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Mussolini's Island
In July 1943, the Allies launched their first assault against the "Fortress Europe" which Hitler thought invincible. Mussolini's Island captures for the first time the full horror and glory, the fear and the foul-ups of one of the least known but most dramatic and controversial battles of World War II. Mussolini's Island is not a conventional military history. It tells the story of otherwise faceless men and women - American and Italian soldiers, a British Navy officer, and a Spitfire pilot - whose lives and loves are changed by the choices of Hitler and Mussolini, and of two star commanders locked in a personal rivalry: old "blood and guts" Patton and Montgomery, the best-known British Army commander of World War II.
Based on in-depth interviews with the main characters, and hundreds of interviews with survivors, unpublished letters and diaries, Mussolini's Island sweeps the reader across stormy seas and onto the landing beaches in the first D-Day. An epic story of men and women at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the awfulness, complexities and triumphs of life are laid bare and fear and courage come to the fore.
Based on in-depth interviews with the main characters, and hundreds of interviews with survivors, unpublished letters and diaries, Mussolini's Island sweeps the reader across stormy seas and onto the landing beaches in the first D-Day. An epic story of men and women at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the awfulness, complexities and triumphs of life are laid bare and fear and courage come to the fore.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 7, 2013
As much as I wanted to like this book it left me feeling cold. On the positive, several of the stories were interesting. On the other hand, an equal number were rather boring. The author's blend of superficiality and sensationalism often left me wanting more detail. Worse, I frequently found myself saying "citation needed."
Others have drawn the parallels to the style of Cornelius Ryan and I find myself disagreeing. While Follain attempts to interweave narratives as Ryan does, this story fails to have the cohesion of a Ryan work. 'Mussolini's Island' contains remarkably little military detail and many of the personal accounts seem colored by time. Consider that Ryan performed his interviews during and immediately after the conflict. Here the interviews were performed decades after the fact and little seems to have been done to corroborate personal accounts with factual evidence. Ryan also does very well at building his narratives around a solid discussion of the historical campaign, he presents the big picture while beguiling us with stories.
I was also troubled that in several instances where I fact checked the work, I found issues. The author tells us that Churchill referred to Sicily and the Italian boot as Europe's “soft under belly”. I knew this to be false just from my personal knowledge. Churchill referred to -The Balkans-, Greece and Yugoslavia, as Europe's “soft underbelly” (source US Army War College A170152, "Churchill's Soft-Underbelly Approach onto the European Continent"). The narrative account of the sinking of the hospital ship SS Talamba is very striking and leaves us understanding that thousands of servicemen and women were lost with the ship. But a search of the internet finds several sites claiming that only -5- crew members were lost as the ship sank. True, internet sites have been known to be wrong, but the disparity in numbers is striking.
I can see where people would enjoy this book. It is approachable and tells a few interesting stories. However, for a more solid perspective on the Sicily campaign one would do well to look elsewhere.
Others have drawn the parallels to the style of Cornelius Ryan and I find myself disagreeing. While Follain attempts to interweave narratives as Ryan does, this story fails to have the cohesion of a Ryan work. 'Mussolini's Island' contains remarkably little military detail and many of the personal accounts seem colored by time. Consider that Ryan performed his interviews during and immediately after the conflict. Here the interviews were performed decades after the fact and little seems to have been done to corroborate personal accounts with factual evidence. Ryan also does very well at building his narratives around a solid discussion of the historical campaign, he presents the big picture while beguiling us with stories.
I was also troubled that in several instances where I fact checked the work, I found issues. The author tells us that Churchill referred to Sicily and the Italian boot as Europe's “soft under belly”. I knew this to be false just from my personal knowledge. Churchill referred to -The Balkans-, Greece and Yugoslavia, as Europe's “soft underbelly” (source US Army War College A170152, "Churchill's Soft-Underbelly Approach onto the European Continent"). The narrative account of the sinking of the hospital ship SS Talamba is very striking and leaves us understanding that thousands of servicemen and women were lost with the ship. But a search of the internet finds several sites claiming that only -5- crew members were lost as the ship sank. True, internet sites have been known to be wrong, but the disparity in numbers is striking.
I can see where people would enjoy this book. It is approachable and tells a few interesting stories. However, for a more solid perspective on the Sicily campaign one would do well to look elsewhere.
July 23, 2023
Very good account of the Sicilian campaign from both military and civilian points of view. Harrowing and brutal it tells the whole story. Very readable
May 20, 2011
I've been doing a reading challenge http://www.letterdash.com/CraigSmith/... and been updating my progress as I go along. So here are my thoughts at different stages in the book.
Page 21: This is the first Military History novel I've read. The writing style is very straight forward, but still does a very good job of putting me in the heads of the people involved.
Page 190: Definitely one of my favourites of the 10. I haven't read much WWII fiction before but this story has really brought to life what it meant to be on the front lines. And it may seem like soldiers are just drones in movies etc but they're real people too and most of them wouldn't want to be a part of it if they had a choice. And by some of the scenes it really shows you that truth is stranger than fiction and a hell of a lot scarier.
Page 350 (completed): After readin this book you really get a good feel of horrible war really is, and what people had to go through to survive. If they were lucky enough to do so. I think everyone should have to read books like this to convince them that war is never a solution. History lessons at school just don't give you the same indepth feel like this book does. Overall a very well researched book and recommended to war buffs and regular readers too. Especially regular readers.
Page 21: This is the first Military History novel I've read. The writing style is very straight forward, but still does a very good job of putting me in the heads of the people involved.
Page 190: Definitely one of my favourites of the 10. I haven't read much WWII fiction before but this story has really brought to life what it meant to be on the front lines. And it may seem like soldiers are just drones in movies etc but they're real people too and most of them wouldn't want to be a part of it if they had a choice. And by some of the scenes it really shows you that truth is stranger than fiction and a hell of a lot scarier.
Page 350 (completed): After readin this book you really get a good feel of horrible war really is, and what people had to go through to survive. If they were lucky enough to do so. I think everyone should have to read books like this to convince them that war is never a solution. History lessons at school just don't give you the same indepth feel like this book does. Overall a very well researched book and recommended to war buffs and regular readers too. Especially regular readers.
July 12, 2016
In the end, it emerged that i just needed the prologue for my leaving cert history project (which was incidently based on Operation Mincemeat). That said i really enjoyed this book. It read like a novel, the people in the story came alive on the page. Historical non fiction has a tendency to downgrade the thoughts and emotions of people for fear that they will be accused of bias and conjecture. This author however, on the basis of personal letters and interviews obtained by him was able to have this allowance and his book, for that is all the better. And i was still able to use the book as a source for my project, even if it was just the prologue! Also, if anyone knows of a book on operation mincemeat1943, let me know!
March 28, 2013
Compelling reading. Describes the Allied invasion of Sicily from the perspective of soldiers - Italian, German, British and American - and a Sicilian family. Lots of insights into a little known, but hugely important period in WW2.
July 17, 2014
Have I ever mentioned that I really like books that are taken from eyewitness accounts? Thus the high rating (4).
Invasion and conquest of Sicily. Like many of the war battles, was it well planned/executed? Was it really even necessary?
Invasion and conquest of Sicily. Like many of the war battles, was it well planned/executed? Was it really even necessary?
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January 4, 2011I loved this book as we have visited many of the places mentioned on Sicily.
February 20, 2013
Gripping account of the invasion of sicily all the way from the commanders to the front line and the civilians caught in the conflict.
Couldn't put it down.
Couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews