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cover title author isbn 141659728X
isbn13 9781416597285
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num pages
752
pp
avg rating 4.07
num ratings 28
date pub 2010
date pub edition Sep 21, 2010
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votes # times read 1
date started Dec 27, 2010
date read Jun 14, 2011
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cover title author isbn 0316097845
isbn13 9780316097840
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num pages
559
pp
avg rating 4.24
num ratings 275
date pub May 01, 2012
date pub edition May 01, 2012
Steeljaw's rating my rating review book follows the paths of four Naval officers who rose to hold the highest rank in the US Navy at the end of the Second World War – the five-star rank...more
book follows the paths of four Naval officers who rose to hold the highest rank in the US Navy at the end of the Second World War – the five-star rank of Fleet Admiral. Borneman uses an interesting approach for this comparative biography, but in a manner different than what Larrabee took in his work (Commander in Chief: FDR His Lieutenants and Their War). While Larrabee’s work bound several biographies together, Borneman instead follows all four of his subjects through the epochs that preceded the Navy’s involvement in WW2, an approach that works very well for gaining an understanding of the changes that brought the Navy from the Olympia at Manila Bay, to the massive Fleet extant in 1945, barely 47 years later. With wide ranging backgrounds (Nimitz was born to German immigrants in Texas while Halsey hailed form a family of sailors) each had a particular style and means to accomplish their goals – and personalities to match. Borneman carefully weaves the personal stories through the larger narrative of societal and technological changes in the world as seen through the Navy’s lens. The faults and shortcomings of each are found alongside their triumphs as we follow the progression of their respective careers. I am especially pleased at the inclusion of Leahy – an oversight I thought on Larrabee’s part. Nimitz, Halsey and King have all been pretty well highlighted for their efforts during the war – especially the first two. To a degree, that is expected given that those three were acting directly in the Service – from Halsey at the lead, Nimitz overseeing a vast theater and actions as disparate as fast carrier task group operations to amphibious landings, an active submarine war against the Japanese merchant fleet and the logistics to make it all work; and King in the dualist role of man/train/equip that is the CNO’s portfolio and balancing with the operational oversight of a Navy engaged in a global fight. Leahy, retired and serving as Ambassador to France was recalled as FDR’s Chief of Staff and had the task, if not the formal title, of being the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, compelling the Navy, Army and Army Air Force to work the joint fight (not always successfully). Another contribution of Leahy, highlighted in the book, was his insistence on including State in planning, especially for the post-war years. An important aspect of historical works is their ability to provide insight and application in the here and now – otherwise it is merely an academic exercise. One of the first observations of today’s reader would be that each of these individuals had one or more events or personality traits that would lead to early termination in today’s Service (to wit, the almost weekly detailing of CO firings found in Navy Times). It is worth noting, however, the values and ethics these four shared remain relevant today – perseverance in the face of adversity, dedication to personal technical and warfighting competency, devotion to Service and those under your command, and personal accountability along with a certain openess to new ideas, new technology and different ways of doing business. At the risk of using a word that is justifiably pilloried today, they nonetheless developed and implemented transformational plans, policies and operations without transformation becoming an end unto itself. Criticisms are few – I would, for example, have liked a bit more about King’s work in fighting the Battle of the Atlantic and there were a few editorial discontinuities to be expected in a pre-publication edition. Overall – a very good work and one worth including on a list of professional reading. On a scale of 1-5 stars I would rate it a 4.5 and definite buy.(less)
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date started Apr 30, 2012
date read Jul 17, 2012
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cover title author isbn 0226650030
isbn13 9780226650036
asin
num pages
360
pp
avg rating 4.00
num ratings 1
date pub 2009
date pub edition Sep 01, 2009
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date started Feb 10, 2010
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cover title author isbn 0553805398
isbn13 9780553805390
asin
num pages
334
pp
avg rating 3.49
num ratings 87
date pub 2009
date pub edition Jan 27, 2009
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cover title author isbn 1857231945
isbn13 9781857231946
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num pages
263
pp
avg rating 3.53
num ratings 2,901
date pub unknown
date pub edition 1995
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cover title author isbn 0805081429
isbn13 9780805081428
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num pages
416
pp
avg rating 4.01
num ratings 163
date pub Sep 15, 2009
date pub edition Sep 15, 2009
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cover title author isbn
