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Bombs Away  By  cover art

Bombs Away

By: John Steinbeck, James H. Meredith - introduction
Narrated by: Scott Aiello
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Publisher's summary

A magnificent volume of short novels and an essential World War II report from one of America's great 20th-century writers

A Penguin Classic

On the heels of the enormous success of his masterwork The Grapes of Wrath, and at the height of the American war effort, John Steinbeck, one of the most prolific and influential literary figures of his generation, wrote Bombs Away, a nonfiction account of his experiences with US Army Air Force bomber crews during World War II. Now, for the first time since its original publication in 1942, Penguin Classics presents this exclusive edition of Steinbeck's introduction to the then-nascent US Army Air Force and its bomber crew - the essential core unit behind American air power that Steinbeck described as "the greatest team in the world".

For more than 70 years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Listeners trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

©2009 John Steinbeck (P)2016 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Bombs Away

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A great book

A wonderful book that I found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I found this book to be highly intelligent and worthwhile. I found this book to underpin and be developmental to the American way of life and I further highly recommend this book.

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Good for Propaganda

Steinbeck did several propaganda pieces, and some heavily internally and externally censored reports and essays. This is a bit of pure pro-WWII propaganda in support of the war effort.

This book tells young men they will become elite, well-fed, strong, well-trained, attractive, respected and eventually rich if they volunteer to be trained as a USAF bomber crew member. Each of the bomber crew positions is well described in glowing terms. No downsides of volunteering are presented.

Steinbeck was, for a time, suspected by the FBI (and was publicly accused) of being a communist sympathizer.

The narration is good, and clear, but can't really add much to the text.

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Too much war propaganda

My family member was a WW II bomber pilot and this book romanticizes the role. Thousands of pilots and crew died.

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Not my pick

Could not get my interest in this book. Gave it a good try ,got half way through.

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