NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Eugene Sledge became more than a legend with his memoir, With The Old Breed. He became a chronicler, a historian, a storyteller who turns the extremes of the war in the Pacific—the terror, the camaraderie, the banal and the extraordinary—into terms we mortals can grasp.”—Tom Hanks In The Wall Street Journal, Victor Davis Hanson named With the Old Breed one of the top five books on epic twentieth-century battles. Studs Terkel interviewed the author for his definitive oral history, The Good War. Now E. B. Sledge’s acclaimed first-person account of fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa returns to thrill, edify, and inspire a new generation. An Alabama boy steeped in American history and enamored of such heroes as George Washington and Daniel Boone, Eugene B. Sledge became part of the war’s famous 1st Marine Division—3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Even after intense training, he was shocked to be thrown into the battle of Peleliu, where “the world was a nightmare of flashes, explosions, and snapping bullets.” By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic. Based on notes Sledge secretly kept in a copy of the New Testament, With the Old Breed captures with utter simplicity and searing honesty the experience of a soldier in the fierce Pacific Theater. Here is what saved, threatened, and changed his life. Here, too, is the story of how he learned to hate and kill—and came to love—his fellow man. “In all the literature on the Second World War, there is not a more honest, realistic or moving memoir than Eugene Sledge’s. This is the real deal, the real war: unvarnished, brutal, without a shred of sentimentality or false patriotism, a profound primer on what it actually was like to be in that war. It is a classic that will outlive all the armchair generals’ safe accounts of—not the ‘good war’—but the worst war ever.”—Ken Burns
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E.B. Sledge
Author
Eugene Bondurant Sledge was a United States Marine, university professor, and author. His 1981 memoir With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa chronicled his combat experiences during World War II and was used as source material for the Ken Burns PBS documentary The War (2007), as well as the HBO miniseries The Pacific (2010), in which he is portrayed by Joseph Mazzello.
With the Old Breed
by E.B. Sledge
Books Like With the Old Breed
If you're looking for books similar to With the Old Breed, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
Unbroken
Laura Hillenbrand
A remarkable true story of survival and resilience during World War II. The book follows Louis Zamperini's incredible journey from Olympic athlete to bombardier to prisoner of war. It captures the human spirit's ability to endure extreme hardship. Like Sledge's memoir, it offers a deeply personal account of wartime experiences.
Band of Brothers
Stephen E. Ambrose
A comprehensive account of Easy Company's experiences during World War II in the European Theater. Though set in a different theater of war, it shares similar themes of camaraderie and personal transformation. The book explores the human experience of soldiers under extreme conditions. It provides a comparable in-depth look at military life and combat.
Flags of Our Fathers
James Bradley
A powerful narrative about the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. The book explores the personal stories of the flag-raisers and their families. It provides a deeply human perspective on wartime sacrifice and heroism. Like Sledge's memoir, it offers an intimate look at the Pacific Theater's brutal combat experience.
Goodbye, Darkness
William Manchester
A powerful memoir of a Marine's experiences in the Pacific during World War II. Manchester provides a deeply personal and introspective account of combat. The book explores the psychological impact of war on soldiers. Like Sledge's memoir, it offers an unflinching look at the human experience of warfare.
The Things They Carried
Tim O'Brien
A powerful exploration of soldiers' experiences during the Vietnam War. O'Brien blends fiction and memoir to examine the psychological burdens of combat. The book delves into the emotional landscape of soldiers, similar to Sledge's introspective approach. It provides a profound meditation on war, memory, and human endurance.
Ghost Soldiers
Hampton Sides
A gripping account of a daring rescue mission during World War II in the Philippines. The book explores the experiences of prisoners of war and the soldiers who rescued them. It provides a detailed look at military heroism and human endurance. Similar to Sledge's work, it offers a deeply personal perspective on war.
Islands of the Damned
R.V. Burgin
Another Marine's memoir of the Pacific Theater during World War II. The book provides a personal account of combat experiences similar to Sledge's memoir. It explores the psychological and physical challenges faced by Marines. The narrative offers an intimate look at the human side of warfare.
The Bedford Boys
Alex Kershaw
A poignant account of soldiers from Bedford, Virginia, during D-Day. The book explores the impact of war on a small community and individual soldiers. It provides a deeply human perspective on military sacrifice. Like Sledge's memoir, it offers an intimate look at the personal experiences of soldiers.
Helmet for My Pillow
Robert Leckie
Another firsthand account of Marine experiences in the Pacific during World War II. Leckie's memoir captures the raw emotions and daily struggles of combat soldiers. The book provides a brutally honest portrayal of war similar to Sledge's work. It offers insights into the psychological impact of combat on young soldiers.
Neptune's Inferno
James D. Hornfischer
A comprehensive account of naval battles in the Pacific during World War II. The book provides detailed insights into the naval aspects of the Pacific Theater. It complements Sledge's ground-level perspective with a broader strategic view. The narrative captures the intensity and human cost of naval warfare.
Guadalcanal Diary
Richard Tregaskis
A classic firsthand account of the Guadalcanal campaign during World War II. The book provides an immediate, on-the-ground perspective of combat in the Pacific. It captures the daily experiences of Marines in a challenging environment. Like Sledge's memoir, it offers an unfiltered view of wartime experiences.
Fly Boys
James Bradley
A powerful account of American pilots in the Pacific during World War II. The book explores the experiences of young soldiers in a challenging combat environment. It provides insights into the human cost of war from an aerial perspective. Like Sledge's work, it offers a deeply personal and emotional narrative.
Black Hawk Down
Mark Bowden
A detailed account of modern urban warfare in Somalia. The book provides a minute-by-minute reconstruction of a complex military operation. It offers insights into military tactics and soldier experiences in challenging combat situations. Like Sledge's memoir, it presents a raw and unfiltered view of military conflict.
The Pacific
Hugh Ambrose
A comprehensive account of the Pacific Theater during World War II. The book provides a broader context for the experiences described in Sledge's memoir. It explores the experiences of various soldiers and units in the Pacific campaign. The narrative offers a detailed look at the war's complexity and human cost.
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