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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
Great book in audio format. Amazing part of WW2 history that we never hear about.
Code Talker is a memoir of one of the men who devised the Navajo code used to communicate during World War II. The code is described as the only unbroken code in modern warfare and is credited for helping assure victory in the South Pacific for the United States and its allies.
Although most of the book is devoted to the time spent by Chester Nez in the Marines and the South Pacific, it also covers his childhood and the years after he left the service. It includes some information on Navajo customs, revealed as they apply to the anecdotes told by Nez. Although the narrative touches on the horrors of the South Pacific battles during World War II, the descriptions are not graphic.
I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the code talkers. My father was a Marine in the South Pacific during World War II, and the efforts of the code talkers may have helped him survive. I was interested to read that Nez spent much of his time in the 3d Marine Division, the same as my father.
The descriptions of life as a Marine in the South Pacific are detailed and evocative. I really felt like I was on the beach, in the foxhole, or dodging enemy fire. Nez seems to be a positive, upbeat person. He touches on the racism Native Americans faced in the 1940s but doesn’t dwell on the matter or show any bitterness. One of the most interesting anecdotes was when he and a fellow code talker were loaned to the Army and two soldiers mistook them for Japanese soldiers (despite their Marine uniforms).
In an early chapter Nez discusses how the code was formed. The code was not simply normal spoken Navajo. Code words were used for letters of the alphabet and for military terms and equipment. I’ve never seen the movie Windtalkers but have read that it was not historically accurate and focused on white soldiers instead of the Navajo code talkers. The creation and use of the code is a topic that would make a great movie in the hands of the right people.
Code Talker was an easy book to read, and it moved along quickly. If you like reading about World War II or would like to learn more about this fascinating episode from Native American history, I definitely recommend Code Talker.
Although most of the book is devoted to the time spent by Chester Nez in the Marines and the South Pacific, it also covers his childhood and the years after he left the service. It includes some information on Navajo customs, revealed as they apply to the anecdotes told by Nez. Although the narrative touches on the horrors of the South Pacific battles during World War II, the descriptions are not graphic.
I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the code talkers. My father was a Marine in the South Pacific during World War II, and the efforts of the code talkers may have helped him survive. I was interested to read that Nez spent much of his time in the 3d Marine Division, the same as my father.
The descriptions of life as a Marine in the South Pacific are detailed and evocative. I really felt like I was on the beach, in the foxhole, or dodging enemy fire. Nez seems to be a positive, upbeat person. He touches on the racism Native Americans faced in the 1940s but doesn’t dwell on the matter or show any bitterness. One of the most interesting anecdotes was when he and a fellow code talker were loaned to the Army and two soldiers mistook them for Japanese soldiers (despite their Marine uniforms).
In an early chapter Nez discusses how the code was formed. The code was not simply normal spoken Navajo. Code words were used for letters of the alphabet and for military terms and equipment. I’ve never seen the movie Windtalkers but have read that it was not historically accurate and focused on white soldiers instead of the Navajo code talkers. The creation and use of the code is a topic that would make a great movie in the hands of the right people.
Code Talker was an easy book to read, and it moved along quickly. If you like reading about World War II or would like to learn more about this fascinating episode from Native American history, I definitely recommend Code Talker.
Born in 1945, I read a lot of WW II history growing up. But the existence of Code Talkers was secret during that time; so to learn, in adulthood, about a new aspect of WW II was something I didn’t want to pass up. But perhaps I should have as I only found this book mildly interesting. Three reasons for my lack of enthusiasm come to mind.
One problem is that, although it seemed like a relatively short book (Amazon say 391 pages, but that includes about 100 pages of reference materials), it should have been even shorter. The whole concept is that Navajo Indians could convey military messages in the clear because they were using their native Navajo language instead of English. So how do you expand that concept to 300 pages? Here, it was partially by adding 100+ pages of biographical information (which, to be fair, was somewhat interesting).
Another problem with this book is that, by its very nature, a historical narrative about talking is not as exciting to read about as a historical narrative about fighting. The Code Talkers’ job was to stay alive and send messages. For many others, it was to advance and take the fight to the enemy. The latter is simply the more compelling narrative to read about.
The third problem is that, with two credited authors, it appears that it was Charles Nez, a Code Talker, related his experiences and it was Judith Avita who captured those remembrances in print. By not having personally experienced the WW II fighting, perhaps the emotions and grit behind those experiences could not be as easily captured. I say this mostly because Eugene Sledge’s book on fighting in WW II in the Pacific (“With the Old Breed”) is a classic.
Bottom Line: Brave men. Clever tactics. But these two things could not be made into a compelling read in this case.
One problem is that, although it seemed like a relatively short book (Amazon say 391 pages, but that includes about 100 pages of reference materials), it should have been even shorter. The whole concept is that Navajo Indians could convey military messages in the clear because they were using their native Navajo language instead of English. So how do you expand that concept to 300 pages? Here, it was partially by adding 100+ pages of biographical information (which, to be fair, was somewhat interesting).
Another problem with this book is that, by its very nature, a historical narrative about talking is not as exciting to read about as a historical narrative about fighting. The Code Talkers’ job was to stay alive and send messages. For many others, it was to advance and take the fight to the enemy. The latter is simply the more compelling narrative to read about.
The third problem is that, with two credited authors, it appears that it was Charles Nez, a Code Talker, related his experiences and it was Judith Avita who captured those remembrances in print. By not having personally experienced the WW II fighting, perhaps the emotions and grit behind those experiences could not be as easily captured. I say this mostly because Eugene Sledge’s book on fighting in WW II in the Pacific (“With the Old Breed”) is a classic.
Bottom Line: Brave men. Clever tactics. But these two things could not be made into a compelling read in this case.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Fantastic book. I can’t articulate why it’s not 5 stars for me but it’s still a great book. The writing style sounds like him (based on my grandfather and men of that generation) and he does a nice job of laying out the war as he experienced it. It was fascinating to learn about the code talkers and what went into creating the code.
Great narrative nonfiction! This memoir recounts the experiences of a Navajo man who helped develop an unbreakable code that was used in WWII against Japan in the South Pacific.
It was refreshing to read a triumphant story about Native Americans and see how maintaining one's language and cultural identity could be useful (and necessary) to create a successful code.
It was refreshing to read a triumphant story about Native Americans and see how maintaining one's language and cultural identity could be useful (and necessary) to create a successful code.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
This is a great piece of military history. I value the details about the culture of Native Americans and the early discussion of Chester's life.