Really enjoyable, thoroughly researched and comprehensive deep dive into the US airforce WW2 bombing squadrons. It is dense, but has incredible anecdotes which bring the history to life. Recommend for anyone who has enjoyed the Apple TV+ show and wants to learn more about this specific bit of history and hear the incredible stories of the men at all command levels. The stories and the statistics are shocking. A must-read for anyone interested in aviation history.

I have to be honest this book was not what I thought it would be. I thought it would be written more like a novel but it felt more like a history book so I had a hard time staying engaged. I didn’t care for the narrator either which could’ve had something to do with it as well. The two combined wasn’t for me.

I didn't like the narration at all. It may be better as a book though. I typically like these kinds of books but this was rough

Historian Miller's Masters of the Air tells the story of the U.S. Eighth Air Force in a comprehensive and thorough way. In 1942, the Eighth Air Force arrived in England believing that their superior air power would allow them to engage in high-altitude bombing missions without fighter escort. Their goal was to cripple Germany's war-making abilities and prove that air power alone could bring down the Reich. However, the reality was different and it became a "war of attrition." Even with a tedious narrator, the book was excellent... but the Apple TV series was incredible!

This one's okay there's something significant about it that stands out, but there's also nothing about it that makes me angry. It's a pretty average rate overall

Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller Is the story of World War II told from the skies. The only downside I saw of listening as opposed to reading the book was the need for a physical map. I was not familiar with the physical and geopolitical landscape of Europe except for very broad strokes.

The book covers the men involved in the air war from the beginning to the end of the war. The fatalities were high. Some who were shot down survived but died in German hands. Those who survived had scars, not all visible that lasted the rest of their lives. Miller details all aspects of this wide story. It adds to the popular library of WWII that includes Band of Brothers. Joe Barrett does a fine job narrating.

Netgalley provided the audiobook. After listening to the audiobook, I wrote an honest review.

Masters of the Air is the riveting history of the American Eighth Air Force in World War II, the story of the young men who flew the bombers that helped bring Nazi Germany to its knees, brilliantly told by historian and World War II expert Donald Miller.

Masters of the Air written by Donald L. Miller and narrated by Joe Barrett tes the stories of the US Bomber crews of WWII who helped turn the tide of this devastating global conflict. Sadly there was a terrible human cost in the cities of Dresden, Berlin and Hanover as well as in all crews in the skies and on the ground

The book is truthful in detailing the differences between the air crews and ground soldiers, how they were treated, the risks, the psychological impact. The chance of a bomber crew surviving an attack was much, much lower than a soldier on the ground

Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes you on a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden and describes the terrible cost of bombing for the German people.

The book is truthful about how bomber crews and airmen were treated differently than ground troops and infantry, but also the differences in survival rates and greater psychological demands while airborne

Joe Barrett reads with strength and a great deal of empathy for this very emotive subject matter and Miller has succeeded in creating an immense chronicle of one of the most significant forces in one of the most devastating global conflicts in our world history.

"Lest they be Forgotten"

Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, the author Donald L Miller and the incredible narrator Joe Barrett for this phenomenal ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

W very insightful book into the air operations of World War II. I learned a lot and would recommend this book to everyone!

Honestly very interesting information that I've never heard of before. It was hard to get into but the information was what kept my interest.

I LOVE listening to Non Fiction in Audiobook form, and Masters of the Air is no exception.

Miller does an amazing job of telling the story of the American Bombing offense during World War 2. His story telling is so immersive, and I really enjoyed learning more about that part of the war.

It is a long book, so just keep that in mind, but the audiobook really made it fly by.

I definitely recommend checking out this book.

Audio ARC received from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Don't get the notion that your job is going to be glorious or glamorous. You've got dirty work to do. And you might as well face the fact: you are going to be baby-killers and women-killers."

"There were two sets of victims in the European bomber war: those who were bombed and the men who bombed them."

Well, this was simply staggering: intense, haunting, informative, tense. For a non-fiction book it put me through the full-scale of emotions. I was touched, horrified, elated, overwhelmed, exhausted, depressed and thrilled.

Author Donald L. Miller presented such a comprehensive story of World War 2 through the lens of aerial, mostly US bomber, warfare in Europe that was both panoramic and close-cutting and utterly compelling that my ears were glued to my headphones as I went on listening.

The compassion that Miller showed towards both the bombed and the bombers while being able to present the facts in a clear, non-biased way made this book something special for me. This was difficult and harrowing, but an unforgettable read (listen) for me.

Masterful history of the air war of WW II. Tells readers about the heroes who served the US as part of what has become known as the Greatest Generation.

A stunning, all-encompassing look at the fledgling inception and pivotal role played by the brave men of the American Bombing program in WW2.

