Days of Infamy - Hardcover

Newt Gingrich; William R. Forstchen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312363516 ISBN 13: 9780312363512

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 2008

Synopsis

“Absolutely brilliant! Fast paced and filled with tension and suspense. Every page resonates with the momentous events and great personalities of World War II – and scenes so carefully crafted you feel like you’re there. This is a ‘must read’ for all who look at history and wonder: “What if...” -- Oliver North, Lt. Col., USMC (Ret.), host of War Stories on the Fox News Channel

In 2007, bestselling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen launched a new epic adventure series about World War II in the Pacific, with their book Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December 8th, 1941, which instantly rocketed to the New York Times bestseller list.

Gingrich and Forstchen’s now critically acclaimed approach, which they term “active history,” examines how a change in but one decision might have profoundly altered American history. In Pearl Harbor they explored how history might have been changed if Admiral Yamamoto had directly led the attack on that fateful day, instead of remaining in Japan. Building on that promise, Days of Infamy starts minutes after the close of Pearl Harbor, as both sides react to the monumental events triggered by the presence of Admiral Yamamoto. In direct command of the six carriers of the attacking fleet, Yamamoto decides to launch a fateful “third-wave attack” on the island of Oahu, and then keeps his fleet in the area to hunt down the surviving American aircraft carriers, which by luck and fate were not anchored in the harbor on that day.

Historians have often speculated about what might have transpired from legendary “matchups” of great generals and admirals. In this story of the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the notorious gambler Yamamoto is pitted against the equally legendary American admiral Bill Halsey in a battle of wits, nerve, and skill.
Days of Infamy recounts this alternative history from a multitude of viewpoints---from President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and the two great admirals, on down to American pilots flying antiquated aircraft, bravely facing the vastly superior Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft. Gingrich and Forstchen have written a sequel that’s as much a homage to the survivors of the real Pearl Harbor attack as it is an imaginative and thrilling take on America’s entry into World War II.

Praise for the first book in the Pacific War Series, Pearl Harbor:

"A thrilling tale of American's darkest day."
--W.E.B. Griffin

"Masterful storytelling that not only captures the heroic highs and hellish lows of that horrific day which lives on in infamy--it resonates with today's conflicts and challeneges."
--William E. Butterworth IV, New York Times bestselling author of The Saboteurs

"A politician and a novelist, each an accomplished historian in his own right, are emerging as  master authors of alternative history.  In this “what if” treatment of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen combine their talents to make the diplomacy as suspenseful as the combat, even for readers who know what happens next–or think they know."
--Dennis Showalter, former president of the Society of Military Historians

"This book is not only a great read, it is a fascinating historical story that applies today in Iraq as it did in the Western Pacific in the late 30s and 40s."
--Captain Alex Fraser, USN (Ret.)

About this title

From the Back Cover:

New York Times bestselling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen deliver a bold new military adventure about the aftermath of Pearl Harbor in

DAYS OF INFAMY

America is still reeling after epic events in Hawaii. The legendary admiral Bill Halsey is pitted against the notorious gambler Admiral Yamamoto—who has launched a fateful “third-wave attack” on the island of Oahu—in a battle of wits, nerve, and skill. Meanwhile, the hunt for the Japanese fleet is on... Days of Infamy stars an amazing array of characters—from President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and the two great admirals to the U.S. pilots bravely facing the vastly superior Imperial Japanese Navy. A military tour de force, Gingrich and Forstchen’s “what if” novel is as much an homage to the survival of the real Pearl Harbor attack as it is a bold and thrilling take on America’s entry into World War II.

“fascinating.”—Roanoke Times  

“The authors’ research shines in accurate accounts of diplomatic maneuvering as well as the nuts-and-bolts of military action.”—Publishers Weekly

About the Author:

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is the author of several bestselling books, including Gettysburg and Grant Comes East. He is a member of the Defense Policy Board and co-chair of the UN Task Force, is the longest-serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting course for Major Generals, served in Congress for twenty years, and was Time magazine’s 1995 “Man of the Year.” He is also the founder of the Center for Health Transformation. He resides in Virginia with his wife, Callista. The Gingrich family includes two daughters, two sons-in-law, and two grandchildren.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0312363516
• ISBN 13: 9780312363512
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 369
• Editor: Albert S. Hanser