive on the page. I am goi...more
Jun 14, 2009
Wesley
added it
I read thsi book on a whim as it seemed like the only interesting book in the entire shelf. I don't regret my choice as this book turned out to be a really good read. The book recounts the disater of the USS Indianapolis, which was a naval vessel that was sunk by Japanese torpedoes. After the crew was rescued from the shark infested waters, the captain of the ship was wrongly lambasted by military brass. Because of this, the crew spent years trying to clear the captains name even after he died....more
Left for Dead is a story if the hundreds of men loyal men in the navy serving on the ship the USS Indianapolis. a japanese submarine hit the ship with two torpedoes during the night. this left over onethousand men stranded in the middle of the ocean covered in oil and gasoline from the engines.not only where they in the middle of the ocean they where in heavely shark infested waters left for dead.
one thing i liked about it is that this is a suspensful military story that an eigth grader can foll...more
one thing i liked about it is that this is a suspensful military story that an eigth grader can foll...more
I found this book a fascinating look at history and the attempt to cover it up. It's two stories, first a harrowing tribute to the WWII tragedy on the high seas, and second, the saga of a boy's efforts to change the way that history has been viewed. I'm giving this a 5, not because it is so fabulously written, it's not. My 5 star rating is based on a very personal aside that might not resonate with some. I have used parts of this book, totally out of context,in working with teens in a religious...more
Ostensibly, this book is aimed at young readers, but its compelling story grabs all readers and does not let go. This is really a book of two stories. The first is the story of the captain and crew of the USS Indianapolis which in 1945 delivered the atomic bomb to the island of Tinian to loaded on the planes bound for Japan, and then was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine on its way to the Philippines. Because of a lost communication line, breakdown of the chain of command, and just plai...more
This narrative combines the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II with a young (11-16 year old) man’s research and consequent work to bring justice to the dead captain who was unfairly blamed and court martialed for the sinking. The story of the sinking is told with focus on six of the men who experienced it, all interviewed by the young man who became fascinated with the story as part of a history fair presentation. The story is tastefully told, but contains the graph...more
Wow, what a story and it's true! I had to struggle a bit as I read these chapters, The Guilty and The Court-Marshal with all the names and facts to keep focus. It's hard to believe it all started with a father and son watching the movie, Jaws. This is a must read for everyone for many reasons; Yes history can be rewritten, yes a a young boy can make a major impact, and our leaders do make mistakes, grave mistakes. This book is nor for the "faint of heart."
Here is a summary from Google: Just afte...more
Here is a summary from Google: Just afte...more
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title;left for dead
publisher;November 11th 2003 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Left for dead was a book that had alot of impact on the reader as you read it. Because it talks about these sailors who were in the SS indianopolis and they were shot and sunk by a japanese submarine during World War 2 and the book tells the story of the survivors, what they had to endure and why they weren't rescued for weeks to come. The book includes the before and after, like the "accidental" court martial...more
publisher;November 11th 2003 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Left for dead was a book that had alot of impact on the reader as you read it. Because it talks about these sailors who were in the SS indianopolis and they were shot and sunk by a japanese submarine during World War 2 and the book tells the story of the survivors, what they had to endure and why they weren't rescued for weeks to come. The book includes the before and after, like the "accidental" court martial...more
Pete Nelson
164 pages
Non fiction
Left for Dead by Pete Nelson is the story of a boy who tried to change a 50-year-old ruling on the captain of the Indianapolis, a World War Two battle ship sunk by the Japanese. The captain of the ship captain McVay was blamed for the sinking. This book was full of suspence and mystery of how the men who survived the sinking had to survive through 3 days into the saltwater with sharks at there feet and almost nothing to drink or eat. Most people can't go a day. In...more
164 pages
Non fiction
Left for Dead by Pete Nelson is the story of a boy who tried to change a 50-year-old ruling on the captain of the Indianapolis, a World War Two battle ship sunk by the Japanese. The captain of the ship captain McVay was blamed for the sinking. This book was full of suspence and mystery of how the men who survived the sinking had to survive through 3 days into the saltwater with sharks at there feet and almost nothing to drink or eat. Most people can't go a day. In...more
I must admit, I am a true slacker when it comes to reading (this is my first entry on GoodReads, and there's less than a week left before the end of the quarter - sorry Miss Grimm!*). I needed a book off the required reading list that could also count as a non-fiction, and Left For Dead fit the bill. Who knew killing two birds with one stone could be so, uh, informational? It's not lengthy (a mere 191 pages) and it showcases one of the Navy's biggest disasters during the end of WWll. Written by...more
This is a perfect example of a non-fiction book that reads more like a novel. It is actually two stories in one. First, the story of the men who were on the US Indianapolis when it was torpedoed during World War II; stories of those who survived and the fate of the ship's captain. Second, the story of an eleven year old boy from Florida and his interest in the Indianapolis as a history fair project. HIs research , which includes libraries, microfiche of old newspaper, letters, and personal inter...more
Nov 26, 2008
Jess
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
junior high / high school guys, WWII fans, someone wanting a reason to like Joe Scarborough
Recommended to Jess by:
practicum book talk
Hunter Scott saw Jaws and the story of the sinking of USS Indianapolis told within it prompted him to use it as a history fair project. Hundreds of hours of research (including incredible numbers of survivor interviews) and four years later, he found himself on NBC Nightly News, Letterman, and testifying in front of a Senate hearing trying to overturn a court martial.