The real benefit of these vast, sprawling biographical retelling is to see how various bits of common knowledge all fit together to give an even clearer picture of history, as well as reveal previously unknown tidbits that help flavor the times (Switzerland held POWs?!?).

Great research by Miller led to a strong and humanizing story. The audiobbok version I listened to did a great job of keeping the narrative moving, while giving voice to emotional moments as well.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is one of the best I've read; on the American bombing campaign in Europe. This book contains almost anything you would want to know about the campaign. It has first person accounts; profiles on the planes; men; and equipment. It has sections on the beginnings of air medicine; and the psychological aspects of what the crews went through. From the supply services to the building of airfields. It's all here. The book is easy to read and keeps you interested throughout. I could go on; and on; but that would make my review to long. If you are interested in the air war over Europe; particularly from the American side this book is one of the best on the subject.

Masters of the Air tells the story of the brave American men who bombed Germany during World War II. These men were fighting a new type of warfare that the world had never seen. This book brings you through the harrowing missions while also describing the down time and shenanigans that happened back in England while the fliers waited for their next bombing run.

I really enjoyed this book. If you’re going to pick this one up, make sure you know what you are getting into. The audiobook is 24 hours long, but Mr. Miller does a great job keeping up the pace and holding your interest. It was very interesting to learn about both the everyday soldiers from America who took place in the war as well as the famous faces that either flew or were around these everyday Americans. These names include the likes of Glen Miller, Jimmy Stewart, Walter Cronkite, and more. I also really enjoyed the ending of the book where Mr. Miller examined the morality of the bombings and the overall effect it had on the people of Germany. I think it was an excel way to sum up the book.

If you are a fan of World War II, this is a must. Don’t let the length scare you as it moves fast. Thank you to NetGalley, Donald Miller, and Blackstone Publishing for a free advanced copy for an honest review.

Editor's note: Review published in CNHI's Ga, Ala, Miss papers. Offered to national editors.

Booked for the month: Noir, fantasy and historical retellings fill the air with new fiction from Gordon Greisman and Christy Healy, and audio retakes of Jules Verne and Donald Miller

By Tom Mayer
CNHI News Service

From 20,000 feet above to 20,000 leagues below — and a couple more with feet firmly on planet Earth — a quartet of new books and audio renderings recently published will both enliven drive-times and offer one more reason to put another log on the fire. All four this month are from Blackstone, a publishing house that continues to offer an interesting and intriguing mix of media.

The audio files

In the category of what’s old is what’s new: “Masters of the Air” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” aren’t exactly new books, but they both get a new treatment as audio books with fresh narrators.

Donald Miller’s “Masters of the Air” isn’t just for the World War II buff. It offers the history of the American Eighth Air Force, but with the addition of Joe Barrett’s narration — Barrett is a veteran raconteur with more than 200 audio titles and a host of Audie Award finals in his arsenal — the story of the young (and they were all young) men who flew the bombers responsible for crippling Nazi Germany takes you into the cockpit beside them.

And the 20,000 feet reference is no exaggeration: the air at that height is thin and freezing and before the Eighth, no body of bombers had successfully straddled that particular stratosphere.

Miller, a WWII expert and professor at Lafayette College, weaves interviews, oral histories and international archives into a compelling narrative about an elite group of warriors who essentially fought a war within a war, and spices it with stories of life in wartime England and German prison camps.

World War II is known as the world’s first and only bomber war, and “Masters of the Air” also gets a fitting visual complement. A series based on the book, under the same name, launched on Apple TV+ Jan. 26.
Not that Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” has suffered from any lack of multi-media attention, but Blackstone’s audio version captures the 19th century period piece in ways that infuse real magic into the exotic undersea tale of Captain Nemo and the Nautilus.

You might know the story, and you might know the voice — narrator Aria Mia Loberti starred in Netflix’s limited series adaptation of “All the Light We Cannot See” — but the combination is unique and fitting, especially enmeshed with the Mia Loberti's advanced degree in ancient rhetoric from Royal Holloway, University of London. You’ve not heard this story told in such a perfect lilt, and if the publisher is wise, they will elicit Mia Loberti for Verne’s other two works featuring Nemo: “The Mysterious Island” and a lesser-known collaborative play, “Journey Through the Impossible,” written a dozen years after the 1870 launch of “20,000 Leagues.”

The bibliophiles

In the category of what’s new is what’s new, 2024 has already been a good year for literature, and in continuing the fantastical theme is “Unbound” by Christy Healy.

A tale of betrayal and unrequited romance, Healy brings Celtic myths into this gender-bent reimagining of “Beauty and the Beast.”

Rozlyn O Conchuir is destined for love, waiting in the imprisonment of her tower for the defeat of the beast of Connacht through the arrival of the man who will not only win her heart, but vanquish the curse that plagues both her and her kingly father’s people.

