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Bloody Ridge and Beyond
- A World War II Marine's Memoir of Edson's Raiders inthe Pacific
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
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Bloody Ridge and Beyond
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Publisher's Summary
A story of sacrifice and defiance at Guadalcanal, from the New York Times best-selling coauthor of A Higher Call and Biggest Brother.
On the killing ground that was the island of Guadalcanal, a 2,000-yard-long ridge rose from the jungle canopy. Behind it lay the all-important air base of Henderson Field. And if Henderson Field fell, it would mean the almost certain death or capture of all 12,500 marines on the island.
But the marines positioned on the ridge were no normal fighters - they were the hard-fighting men of Edson's Raiders, an elite fighting unit within an already elite Marine Corps. Handpicked for their toughness and submitted to a rigorous training program to weed out those less fit, they were the best of the best.
For two hellish nights in September 1942, about 840 marines - commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Austin "Red Mike" Edson - fought one of the most pivotal battles of World War II in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Bloody Ridge.
Wave after wave of attacking Japanese soldiers were repelled by the Raiders, who knew that defeat and retreat were simply not options. In the end, and - against all odds, - the defenders prevailed.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond is the story of the First Marine Raider Battalion, which showed courage and valor in the face of overwhelming numbers, as told by Marlin Groft, a man who was a member of this incredible fighting force.
What listeners say about Bloody Ridge and Beyond
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Langer MD
- 2022-05-03
Immersive Memoir
This book constantly reminded me of the Stanley Kubrick war film 'Full Metal Jacket' - relating events ranging from recruitment & training to downtime camaraderie to genuinely frightening combat. Co-author Larry Alexander does a very nice job presenting the jawdropping recollections of an outwardly unremarkable US Marine Corps soldier: Private Marlin "Whitey" Groft. Groft's experiences as a frontline member of the legendary elite "Edson's Raiders" in the Pacific are incredibly relatable - but at the same time so unimaginably horrible that they're hard to believe. Alexander, however, is quite good at weaving humanity into even the most horrific events in the chronicle.. putting readers/listeners directly into the barracks, transports, and foxholes.
The narration from Joe Barrett is quite good - easily matching the quality of the writing - but unspectacular (by that I mean: other readers could have provided similar results).
Still, the tone & voice-acting is good enough to allow listeners to picture themselves in Groft's platoon - complete with domineering Drill Sergeants, dedicated Superior Officers, and fanatical Japanese foes.
Altogether, 'Bloody Ridge and Beyond' is a little too personally meaningful (to the author) and a little too matter-of-fact/nonchalant in execution for my tastes, but definitely worth a listen to anyone curious about the ordinary men that went through extra-ordinary experiences in WWII. This 9 out of 10 star audiobook was offered as part of the 'Plus' catalogue (and was thus "free"), but spending a Credit on it would be well-justified if they asked.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Debbie Krueger
- 2023-07-16
Amazing story
This is a well written, riveting account of a young man's experiences (often harrowing) in the Pacific theatre during World War 2. It is a personal and engaging story, evocative and well written. It left me feeling almost like I had been there. I enjoyed every moment of this book and highly recommend it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt H.
- 2022-01-19
great read
narrator did a great job. like your granddad regaling you with his story. recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ToadyTheFree1
- 2021-11-11
THE PACIFIC WAR REMEMBERED!
A US Marine's matterfactual recounting
of the Battle of Guadalcanal. No embellishment, just the way it was in all of its brutality. How 70 years later, it is still fresh in his mind. This was beautifully written and narrated. I felt like I was listening
to my grandfather retelling his past. Very moving...a good Audible book!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Howard G.
- 2023-02-18
A lot more
This is a story of one man’s experience throughout the complete Pacific War not just Bloody Ridge. However, the story is well told and kept my interest peaked.
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