Flags of Our Fathers, by James Bradley

Excellent book, and well written. It's probably the best history-related book I've read this year (and I read lots).

Flags of Our Fathers

Clint Eastwood directed this tale of the battle for Iwo Jima in World War II. 6 Americans, 5 marines and a navy corpman, raised a flag on Mount Suribachi. A newspaper photographer took the picture which became an icon. 3 of the men in the picture were killed in the battle. Eastwood's movie is based on a book written by James Bradley, the son of one of the survivors. 6,821 Americans and 21,000 Japanese died on this island 500 miles from Tokyo. Eastwood attempts to show the tragedy of war and the tenuous nature of heroism. I grew tired of being told there is no such thing as a hero. Although the story is interesting, the movie is boring to young audiences.

100 Greatest Movies
http://jimcolyer.com/papers/entry?id=28

Jim, have you ever read the book? I got it for Christmas one year. I can only hope that the movie is on par. Apparently there is another movie being made at the same time called "Letters from Iwo Jima," which is told from the Japanese perspective. I'm curious to see that one as well.

I have not read the book but may check it out of the library here in Nashville.