After the suitor arrives, though, her hopes and dreams are savagely unmasked and trust is irreparably broken. Or is it? There may be more here than Rozlyn imagined — if she can learn that some misfortunes are better left shackled than unbound.

And an aside: Blackstone completes the magical story with a fine print production. The textured cover artwork and book design are by Larissa Ezell, and that design includes interior illustrations, maps and something I don’t mention often in reviews: a unique typeface that draws the reader wonderfully into the world of make-believe.
Even as we’re drawn into a world with more grit and grime. Gordon Greisman’s “The Devil’s Daughter” is not only taut and fine noir, it’s a story that showcases something you don’t much witness — a novelist having pure fun with the craft.

Greisman’s PI story is solid and gets a screenwriter’s touch —the author earned an Emmy Award nomination for his NBC mini-series “The Drug Wars; In the Belly of the Beast” — but tempering period characters with private investigator Jack Coffey’s search for the daughter of an uptown financier is a delicious recipe for a story.
Infusing well-known mobsters, jazzmen and actors (Thelonious Monk is a bud, as is Bud, aka a young Marlon Brando), athletes and authors (How many detective stories have you read that feature Albert Camus?) attach some verbal paradox that ironically makes the story more real.

Add Greisman’s prose (“My favorite time in the city is just before dawn. The town isn’t really asleep, it’s just resting its eyes.”) and unexpected throwaways (“Richie Costello can’t stop staring at V, which is not only embarrassing but pretty inappropriate, considering he’s a priest.”) and you get a writer not only enjoying the work, but mastering it.
Some books you read in a day and this is that kind of book. It’ll no doubt be the best book you’ve read so far this year, and although we have some big hitters showing up in the next few months, it’s already a contender — with 11 months to go — for the best book you’ll read all year.

A caveat: Greisman’s story is raw and real, and some readers might get tripped by triggers. The material is handled well, but if stories about abuse and violence are on your “avoid” list, take a pass. The case of the missing Lucy Garrett — “who just might be the devil incarnate” — is as hardboiled as it gets, but Greisman takes no issue with breaking open a few rotten eggs to let their sulfuric fumes permeate the pages.

By the end, you’ll get why the story is shaped like this, and maybe it’s Coffey himself who describes it best: “I’m not all right. In my line of work sometimes I see the absolute worst in people. It’s supposed to make me hard and cynical, but that’s just a Hollywood fantasy. I’d have to be dead inside not to let something like this get to me.”

No question: “The Devil’s Daughter” will get to you.

When I listen to history audiobooks, I want a clear-voiced narrator who is not "acting". I don't care how many fake foreign accents a narrator can do, or how many times a narrator's voice changes depending on the character speaking. I'm happy to say that Joe Barrett's narration of Masters of the Air is clear and engaging.

This is a compelling history of not only the formation and campaigns of the 8th Air Force, but also (in its early chapters) a brief history of the origins of 20th century air war strategies. Miller focuses on one bomb group, the 100th BG who flew out of a base near Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk. There are, of course, many chapters about the missions to Europe that the 100th flew. Equally compelling, however, are the chapters about "peripheral" subjects like high-altitude medicine (nonexistent for the first group of flyers, gradually evolving as the air war progressed), resistance groups that aided the escape of downed flyers, and strategic decision making at the levels above bomb group.

I re-read this in anticipation of the new Apple TV series. I hope the series lives up to the high standards this excellent history book sets.

I found this book really interesting, The narration was really good. I wish it had a little more story aspect, but still really enjoyed the book.

Masters of the Air piqued my interest because we are a family that loves Band of Brothers and The Pacific and we are highly awaiting the Masters of the Air series coming out next year. We took a pretty long trip over the Thanksgiving holiday and had the pleasure of listening to this audiobook. While it was a whopping 25 hours long, it was a 25 hours spent learning about something we never knew about from World War 2. Hearing the stories of the men who all were literal Masters of the Air was amazing and I would gladly listen to this book again. We thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the narrator.

Thank you to Donald L. Miller, BlackStone Publishing Audio, NetGalley and the narrator Joe Barrett for the chance to listen to this historical fiction novel about the American Eighth Air Force during WWII. I always enjoy a book that I get to listen to and then have my dad listen to and we get to talk about history together.
The author, Donald L. Miller is a renowned historian and Professor who has written other books. And…. This is set to be a movie on Apple TV. This is a read/listen for WII history fans. This isn’t a new book, it was originally published in 2006 but is hot because of the movie.
Included in this mesmerizing narrative is the personal lives of the pilots, the bombers and the gunners. You learn about their lives in German prison camps. A visceral collection of first hand accounts of the men who served their country in the air and the bombing campaign.
Add this to your collection.