A review by kd8ngv
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

I have owned a copy of Flyboys by James Bradley for some time.  This came in as my 16th book for 2024.  I don’t remember where I picked it up at, but I am glad to have it in my collection.  I have been wanting to read this one for a while and found it as an audiobook on Libby.  This is one of the harder books I have read.  It details the men who flew in the Pacific during World War 2.  You learn how the men were treated by the Japanese once they were captured.  They were atrocious.  Despicable.  Listening to what they did to these men makes me hurt for them.  This is not a book for the faint of heart as you are given the details on the torture, death, and cannibalism that occurred on the islands where our boys were captured.  While it was very hard to read, it was written well.  Which brings me to my next point.  I found out begrudgingly that the audiobook I listened to was abridged.  I don’t know what was left out of the original text.  I do want to find out, but I need to let there be some time between my listening of this version of the book and reading the full version.  We often don’t realize what men can do to other men, especially in the time of war.  I am glad I read this, I wish it was the full version.