Carter L.

I always finish what I start...

Revisado: 10-09-23

...but I didn't want to finish this one.

Our heroine is a plucky, oh-so-achingly-stupid young lady, seemingly transported from today (with modern sensibilities) and stuck in the story. Doesn't work.

This story is another man-hater in which every male character (excepting one...maybe) is out to exploit, debase, abuse, etc., women. It's tiresome.

It's not a book, but rather is a radio play. Wouldn't be so bad except, despite the generally good acting performances, the sound is often weak and muffled.

Second-worst audiobook I've ever experienced.

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Poor Narration, Petulant Attitude

Revisado: 08-29-23

STOP! STOP...STOP...STOP!!! That's what the producer of this audiobook should have shouted. Then, he (or she) should have picked up the phone, called the publisher and said something akin to, "Look, I know you think it'll add credibility and value to have the author read her own book, but she either can't, or isn't motivated to do it well--she's awful. Let's get a professional reader in here."

Truly, McCurdy reads this thing mush-mouthed at double speed. A listener shouldn't have to struggle to understand what she's saying. Also, just as she describes how later in her career she just didn't want to be doing various shows or roles, I get the feeling that she was just going through the motions with this project. She comes across as petulant and disrespectful to her listeners. Come on little sister, I paid for better than this.

The story is okay. Quite frankly, it's remarkable that she's turned out as well as she has...although there is no doubt she's going to struggle through the rest of her life. Her mother truly was a self-interested, manipulative, crass, broken, abusive <insert more negative adjectives here> monster. McCurdy does a decent job of tracing her career, but more background would have been worthwhile. Why was her mother such a terrible person? What was going on with the rest of the family as she gained success? How did their relationships evolve--did they do anything together? Did their life at home improve at all...did they move out of the living room?

It's not fair to criticize the many poor decisions McCurdy has made through her life. And that's because she was raised by such a truly awful person. But, it's fair to criticize the writing, her attitude and performance, and the apparent unwillingness of the publisher and producers to hold McCurdy accountable and to make this book...if not outstanding, at least better.

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Loved It!

Revisado: 05-17-23

Nothing but life happens .

Tom Hanks makes a magnificent book better.

And me too.

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Detailed, Complete and Highly Readable

Revisado: 03-08-21

This is as thorough an account of a fighter group's actions during World War II as I have ever encountered. Despite the remarkable detail and insight, it is very "readable" (well-narrated).

An all-inclusive package, it covers everything from personalities (from all sides), strategies, tactics and descriptions of aircraft and equipment. And it doesn't concentrate on just the pilots, but includes accounts from maintenance and support personnel as well. The author, a former fighter pilot, raises questions that others don't think to ask, and does a superb job answering them.

The book also includes many stories and anecdotes that make the men more real and believable.

The narrator's style is smooth and clear, with a well-balanced cadence.

Great "read!"

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Love This Book

Revisado: 03-07-21

A tightly told story of air combat and all its terrors, wrapped within a greater story of love, family and duty. Highly readable and engaging.

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One of the Best Performances Ever

Revisado: 08-21-19

This story would be a five-star with me as the reader. The narrator turns it into a 10-star +

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Great Story and a Great Performance

Revisado: 02-09-19

This is a very well-told and engrossing story of the hard-fighting men of the 345th Bomb Group. The stories of individual men are told within the context of the grand strategy of the Allied march toward Tokyo. So then, rather than just a collection of stories, the listener gets a sense of what the men experienced as the Japanese were worn down and the Americans and their Allies turned the war to their favor.

Tactics and equipment are discussed enough so that the listener understands the challenges that the 345th's men faced. However these discussions are not overwhelming. Rather they are just enough to make the personal stories meaningful.

The work is notable for artfully incorporating the contemporary views of the men who did the fighting and fixing without being filtered through the modern-day machinations of political correctness. Thusly described, the men become real, rather than one-dimensional, flag-waving caricatures.

The narrator's performance is top-notch--nuanced and authoritative, while still easy to listen to.

This is a terrific work about a lesser-known aspect of the World War II air war.

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It got out of the author's control

Revisado: 04-15-18

It is perhaps a bit unfair to review from the perspective of modern sensibilities a book that was written during the 1930s. However, it is still for sale and making someone some good 2018 money. So...fair is fair.

If Ms. Undset received a Nobel for writing this book, then everyone who slogs through it should likewise receive a Nobel for persistence. This is a story that got out of Ms. Undset's control. It's too broad and unfocused, and much, much too repetitive. At times I hated Kristin for her self-loathing and hard-headedness. There is nothing wrong with giving a character those traits, but dwelling on them over and over and over and over and over again became beyond tedious.

Many characters and situations were left unresolved.

The descriptions of daily life and politics and the church were excellent. So too was the narrator.

This was a 45-hour listen. At least 15 hours were unnecessary. More tightly edited, this would be a solid five-star story. As it is, I finished it only because I paid good money for it.

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Great Performance for a Great Story!

Revisado: 11-03-17

I had a difficult time adjusting my ear to the narrator's voice for about the first 30 seconds, and then it all seemed to come together. The voice quickly became perfect, and it struck me as being very authentic for the 1940s.

The book includes a lot of detail about Righetti's upbringing and his family which I wouldn't have thought was necessary for a story about a combat pilot, but it turned out to be good context, and made me care about him more. It made him seem more real.

There is a lot of background about the air war over Europe and certainly a great deal about Righetti's accomplishments. It seems odd that he's not better known. Except for being crazy-aggressive, he seemed to have been not only an accomplished pilot, but a very good leader.

As to his ultimate fate, the book takes the reader through a very comprehensive investigation that raises issues and ideas that most folks never would have considered. And it all comes together in a super-slick package. This is a very well-written book that is also very well narrated and acted.

Highly recommended.

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One of the Most Detailed Accounts

Revisado: 02-26-17

Would you listen to Operation Reunion again? Why?

Yes, it's the most concise and detailed account of the effort that I've encountered

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Romanian fighter pilot (I won't try to spell his name) who liaised between the Romanian forces and the Fifteenth Air Force. He seemed charismatic, skilled, resourceful and genuinely committed to saving the American POWs.

Have you listened to any of Gary Goebel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Mr. Goebel is not a professional narrator or actor, but rather is a retired fighter pilot. His father was a renowned Mustang ace and also the author of this work. Mr. Goebel's performance is workmanlike. His voice is not dramatic, but it is clear and more than adequate to tell this story well. His effort to get this story out to a greater audience is commendable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's just less than an hour in length, so it was easy to do.

Any additional comments?

This is not a long story, but at the price, it was worth it to me.

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