Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

12 Books About the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Just before 8am on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Japanese military unleashed a surprise air strike against the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing more than 2,400 American servicemen and forcing the US into World War II. For Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we are bringing you a roundup of literature, both fiction and nonfiction, to learn about what happened and its lasting impact eighty years later.

Nonfiction

These are some of the best nonfiction books available on the subject of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the events that followed in WWII.

Day of Infamy
First published in 1957, this classic stands the test of time as an essential account of that unforgettable day. In brilliant detail, Walter Lord traces the human drama of the great attack: the spies behind it; the men at the airfields and the bases; the soldiers and civilians who responded with anger, despair, and courage.

Countdown to Pearl Harbor
A fascinating look at the twelve days leading up to the attack: the warnings, clues, and missteps. Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, Steve Twomey unravels the crucial characters and moments for an edge-of-your seat drama about this moment in America's history.

All the Gallant Men: A Memoir
This extraordinary, first-hand account is the only memoir ever written by a survivor of the USS Arizona. Ninety-four-year-old veteran Donald Stratton shares his unforgettable experience, his harrowing recovery, and his inspiring determination to return to the fight.

At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor
As intense and absorbing as a suspense novel, Gordon W. Prange's account of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor is exhaustive. At 900 pages, and packed with extensive research and interviews with American and Japanese leaders, it is arguably the most comprehensive history of the shocking attack.

Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor
Deeply researched and brilliantly written by James M. Scott, this is the definitive account of one of America's most daring military operations. The raid buoyed America's morale, and prompted an ill-fated Japanese attempt to seize Midway that turned the tide of the war. But it came at a horrific cost.

Code Girls
More than ten thousand US women served as codebreakers during WWII. Their efforts shortened the war, saved countless lives, and gave them access to careers previously denied them. Bestselling author Liza Mundy brings to life this riveting story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment. And here's a Young Readers Edition geared for grades 3 to 7.

Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History
How did the Japanese slip past the American radar? Why were the Hawaiian defense forces so woefully underprepared? Here Pearl Harbor experts Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, and Katherine V. Dillon tackle the thorny questions surrounding one of the most shocking military disasters in history.

Novels

If you're someone who prefers to glean your history from historical fiction, you're not alone! Reading novels set in a particular time period can be a great way to "experience" history. Here are a few to consider:

To Wake the Giant by Jeff Shaara
A master of military historical fiction tells the story of Pearl Harbor as only he can in the first novel of a gripping series set during WWII. Weaving together multiple storylines and a diverse set of characters, this story puts the reader squarely in the middle of the drama.

The Lieutenant's Nurse by Sara Ackerman
In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Eva and her fellow nurses band together for the immense duty of keeping the American wounded alive. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, Eva will have to decide whom to trust and how far she will go to protect those she loves.

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
"All around me, my friends are talking, joking, laughing. Outside is the camp, the barbed wire, the guard towers, the city, the country that hates us." This YA novel offers the collective account of a tight-knit group of young second-generation Japanese American citizens, whose lives are irrevocably changed by the mass U.S. incarcerations of World War II.

The Girls of Pearl Harbor by Soraya M. Lane
When Grace, April, and Poppy join the US Army Nurse Corps, they see it as little more than an adventure, one made all the better by their Hawaiian post—until the morning of December 7. Now embroiled in war, they must decide what truly matters to them and face down unimaginable grief and danger.

Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury
Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts his loyalty. This YA novel tells the story of one young Japanese American soldier.

These books offer a variety of perspectives on this pivotal event. Hopefully you see something that makes you want to learn more about what happened at Pearl Harbor and its lasting significance.

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon