I could not get through this book. The writing was a slog and did not hold my interest. The premise was so interesting but it just didn’t hold up.

With "Indianapolis," Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic make military history personal by providing not just the factual details of the submarine attack that sank the US cruiser in the final days of WWII, but by recounting the stories of the ship and her crew well before she set sail on her final tragic mission. Given that I knew the outcome, I was surprised to feel mounting tension and dread as I read, no doubt attributable to the fact that Vincent and Vladic made me care for the men on board as individuals and fear for the fate of each. I was also unaware of Indianapolis' role in transporting the atomic weapons that ultimately brought the war to a close; I found this strand of the narrative particularly engrossing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

Well written and holds your attention. Seems to be quite historically accurate. Even though the disaster is well known, the intricacies of the trial and eventual outcome are spellbinding.

This is the unbelievable true story of what happened on the Indianapolis during 1945. The boat is sunk, but its not just the boat sinking that kills most of the crew. This is the story of how the boat got there and the tragic things that occurred after the sinking. If you are at all interested in this story or time period, then you should defiantly read this book!

Very thoroughly researched and interesting to read. I knew about the USS Indianapolis before reading this. The fact that all of the events around this tragedy really happened can be mindblowing.

My thoughts

Would I recommend it? Yes

Would I read more by these two authors ? Yes

Going into this book I already knew a little bit about the story of the Indianapolis because I heard of it thanks to its mentioning in the movie Jaws and one other but I can't seem to remember the title of . So as soon as I as this was on NetGalley I know I wanted to read it but sadly it took me till now to pick it up to read and I'm so glad I did. Even though I love reading nonfiction this one scared me because I knew it was going to be a emotional type read and it was.But that's why I love reading nonfiction especially the ones that deal with the history and story of WW 2 and if its well written so much so that the authors bring the story the story to live and you see the story come to life before your very eyes so much so that you feel everything that they felt doing that time . And that's what these authors did ,they bright it to life and made the you feel for the ones that lost their lives and the ones that lived to tell the story. And that's other thing I loved abut this book so much is that not only does it describes the history of the Indianapolis’ war service, as well as the sinking and the five days of terror in the sea waiting for rescue, but continues with the survivors’ fight to clear their Captain’s name as well as his record.It also brings to life how a man who not only loved his ship but his man as well was wrongfully blamed for something that he didn't do. But its also the story that needs to be told and retold so that we don't forget the ship or the men who died fighting not only for their very lives but for something that they believed in . With that said I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read and review this book .

The story of the USS Indianapolis has always been one I have found fascinating. There is turn horror, bravery, and honor in the tale. And Indianapolis does a great job of capturing all of that in one comprehensive, engrossing book.

While Indianapolis a true story, the book itself reads like a novel. It is obviously well researched and provides an excellent, personalized account of crew and their loved ones through the course of story. Additionally, it includes the most recent developments in the overall story including the 2017 exploration of the wreckage.

Wonderful story. Highly recommended to any history fan.

Indianapolis by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic is a well-researched, comprehensive book about the Indianapolis. At times there were just too many people to keep track of (keep a journal) and some skipping around to tell the story of the ship, it’s Captain, and the heroic survivors. It did take me longer than I wanted to take to read this book as there was so much to absorb.

I have never been drawn to stories of war, but there is something intriguing about the Indianapolis tragedy. I was completely blown away by the story itself, but the detail within the pages of this book is incredible. The vivid imagery is breathtaking, putting you on board the USS Indianapolis, being submerged into the life aboard a ship deep in battle during World War II.

Reading about everything that happened is absolutely heartbreaking, the loss overwhelming and impossible to comprehend. Superbly written in unbelievable detail, I took my time reading this great work, absorbing every morsel, allowing the account to come alive on the page. There were times I had to actually lay the book down and take a deep breath, the situation unimaginable, and hard to read. So much tragedy and all of it mind blowing.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to learn about the Indianapolis disaster and believe that everyone should read and reference this account. Highly recommend!

If you want to know what it was like to be on a US Navy ship in battle in WWII, read this book. The Indianapolis was right in the middle of the action until it was sunk by Japanese fire.  

Meticulous research, interviews with crew members who were still living, interviews with support staff who impacted or saw what was happening, it is all there.  This is how to write a book on war action.  

If you want to know about what happened to the Indianapolis, or just want to get a feel or what action was like, this is a must read.

