The Shadow of War by Jeff Shaara
A Novel of the Cuban Missile Crisis

I was six years old during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and these are some of the things I remember from that time. Having drills in school where lines of kids had to squat down and hide our heads against our knees or crawl under our spindly legged little desks to protect ourselves from a nuclear attack. My mother being glued to the TV news every time it came on each night. Her obsession with the news was so strong nothing could keep her from watching. After reading this story I can understand her obsession as I see the worried father, Joe Russo, agonizing over the things happening as he watches his neighbor building a fallout shelter so that his neighbor and family can live through a nuclear war while those around him die. It was the next year's event that I understood a bit better as a kid. Everyone being lined up outside of school as we are told that the president had been shot and we were being sent home.

This historical fiction starts with the end of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and leads us into the Cuban Missile Crisis, putting us right there with President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and the others involved in the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM). We see things from many POVs, those of John and Robert Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Florida teacher, father, and husband, Joe Russo, among others. At first I wasn't sure why we were seeing things from Russo's POV until I realized his POV was that of my mother and father. Watching TV and reading the news, knowing only what is being told to them, being powerless to stop those in power from making the wrong choices and destroying everyone. As scary as it is from that POV, it's just as scary seeing things from the inside. Watching John Kennedy mid term campaigning and then hopping into a car to get updated on the latest happenings allows us to see just how urgent the situation. Nuclear missiles ninety miles from the US, with the capacity to reach more than halfway across the US, knowing that Khrushchev is being pushed to not negotiate with the US, and problems on the home front, are just some of the worries of both Kennedys.

I appreciate that this book allows me to see what was going on in a way that is understandable and in a "you are there" way. Reading the history books about the Cuban Missile Crisis can put me to sleep despite how serious that time was in our history. Now I have a much better understanding of what was going on around me at school and at home back then and what was being done to prevent the human devastation of a nuclear war.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St Martin's Press Influencer program, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I love all of Jeff Shaara’s books, he is a master storyteller. I felt like his previous book on Roosevelt did not quite capture the Shaara magic. (However, as I noted in that book, a lesser Shaara novel is still leagues above all other available books.). I am happy to say this book has magic aplenty. It is unputdownable! I learned a few things I did not know before and clarified some hazy memories as well. This is an outstanding book that will be a bestseller!

I was all of ten years old during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and so only have vague memories of that time period. What two things I do remember are the great sense of unease that gripped my parents and those of my friends, and learning how to duck under my school desk in the event of a nuclear blast. I’ve not read any histories of that period, and as I’ve enjoyed many of Mr. Shaara’s prior novels, thought I would give The Shadow of War a try.

Written in Shaara’s usual style of alternating viewpoints of historical figures, the novel is told mainly from the perspectives of Bobby Kennedy and Nikita Krushchev., with other minor figures making appearances. Starting with the Bay of Pigs debacle, the book details the evolution of the crisis and observes JFK’s growth as a leader through this period of history.

I do have two minor complaints about The Shadow of War. The first is the continued repetition of the various arguments made by JFK’s advisory committee throughout the many meetings they had. For this reader, it was truly annoying. The other concern was the, at times, completely unrealistic dialogue uttered by different characters at various times in the novel. It was almost as if they were making speeches in the course of conversation.

Overall, a very good look at a moment in history when we came oh so close to a nuclear holocaust.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the novel.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I don't typically read historical fiction that takes place after WWII, and, with the overwhelming focus on that era in the publishing industry right now, I try to avoid WWII in general. However, I have a great admiration for Robert F Kennedy, so when I saw that his was one of the points of view included in this book, I decided to go for it.

It's difficult to write a book about avoiding war and maintain the kind of suspense that comes from action, but I could appreciate the tension on every page. Could the Americans trust the Russians? After all, they did try to set up a secret nuclear base just off the Florida coast. Could the Russians trust the Americans? After all, they acted like the Russians were on the offensive while having their own weapons pointed across the Black Sea. "Some would say we are engaged in a negotiation, but you do not negotiate the end of the world." And what if some random soldier made a rash decision that threw them all into WWIII? It's certainly scary to think about how many times our future has teetered on a point like this.

I've listened to a couple of Shaara's books on audio, so I didn't realize his habit of writing sentences with collections of fragments like, "He spun the mower around again, his careful geometry, dodged a small tree, a breath of breeze blowing grass clippings over his bare legs." The dismissal of basic grammar was a bit jarring, but I started to get used to it being his style.

I did gain an appreciation for the Russian point of view in this book, but the endless meetings & repeating the same arguments and what-ifs got a bit overdone. It was neat that Shaara injected his father into the book through the character of Russo, and I wish he had played a role that added something to the story.

The insight into the Kennedy brothers' interactions and devotion to peace was moving at times. I also appreciated the nods to speechwriter Ted Sorenson. "American history books are full of praise for presidents who win great wars. A word should also be said for those who prevent them." It's difficult to read about Jack or Bobby without wondering what could have been if they weren't both tragic victims of the violence they worked to prevent. If only we saw that kind of striving to do what is right and good in modern leaders. What would the Kennedy brothers think of what we have done with the world they saved for us?

