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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2010 > March > 09 > Entry
Hiroshima book scandal
They are still selling this book over on Amazon.com but it is bound to become a collector’s item. The publisher just sent out this notice:
“It is with deep regret that Henry Holt and Company announces that we will no longer print, correct or ship copies of Charles Pellegrino’s “The Last Train from Hiroshima” due to the discovery of dishonest sources of information for the book.
It is easy to understand how even the most diligent author could be duped by a source, but we also understand that opens that book to very detailed scrutiny. The author of any work of non-fiction must stand behind its content. We must rely on our authors to answer questions that may arise as to the accuracy of their work and reliability of their sources. Unfortunately, Mr. Pellegrino was not able to answer the additional questions that have arisen about his book to our satisfaction.
Mr. Pellegrino has a long history in the publishing world, and we were very proud and honored to publish his history of such an important historical event. But without the confidence that we can stand behind the work in its entirety, we cannot continue to sell this product to our customers.”
For more on this unfolding story click HERE:
I’m a WWII history buff so this story was a real shocker to me. Even so, I’m glad I have a copy of this book.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: booms and busts
Comments
By Page Turner
March 17, 2010 1:08 PM | Link to this
Amazon’s intrepid third party sellers are now offering this book at prices ranging from $70 to $688!
By Page Turner
March 16, 2010 12:30 PM | Link to this
Pellegrino’s novel, “Dust,” was provocative and entertaining. Figured I’d check out some more of his work someday. Guess it won’t be this one.
By irishguy
March 11, 2010 12:44 PM | Link to this
LOL. I might need a new email account, I’ve had satellite for a couple of years now. I’ve a few books about the Marines as well. “One Square Mile of Hell” and “Pacific Alamo” by John Wukovits, among others. A book I really found captivating was “A Dawn like Thunder” by Robert Mrazek. It’s about Torpedo Squadron Eight at Midway. I think you’d enjoy it. I’ll have to look for the one’s you mentioned during my next visit to Half Price Books.
By vick
March 11, 2010 11:23 AM | Link to this
I don’t have HBO either, Irish. That’s why nobody calls me Lithuanian Cable Guy. What I do have is books. I have “The Pacific-Hell Was an Ocean Away” (Caliber) by Hugh Ambrose. It is the “official” companion book for the HBO series. I also have “Islands of Hell- the US Marines in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945” (Zenith Press) by Eric Hammel and I have “Islands of the Damned-A Marine at War in the Pacific” (Caliber) by R.V. Burgin. Burgin was there. He’s now in his 80’s. So, I have books about it. New books. I’m the book guy, not the TV guy. I’ll wait for my library to have “The Pacific” for loan on DVD.
By irishguy
March 11, 2010 11:04 AM | Link to this
Not familiar with Pelecanos, don’t have HBO. Glad to hear it’ll be real. I heard they’re following the GI’s home after the war in the series and just wondered how that would be handled. I had several uncles who served in the ETO (my dad was 15 on VJ Day)they mostly believed the Atom bomb saved them as they worried about redeployment for the invasion of Japan
By vick
March 11, 2010 10:34 AM | Link to this
Irish, George Pelecanos was a lead writer for the “Pacific” series. I have talked to George about it several times. Pelecanos is a novelist and a screenplay writer. Remember THE WIRE on HBO? Pelecanos was also one of the lead writers. George and I have one thing in common; our dads both served in the USMC in the Pacific. My dad was on the first survey crew to enter the devastated city of Nagasaki. My dad wanted the war to be over. He didn’t want to be part of any invasion of Japan. He understood the decision to use these powerful explosives on Japan. Did my dad think they didn’t harm Japan enough? No, my dad saw what we did to Japan. My dad was a human being. He understood the rationale behind it but he didn’t savor it nor did he feel that we didn’t do enough of it. It sickened him. No, I don’t think “The Pacific” on HBO will be PC. Not at all.
By irishguy
March 11, 2010 6:56 AM | Link to this
Vick, HBO’s new mini series about WWII’s Pacific theater will surely touch on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Do you think (given the producers) they’ll be all revisionist PC in the telling or show how our boys felt about it at the time?
By H. Lee
March 9, 2010 6:42 PM | Link to this
I guess it must be extremely tempting for an author to make up “just a few details” to create a livelier story. But in the Internet age, it’s not a good idea to try it, obviously. Not unless you’ve got your story really covered. I think if I were going to write a lie or two, I’d make it a whopper that people would want to believe, but one that would be really hard to check. (“I survived Jonestown by mixing my own kool-aid.” “I snuck into Buckingham Palace and spent the night in the Queen’s wardrobe.” “I went undercover to spy on the Taliban by wearing a burkha and serving them coffee and dates.”) You know, who can really prove otherwise? :-)
By Steve
March 9, 2010 11:48 AM | Link to this
Ah, WW II vet, you must have been the source they mention….
By WW II vet
March 9, 2010 11:39 AM | Link to this
Too bad we didn’t drop more A-bombs on Japan, one for every ship sunk at Pearl Harbor. Whack ‘em 10 fold.