Free Downloads The Devil's Causeway: The True Story Of America's First Prisoners Of War In The Philippines, And The Heroic Expedition Sent To Their Rescue
> Read more Read less See all buying options The Devil's Causeway: The True Story of America's First Prisoners of War in the Philippines, and the Heroic Expedition Sent to Their Rescue $21.40 FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books. Only 2 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by .com. Gift-wrap available.
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Lyons Press; Complete Numbers Starting with 1, 1st Ed edition (September 18, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0762780290
ISBN-13: 978-0762780297
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.5 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,136,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #99 in Books > History > Military > Prisoners of War #157 in Books > History > Asia > Philippines #11384 in Books > History > Military > United States
I had the good fortune of living and working in the Philippines for six years, and have explored much of the Cordillera and Baler terrain that provide the tapestry for this remarkable and rarely examined period in the shared history of the Philippines and the United States. Westfall's impeccable research and mastery of fact alone make this book an important read, but it is his the telling of the story, marked by great passion, imagination and tense pacing that make it a must have. Through Westfall's eyes you feel the incredible privation and heartbreak experienced by captive sailors, by the soldiers sent overland for months to rescue them, and by the Filipinos struggling to assert their independence from their new colonial masters. Perhaps that is the greatest achievement of this book: there are heroes and villains aplenty on both sides, and through their stories you will learn a lot more than you ever expected about this chapter in American history.
This book has been compared to "Band of Brothers" and "Citizen Soldiers" with good reason. Like Stephen Ambrose, Westfall combines rigorous research, 1sth hand accounts of the era, and a wonderfully compelling narrative style.After having thought about the book for a while, however, I realize that it's something more than that. Although not a biography, in style and substance, The Devil's Causeway has much in common with books by Chernow or David McCullough. Westfall employs spare, yet highly evocative descriptions (a "freckle-faced" young man who weighs in at, "a windblown 111 pounds") with nail-biting adventure (I won't give any of that away), and serious historical chops.The bottom line is that this is a really fantastic book - and I hope it will not be Westfall's last.
I came upon this book completely by accident while browsing through a store. As someone into Philippine history and as an amateur historian, I feel that this book is a great contribution to the period known as the Philippine-American War.Matthew Westfall has written an eye-opening account of a chapter in an oft-forgotten part of the history between the Philippines and the United States. While the main focus of the book is the account of the capture and rescue of the Gillmore party, the author has also provided snippets of how America went about its mission of "benevolent assimilation" in the islands.Very impressive is the meticulous research Westfall put into his work. He breathes life into the personalities such as the vain Gillmore, the feral Novicio and others. The characterizations are vivid, giving the reader engaging images of all the players.Moreover, recreating the tracks of the Gillmore party's trek through central and northern Luzon is no mean feat and all the more adds to the overall quality of storytelling.For people with more than a passing interest in the history of the relationship between the Philippines and the United States, this is a book worthy to be added to one's library.More to come please...
I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book, as I've seen a lot of poorly written history written about my country. But this title was strongly recommended by a friend so I gave it a chance.Wow.How is it this incredible story was never taught in our schools and we're only hearing about it now? How did the author even find all the photos that appear in the book? What a treat!This entertaining book offers a lot more than just a story of what is touted as America's first prisoners of war in the Philippines and their rescue. On a broader level, it's really more of a riveting exploration into the very roots America colonial ambitions in the Philippines and the tragic, unfortunate and probably unnecessary war that followed. I greatly appreciate the effort the author took to tell the story in a factual, even-handed way, where we come to learn our war with America wasn't one big 'black and white' morality tale, as has often been put forward, but rather a complex event nuanced with many shades of gray.With the excellent, exhaustive research undertaken to back up the writing, this is an important contribution to my country's history, and I truly hope to see more books like this in the future.My verdict: Highly recommended... read this one for sure. (Before it becomes a movie!)
Carefully researched and beautifully written, The Devil's Causeway is a masterful tale that keeps the reader fully engaged. This narrative is a little-known story that is presented in such a way that the reader cannot wait to turn the page to see what happens next. Matthew Westfall is hitting on all cylinders in this book. His use of primary documents along with his on-the-scene investigations makes this story come alive. Even if the reader has not been to the Cordillera mountain range, Westfall's writing takes us all there. One is not surprised to find that Westfall is also a film maker because this book is like watching a movie unfold--and you don't want it to end. The well-deserved praise that Westfall is receiving for this book is garnering him many fans who cannot wait to read his next book. I am one of those fans waiting for Westfall's next book.
The Devil's Causeway: The True Story of America's First Prisoners of War in the Philippines, and the Heroic Expedition Sent to Their Rescue Aspects of Philippine Culture: Pre-history of the Philippines; Architecture in the Philippines; Music of the Philippines; Muslim Folk Art in the Philippines; Mountain Folk Art; Folk Festivals of the Philippines; Contemporary Painting of the Philippines The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue (True Storm Rescues) The Airmen and the Headhunters: A True Story of Lost Soldiers, Heroic Tribesmen and the Unlikeliest Rescue of World War II The Finest Hours: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue Legend: A Harrowing Story from the Vietnam War of One Green Beret's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines Legend: The Incredible Story of Green Beret Sergeant Roy Benavidez's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines A God Sent Kind of Love: A Christian Romance Story NASA Voyager 1 & 2 Owners' Workshop Manual - 1977 onwards (VGR77-1 to VGR77-3, including Pioneer 10 & 11): An insight into the history, technology, ... sent to study the outer planets and beyond Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973 Dog Tags #3: Prisoners of War le Pouvoir du moment présent (The Power of Now, French edition) Sent (The Missing, Book 2) The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks The Devil's Due and Other Stories: The Devil's Due, The Portal, Disfigured, Empathy, and Epitaph (International Thriller Writers Presents: Thriller, Vol. 1) Avenue of Spies: A True Story of Terror, Espionage, and One American Family's Heroic Resistance in Nazi-Occupied Paris Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II Devil in the Making: The Devil DeVere The Devil Is a Part-Timer, Vol. 6 - manga (The Devil Is a Part-Timer! Manga) Planes: Fire & Rescue (Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue) (Little Golden Book)