Technically I haven't read it cover to cover yet, but I liked what I saw. It's a bit too military/detailed for me at times but th...more
Technically I haven't read it cover to cover yet, but I liked what I saw. It's a bit too military/detailed for me at times but th...more
Slightly familar with the story I was riveted to read the first hand accounts of the survivors. This is a book aimed at a younger audience and there were enough details to be horrifying without dwelling on them. The medical issues were explained in easy to understand language.
This is the story of the men who went through it, and the boy who was inspired to find out what happened after seeing their story mentioned in the movie Jaws. It shows what happens when people work together to uncover th...more
This is the story of the men who went through it, and the boy who was inspired to find out what happened after seeing their story mentioned in the movie Jaws. It shows what happens when people work together to uncover th...more
Just after midnight on july,30 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The ship sank in fourteen minutes. More than a thousand men were thrown into sharkinfested waters. Those who survived the fiery sinking-some injured, many without life jackets-struggled to stay afloat as they were missing.
The navy needed a capegoat for this disaster. So it courtmartialed the captain for "hazarding" his ship. The survivors of the Indianapolis knew that their captain was not to blame...more
The navy needed a capegoat for this disaster. So it courtmartialed the captain for "hazarding" his ship. The survivors of the Indianapolis knew that their captain was not to blame...more
Left For Dead
244 pages
Pete Nelson
I read the book Left For Dead. In this book you will learn about the U.S.S Indianapolis. The U.S.S Indianapolis was a battle ship from WWII. This ship was used to transport a nuclear bomb that was used to bomb Hiroshima. Next, you will learn about how the ship sank and who sank it. The major idea in the book is about the actual people who survived the sinking of the ship. The survivors share about the horrors they encountered as the ship sank. They retell accoun...more
244 pages
Pete Nelson
I read the book Left For Dead. In this book you will learn about the U.S.S Indianapolis. The U.S.S Indianapolis was a battle ship from WWII. This ship was used to transport a nuclear bomb that was used to bomb Hiroshima. Next, you will learn about how the ship sank and who sank it. The major idea in the book is about the actual people who survived the sinking of the ship. The survivors share about the horrors they encountered as the ship sank. They retell accoun...more
Fascinating book. I read this book after discussing with a friend Robert Shaw's (Quint's) "Jaws" monologue on being a survivor of the USS Indianapolis. [You know the scene: "...eleven hundred men went into the water. 316 men come out, sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945....Anyway, we delivered the bomb." Definitely in the pantheon of Best Film Monologues of All Time.]
Eleven-year-old Hunter Scott finds himself in the living room with his dad, watching "Jaws." The kid can hardly believe what...more
Eleven-year-old Hunter Scott finds himself in the living room with his dad, watching "Jaws." The kid can hardly believe what...more
Left for dead was a book that had alot of impact on the reader as you read it. Because it talks about these sailors who were in the SS indianopolis and they were shot and sunk by a japanese submarine during World War 2 and the book tells the story of the survivors, what they had to endure and why they weren't rescued for weeks to come. The book includes the before and after, like the "accidental" court martial of the captain. and everything else including how a child called hunter cleared the ca...more
May 13, 2013
Aknox
added it
I thought the book was really good. It talked about the trials and tribulations of the men on the Indianapolis ship. It talked about the survival guide on a man who survived the sinking. Hunter, a boy who did a research paper on the Indianapolis, and discovered a mystery that hasn't been noticed. Left For Dead has sadness and descriptive despair. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn about history or someone who will love to hear a story of old navy sailors.
I thought thi...more
I thought thi...more
Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The ship sank in 14 minutes. More than 1,000 men were thrown into shark-infested waters. Those who survived the fiery sinking—some injured, many without life jackets—struggled to stay afloat in shark-infested waters as they waited for rescue. But the United States Navy did not even know they were missing. The Navy needed a scapegoat for this disaster. So it court-martialed the captain for “hazarding...more
This is a fascinating infomational book. The first part of the book covers the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during WWII and the court martial of its Captain. In the second half an eleven-year-old boy (55 years later) researches the event and works diligently for a few years to exonerate the Captain. Left for Dead is in the juvenile nonfiction area at my local library. I think this title is suitable for high school age students and just OK for middle school age children. There are dozens of bl...more
This book is an amazing example of how first-person research makes such a difference. Hunter Scott was in middle school when he started asking questions about the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. When he tried researching his questions at the library, he found very few answers. Rather than shrugging off his curiosity, he started tracking down the survivors and asking them questions for a history fair project. This book retells their stories and their quest for reversing the court-ma...more
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Pete Nelson lives with his wife and son in Westchester, New York. He got his MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1979 and has written both fiction and non-fiction for magazines, including Harpers, Playboy, Esquire, MS, Outside, The Iowa Review, National Wildlife, Glamour, Redbook. He was a columnist for Mademoiselle and a staff writer for LIVE Magazine, covering various live event...more
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