76 Hours: A Novel of Tarawa

Acclaimed author Larry Alexander brings readers a riveting account in 76 Hours: A Novel of Tarawa. Told from the American and Japanese perspectives, characters from both sides reveal what takes place behind the lines. The Japanese Emperor convinces his troops the Americans are weak and incapable of winning. He insists they’ll be defeated; the legacy and strength of his country depends on it. Kenji Sakai, Leading Seaman, is young and fearful but determined to take on the task. Private Peter Winston Talbot with the U.S. Marine Corps is as well, but what they both learn as the hours unfold is that nothing prepares one for war.

This is a harrowing work of historical fiction. “Hardball” Talbot, a man whose childhood was denigrated by an abusive, alcoholic father, witnesses the death of countless lives. His experience fighting for control is nothing short of surreal. The internal toll the seventy-six hours take on him, as well as what led up to them, is unfathomable. Alexander’s acute details and realistic depictions enable readers to feel they are right there alongside Talbot and Sakai as the minutes tick by and up until the final, unexpected defeat. Those who favor emotional and graphic war stories will undoubtedly find this a compelling read.