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I am so glad I took the time to read this book. So many unsung heroes in the civil rights movement. This was well written and researched, but just doesn't have quite enough oomph for that 5th star, like I have his other book, Bomb.
My favorite quote: It was frustrating work, but Marshall cautioned fellow African Americans against turning bitter or losing hope. as rough as things were in the United States, he argued, they'd be a lot worse under the dictators America was fighting in World War II. ...more
My favorite quote: It was frustrating work, but Marshall cautioned fellow African Americans against turning bitter or losing hope. as rough as things were in the United States, he argued, they'd be a lot worse under the dictators America was fighting in World War II. ...more
An intriguing book, and I especially liked that it is about extremely ordinary people; not geniuses, not people who became important later, but regular people responding in an ordinary (if illegal) way. The book makes it pretty clear that the sailors shouldn't be considered guilty of mutiny, but I'm not sure it's made clear enough that there's no question (as far as I understand) that not following an order is a pretty serious offense in the military.
It would have been far more satisfying if th ...more
It would have been far more satisfying if th ...more
This narrative nonfiction story of the African-American Navy men who refused officers' orders is a tough one to hear. Told from the perspective of some of the men, we hear about how their dreams of working at sea were dashed when they joined the Navy. They never expected to be put to work loading ammunition. But they did it. They worked tirelessly, sometimes at a fast pace to get the bombs moved to help the war effort.
But eventually, something had to give.
This story of courage, justice (and it ...more
But eventually, something had to give.
This story of courage, justice (and it ...more
Such an interesting story I hadn't heard anything about. These men were the epitome of civil disobedience, and they didn't even know it. They had so much courage to stand up to their Navy leaders when the treatment was unfair. They were asking for changes in segregation before any others. I was also shocked with the ultimate ending. The fact that so many were killed in an accident reminded me of some of the data in Unbroken regarding how many of our casualties in the war were a result of acciden
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Excellent book about an event in WWII history that I had never heard of.
Sheinkin does it again! Masterful job pulling together a compelling true story with many characters and ethical issues.
Jan 28, 2014
Kris Springer
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
Shelves:
2015-newbery-reads
Awesome book; must read for children/teens/adults who love history & want to understand how far we've come as a nation. Sheinkin is a terrific writer; works hard to present clear images & facts and gets at the most provocative, interesting parts of the story.
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A fascinating account of an under-told story, told largely through the voices of the men who experienced it. Sheinkin also emphasizes the story's place in the larger Civil Rights struggle, and tells the story smoothly and compellingly.
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Jan 30, 2014
Julie
marked it as to-read
Nov 24, 2014
Lola
added it
Nov 24, 2014
Sara
marked it as to-read
Dec 30, 2014
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