I have read another book about this incident year ago but it did not go into as much detail as this book. The authors take you through the christening of the ship in 1932 and then after the attack on Pearl Harbor it would be part of the group that would lead the assault against the Japanese Fleet and would have a stellar record in battle. Goes up to a Kamikaze attack in 1944 which causes enough damage that they would have to go to the west coast for repairs. The crew up to this point was a veteran and experienced crew that was able to make it from the middle of the Pacific all the way to the west coast. Now with upgrades coming with what was like a new ship, the Navy was also giving the Captain a new young and inexperienced crew. They were also given their first mission which was to deliver very important cargo. That cargo would later be the Atomic bomb, which was code-named “little boy”. It is after delivering the cargo that they are making their way to an Island only to be spotted by a Japanese sub which fires two torpedoes at her and sinks her. Now for the rest of the story, most people know, with sailors in the water and not all make it actually only 316. The Captain of the ship would be held responsible and in 1968 he would commit suicide. Almost since the finding of the Captain at fault, the members of the surviving crew and families have fought to clear his name. The remaining part of the book is that part of the story. I liked how the authors were able to get more interviews with survivors and their stories seemed more in depth than what I remembered from the last book I read about this story. People still have their opinions about us dropping the bombs back then. My father who fought with the 82nd in Europe told me that the 82nd was on a runaway preparing to leave Germany to go to Japan and were getting ready to board the planes when they got a call to stand down. So yes he was glad at the time for he had been fighting for a couple of years having forged his father name to join, it was a different time back then. Different men and women, so I can understand these men and families fighting for the Captain of their ship. Overall a very good book.

times. Last read February 16, 2019 to February 23, 2019.

A big thank you to the authors Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladik and the publisher Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

Whew! First, I could not put it down. Second, I could not stop thinking about it. Third, it is a history book that reads like a suspenseful fictional book. BUT, it is not fiction. It is the true story of the "worst naval loss in history" or a least World War II.

The book is very readable and suspenseful in spite of the fact that I knew that the boat was going to sink. The story is a tale of bravery, fear, hope, duty, country, cowardice, mistakes, finger-pointing, blame-shifting and ultimate forgiveness and redemption. It portrays in graphic detail, the sacrifices that all give for their country in war time. If truly portrays why these men are called the "greatest generation ever". I am amazed and grateful for the ultimate sacrifices these men and women made to keep our freedoms. Never forget.

A surprisingly interesting book. Telling the story surrounding the USS Indianapolis in an interesting way that I think could help this book appeal to people not necessarily interested in military related history. I found myself very interested in this story despite not having heard much about the Indianapolis in the past.

An outstanding account detailing the last days and tragic end of this famous WW2 US Naval Ship. Well researched. Terrific character development. Great story telling. Easy read. And not at all dry history. The author brings the story and characters to life...and involves the reader throughout. Highly recommend.

I read this after seeing the movie, so I knew what was going to happen. It did not spoil the book...I actually looked forward to reading more in depth about both the ship Commander and the submarine Commander and the orders they were given by their superiors. A great bit of military history.

Great book!! I loved this from start to finish! Well worth the read if you are interested in military history!

Excerpt from Review: "...I was mesmerized by Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man. In the beginning, I felt like I was making new friends, learning about a ship dentist’s love for the USS Indianapolis that was so great he would erect a brilliantly detailed model replica (lost with the ship when it sank along with the dentist himself), amongst many others, some who would survive and others who would perish during the sinking and after. I felt the edge of your seat adrenaline as the men made their way into the water and each day they fought for survival. I felt the drama of the rescue mission as if I were there, seeing it for myself, so descriptive was the writing. More importantly, I felt the anguish and lack of honor of the men who sought to punish Captain McVay for their ineptitude..."

Indianapolis was a haunting read. The historical events of the day when so many service members lost their life. The story was well told and hard to put down, but even harder to stop thinking about.

The short and sweet synopsis of this book:
A sweeping saga of survival, sacrifice, justice, and love, Indianapolis stands as both groundbreaking naval history and spellbinding narrative—and brings the ship and her heroic crew back to full, vivid, unforgettable life. It is the definitive account of one of the most remarkable episodes in American history.

My thoughts;
Oh my goodness. Where do I start with this book? This was one of those books that leaves you shaken and appalled at how our government can mess up abysmally and not do a damn thing about it. The authors did an amazing job bringing the crew's account's to life with incredibly detailed experiences. None of the accounts that I have read or watched about this disaster have ever been as in depth as this book was. I don't think I can even begin to make the book justice with this review so I won't even try. You have to read this book for yourself and experience firsthand the emotions that will for sure affect you as you read about the horrible events that befell the crew of Indianapolis. A 5/5 star read.

I am a member of the ALA Carnegie Medal Committee. This title was suggested for the 2019 Award but it did not make the Longlist. See the complete longlist <a href="http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/carnegieadult/longlists/"> here.