Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Thirty-three years after her dad's death, Liz Williams delves into his letters and photos from World War II, seeking to solve a mystery: What caused his terrifying rages? She wonders if the war planted a fuse in her dad's head, sparking his explosions. The letters lead her to uncover a spellbinding look at Hawaii's transformation from island paradise to war zone, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and his combat duty on other Pacific battlegrounds. Amid her quest, Liz stumbles upon a shocking family secret that the letters also imply: Her father had waged two wars one of them with himself.
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Synopsis
A young man from a gritty Pennsylvania mill town enlists in the Army Air Corps and heads for Hawaii, the "Paradise of the Pacific." There, he and his buddies defend Oahu while it explodes and burns in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As the war surges, his bomber squardron ships out to prmitive Pacific outposts. Amid air raids, stifling heat, and outbreaks of tropical disease, he clings to sanity through the letters he and his wife share, letters saved in an attic for 57 years. His daughter, hunted by her dad's terrifying rages decades after his death, delves into the letters for clues to his turmoil. The letters lead her to discover a shocking family secret, not only fulfilling her quest but also revealing a story of war, love, and reconciliation.