isbn13 9780141962825
asin
num pages
128
pp
avg rating 3.33
num ratings 20,047
date pub 1933
date pub edition Mar 03, 2011
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cover title author isbn 0553213970
isbn13 9780553213973
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num pages
240
pp
avg rating 3.76
num ratings 50,123
date pub 1864
date pub edition Apr 25, 2006
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cover title author isbn 0449213943
isbn13 9780449213940
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num pages
296
pp
avg rating 3.79
num ratings 113,445
date pub Jan 29, 1929
date pub edition Mar 12, 1987
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cover title author isbn 0316289361
isbn13 9780316289368
asin
num pages
304
pp
avg rating 4.23
num ratings 2,549
date pub 1938
date pub edition Sep 30, 1985
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cover title author isbn 1591142865
isbn13 9781591142867
asin
num pages
416
pp
avg rating 4.14
num ratings 7
date pub Mar 01, 2009
date pub edition Mar 01, 2009
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cover title author isbn 0439554934
isbn13 9780439554930
asin
num pages
310
pp
avg rating 4.35
num ratings 1,843,214
date pub 1997
date pub edition Nov 01, 2003
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cover title author isbn 142640607X
isbn13 9781426406072
asin
num pages
348
pp
avg rating 3.58
num ratings 8,846
date pub 1922
date pub edition Oct 11, 2007
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cover title author isbn 0310276993
isbn13 9780310276999
asin
num pages
334
pp
avg rating 3.76
num ratings 78,566
date pub May 02, 2002
date pub edition Feb 01, 2007
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cover title author isbn 0765317583
isbn13 9780765317582
asin
num pages
352
pp
avg rating 3.92
num ratings 9,481
date pub unknown
date pub edition Mar 17, 2009
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cover title author isbn 0060541814
isbn13 9780060541811
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num pages
327
pp
avg rating 3.77
num ratings 88,952
date pub 1969
date pub edition Oct 28, 2003
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cover title author isbn 0375753141
isbn13 9780375753145
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num pages
448
pp
avg rating 3.70
num ratings 9,896
date pub 1920
date pub edition Nov 01, 2000
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cover title author isbn 0743477111
isbn13 9780743477116
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num pages
283
pp
avg rating 3.72
num ratings 931,327
date pub 1597
date pub edition Jan 01, 2004
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cover title author isbn 0785729194
isbn13 9780785729198
asin
num pages
832
pp
avg rating 4.14
num ratings 11,223
date pub 1971
date pub edition Oct 12, 1988
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cover title author isbn 0449203794
isbn13 9780449203798
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num pages
808
pp
avg rating 3.88
num ratings 2,776
date pub Jan 01, 1982
date pub edition Sep 12, 1983
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cover title author isbn 0425202399
isbn13 9780425202395
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num pages
448
pp
avg rating 3.73
num ratings 488
date pub Apr 2004
date pub edition May 03, 2005
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cover title author isbn 0553296981
isbn13 9780553296983
asin
num pages
283
pp
avg rating 4.05
num ratings 924,817
date pub Jan 01, 1947
date pub edition Jun 01, 1993
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cover title author isbn 0140275363
isbn13 9780140275360
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num pages
683
pp
avg rating 3.76
num ratings 131,392
date pub -800
date pub edition Nov 01, 1998
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isbn13
asin
num pages
464
pp
avg rating 3.90
num ratings 18,639
date pub 1988
date pub edition Aug 22, 1994
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cover title author isbn 0312908695
isbn13 9780312908690
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num pages unknown
avg rating 2.78
num ratings 23
date pub 1986
date pub edition unknown
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cover title author isbn 1594202710
isbn13 9781594202711
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num pages
608
pp
avg rating 4.00
num ratings 1,302
date pub Jan 01, 2011
date pub edition May 17, 2011
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date started Sep 18, 2011
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cover title author isbn 0618346252
isbn13 9780618346257
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num pages
398
pp
avg rating 4.27
num ratings 823,820
date pub 1954
date pub edition Sep 05, 2003
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cover title author isbn 1841767492
isbn13 9781841767499
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num pages
96
pp
avg rating 4.00
num ratings 1
date pub 2004
date pub edition Oct 22, 2004
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cover title author isbn 0393035581
isbn13 9780393035582
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num pages
272
pp
avg rating 4.35
num ratings 2,893
date pub 1993
date pub edition Nov 17, 1993
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cover title author isbn 0375832831
isbn13 9780375832833
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num pages
160
pp
avg rating 3.89
num ratings 4,035
date pub Jan 01, 1964
date pub edition Apr 26, 2005
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