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of The Shadow of War. Opinions are my own.

As a young child, I remember hearing about the Bay of Pigs (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). Although I didn't know what these events were, I did observe that the grown-ups seemed worried about them.

I'm embarrassed that my knowledge about both international incidents remained at that level for about 60 years. However, because I'd thoroughly enjoyed Jeff Shaara's book about Theodore Roosevelt ("The Old Lion"), I decided to remedy my ignorance by reading his novel about the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, "The Shadow of War."

I found it to be well-written and compelling. I remembered the names of almost all the historical figures-- except for the spies, of course. Chapters alternate between President Kennedy and his team and Premier Nikita Kruschev and his.

This would have been a much different world had cooler heads not prevailed. I venture to say we might not have recognized it.

I highly recommend "The Shadow of War." If you're a birdwatcher and have even the slightest interest in Theodore Roosevelt, you'll want to read "The Old Lion" as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am providing an honest review.

I would like to thank Net Galley and St Martins Press , especially Stephen Erickson, for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. This is an historical fiction novel about the Cuban Missile Crisis. I was 8 years old in 1962. I went to Catholic School, and we were told that when the Communists invaded, they would kill the Catholics first. I will never forget this time, although I did not understand the political maneuvers and machinations behind this 2 weeks in October. This is a well written, well researched book. Jeff Shaara combines the points of view of the politicians, the soldiers and everyday people. It brings to mind those days, and the feelings in the United States. And yes, we did believe that if we did the "duck and cover" , we would be safe from a nuclear bomb. For me, it soes not have the edge of seat, gripping feeling, but that may be because I remember it all too well. I also liked the afterword, which gave a followup on the principal players. I really enjoyed this book.

Jeff Shaara’s The Shadow of War, covers a very brief but intense period in history when the threat of nuclear war was escalated by Russia moving to install nuclear missiles in Cuba. The book is primarily told from the perspectives of Bobby Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, viewing the standoff from opposing perspectives, trying to understand the mindset of each other. I have my same gripe that I did with the other book I read by Shaara told from the perspective of Teddy Roosevelt. I never settle in to reading the story told from the point of view of such well known historical figures. I think taking this on requires doing it really well and thoughtfully, and the focus seems to be more on conveying the sense of urgency these men felt in the circumstances they were dealing with. Which were undoubtedly intense. But also a reminder of how stupid we can all be. The Russians repeatedly lied about what they were doing with the hope that they could get it done and operate from the position of “no take backsides”. And the Americans couldn’t understand what I view to be the very fair argument the Russians had about the nuclear weapons pointed at them in Turkey. An argument that you’re protecting your allies doesn’t negate the fact that you don’t want to face the same threat you’re willing to impose on your enemy. The book is also a chilling reminder of the threats increasingly being thrown around again, with no guarantee that the people in power will be in the same position to want peace and a future for the generations that could follow (because of course if we all blow each other up there may not be future generations). I understand Shaara’s incorporation of other people and how they view the events unfolding from the perspective of a person not in authority to make decisions, but it’s more disruptive to the POVs of Kennedy and Khrushchev than beneficial. The story is good in that for historical fiction it addresses an event that isn’t written about often, but it feels like it needs more polish to me.

The Shadow of War gave some really good history about Cuba, about their relations with the US and about the march of communism throughout the world during the Cold War. There was also a lot of insight about the Cold War – both sides – and how it impacted the ordinary US citizen.

IMHO this book was not as good as To Wake the Giant (about Pearl Harbor) but still enlightening. I could have done with fewer discussions between the Kennedys as most of them were either repetitious or simply expressing ineptitude. But they were probably valid. It was a scary time. I was in college then so I remember it very well.

I enjoyed the book and will recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for an early reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

We may never know how close we came to WWIII during the Cuban Missile crisis, but Jeff Shaara sure gives us an idea in this historical fiction version of the event itself. This is a heavily researched book about the event with multiple sources highlighted throughout.
This story brings to life all the different people involved in this situation and personalizes their struggles with making the right decisions. It focuses on multiple perspectives, those of President Kennedy, the Russian engineer building the launch facilities, Khrushchev himself, and many others involved in preventing a mass catastrophe. The way the author humanized the characters is what made this easy to read for me, as I usually don't read big historical fiction tomes. The characters come to life as real humans involved in one of the biggest historical events in history. We learn about all their strengths, weaknesses and personal lives and how they balance all of that with their stressful jobs.
Getting a fresh perspective on this event, without a narrative that is too factual is what makes this book interesting and a story not to be forgotten.

Mr. Shaara is a master at making you feel that you are in the story. And this time we are learning about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Seen through the eyes of not only the major players, but also the average man on the street.

There are a lot of tense moments and more history than I knew about.

Really good look at this volatile moment in history.


NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press May 14, 2024

This book is part history and part historical fiction. It is well written and engaging read. The author presents both sides of the conflict and incorporates individual characters who would have been impacted by the events. These include a college professor in Florida, a Soviet submarine crew and the Russian general in charge of missile sites in Cuba. It was particularly interesting to me as I lived through the crisis and often found the duck and cover under our desks at school as particularly useless in the event of a nuclear explosion.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

This little known story was very well known to me. My husband was in the Navy and stationed in the area at the time of the Quarantine. I'm anxious for him to read this book when it's published. I doubt that few people realize or remember how close we were to a nuclear war. Thank you to the author for bringing this episode in our country's history to light.

Prolific biographer and historical fiction writer Jeff Shaara, whose previous novels have covered many American wars takes readers inside the events of October 1962 and how war was prevented in this case. His book “Gods and Generals “ is a favorite of mine..
In “The Shadow of War,” Shaara takes us through the dangerous days which pitted the Soviet Union against the U.S. over the discovery of Soviet missiles in the too-close- for comfort country of Cuba. Events of this monumental time are seen primarily through the eyes of U.S. President Kennedy, Kennedy’ s brother and close confidant Robert Kennedy, and Soviet Premier Khrushchev. The narrative alternates among the three men as they seek to avoid nuclear war and save face. Kennedy and Khrushchev are surrounded by advisers, some of whom seek peace and some who want to march toward war.
Representing everyday Americans we meet the Russo family as they react to the alarming events of the day, neighbors building home fallout shelters and their children practicing duck and cover drills at school. I identified with the Russos, going back to my 9 year old self hearing news reports about missiles in Cuba and possible nuclear war. Daily air raid drills at school scared me; I remember looking up the words “blockade” and “quarantine” in my Dad’s dictionary.
“The Shadow of War” is an informative and entertaining book about a dangerous time of our recent history.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy for review.

I was very excited when I opened the email inviting me to read the latest offering from one of my favorite history authors. The focus on the Cuban Missle Crisis was especially poignant from my personal recollection in studying current events in high school. Seeing behind the curtain, so to speak gives those of us the missing context to what we lived through. It's not easy at times to make interesting something that is completely expected, even though I knew just how this story worked out, this is a detailed look at how it happened and what it took to resolve. It was also tragic knowing how the Kennedy brothers would end and how the Soviet Premier ended public life. This was a central focus of the Cold War that mutual destruction was only minutes away and we grew up under that Damocles sword which only abated after Gorbachev came to power. This is a superb work which should be required reading for students and teachers as well as anyone who enjoys history.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
Another great historical novel from Mr. Shaara, this time shining a light on the Cuban Missile Crisis. I
was a kid at the time, but vaguely remember that time and the anxiety it caused worldwide, but especially the US, the Soviet Union and Cuba. The chance of a nuclear war had everyone glued to their tv's.
Luckily we had a stormy weekend and I was able to gobble up the book in record time and what a mesmerizing read it was.
Highly recommended, I loved it and learned quite a bit in the process!

I think many people will love this book. There are a few things that weren’t as appealing to me. I found some of the dialogue too simplistic and I also found the book a tad too long. But I often feel this way!! I did learn a few things about the Cuba Missile Crisis that I didn’t know. For me this book was between 3 and 4 but I rated it higher as I truly believe others will enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for an advanced copy of The Shadow of War by Jeff Shaara. This novel takes you back to the 1960's and the tumultuous times in our country and abroad. Mr. Shaara's account of the Cuban Missile Crisis and all the people involved kept me mesmerized from the beginning. I felt a sense of connection with all the historical figures during that time. I truly enjoyed Mr. Shaara's writing style and look forward to reading other books by this author.

Entertaining?

While this isn't my normal genre, I enjoyed many aspects of it. It was well written, the characters seem very believable about how they could’ve been in real life.

I liked how the author showed the emotions of the characters to convey some of the thoughts and feelings of everyday of Americans during the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Overall, it wasn't bad, definitely not the genre for me, but entertaining enough that it wasn't a total waste of time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this book to read and review.

"The Shadow of War" by Jeff Shaara is a gripping novel that delves into the complexities of World War II, offering a fresh perspective on the conflict through the eyes of key historical figures. Shaara's masterful storytelling brings to life the intense emotions, strategic decisions, and personal sacrifices that shaped this pivotal period in history.

One of the strengths of the book is Shaara's ability to humanize the iconic figures of World War II. From General Dwight D. Eisenhower to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, each character is portrayed with depth and nuance, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and moral dilemmas. This approach allows readers to connect with these historical figures on a personal level, making their triumphs and tragedies all the more impactful.

Shaara's attention to historical detail is also commendable. The book is meticulously researched, and the author's descriptions of battles, tactics, and political machinations are both accurate and engaging. This attention to detail not only adds authenticity to the narrative but also helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the war.

Overall, "The Shadow of War" is a compelling read that offers a fresh perspective on World War II. Shaara's skillful storytelling, combined with his deep understanding of history, makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in the era. Highly recommended.

My thanks to St. Martin’s for the ARC. I started this book last night and could not put it down. It was a great read following all the main points of view from both sides as well as in Cuba. It was a balanced read and even though one knows the outcome the reader was kept on edge. The characters were well developed and given a humanity one needed to understand how critical this time was. I truly enjoyed it and again thank the publisher for this book