BOOK REVIEW:
Even if you are not an American, I'm sure you knew of this
iconic image whereby six men are shown raising a flag. For
the uninitiated, it was taken in February 1945 during World
War II and the location - Iwo Jima.
What
makes “Flags of Our Fathers” a must-read or should
I say an emotive, heart-felt journey is the fact that it was
written by the offspring of one of the six flag-raisers, John
Bradley. James, the third son of Bradley’s brood of
six never had the chance to learn the true war experiences
from Bradley senior even till his death in 1994. Imagine having
a father being immortalized in one of the world’s famous
photos but none of his closest family members knew the complexity,
happenings behind that symbolic image.
Reading
through “Flags of Our Fathers” is akin to following
James Bradley’s road to discover an unknown side of
his endearing father. James Bradley delegated his job to his
partner, spent years on the road talking to war veterans,
friends and family of the flag-raisers, searching through
old records, documents to relive an account of valiant young
men who fought bravely against 22,000 defenders on the Japanese-tout
holy island, Iwo Jima. And also the ordinary yet incredible
circumstances that led to the raising of the American flag
on top of the hill.
You
have to really admire James Bradley’s dedication and
passion to this project. This is history in its most genuine
form. Forget about the boring history textbooks. This book
demonstrates what it takes to be a true hero and perhaps one
of the best gifts to be passed on to the younger generation.
CHOICE XCERPT:
“That was the point, I reminded myself, the point of
my quest: to bring these boys back to life, or a kind of life,
to let them live again in the country’s memory. Starting
with my father, and continuing with the other five.
That
is how we always keep our beloved dead alive, isn’t
it?”
VERDICT:
If
you are a fan of Stephen Ambrose's stuff then you shouldn't
miss "Flags of Our Fathers". Touching and nerve-wrecking
at times and a whole lot of insight into the aftermath of
the flag-raisers.
XTRAS:
Contains an epilogue by Director Clint Eastwood and
James Bradley.
Review
by Linus Tee
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