"The Battle of Midway" is a great read for naval history aficionados as well as for those who want to learn more about this pivotal battle of World War II but don't know too much about military history, as Symonds is fairly careful to explain the terms he uses which may not be known to the casual reader.
The book begins with the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack in December, 1941, and includes the events (the Battle of the Coral Sea, etc.) that lead up to the Battle of Midway in June, 1942. It is difficult to imagine the psychological shock that Pearl Harbor inflicted on Americans, and how this pervaded the atmosphere at the time. The battle itself is dissected with care, one event after another. Symonds seems particularly interested in documenting a case against those who feel that the U.S. won the Battle of Midway because of luck, and does so convincingly.