Author to discuss 1942 Battle of Midway June 17
The June 1942 Battle of Midway – one of the most significant naval battles in history and a turning point in World War II – is the subject of a History Book Festival virtual program set for 5 p.m., Thursday, June 17.
Author Jeff Shaara will discuss his newest historical novel, The Eagle’s Claw: A Novel of the Battle of Midway,” with former U.S. Army officer and author Ed Ruggero. A question-and-answer session will follow the authors’ conversation.
The Zoom-based program is free, but preregistration is required. To reserve a spot, go to historybookfestival.org.
“The Eagle’s Claw” transports readers to spring 1942, when U.S. Navy Cmdr. Joe Rochefort cracks the Japanese military code. With that breakthrough, Adm. Chester Nimitz will know precisely what the Japanese are planning. But the battle to counter those plans must still be fought.
Shaara describes the conflict through the eyes of both U.S. forces and the Japanese, who have no idea that the Americans are anticipating their every move.
Shaara’s second in a series of novels about World War II in the Pacific, “The Eagle’s Claw” follows “To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor.”
Shaara’s books include “Gods and Generals” and “The Last Full Measure,” novels that completed the Civil War trilogy begun by his late father Michael Shaara, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, “The Killer Angels.”
The American Library Association presented its William Young Boyd Award for Excellence in Military Fiction to Jeff Shaara for three of his books: “Gods and Generals”; “To The Last Man,” his World War I story; and “The Frozen Hours,” about the Korean War.
Ed Ruggero, a West Point graduate, has written fiction, military history and titles on leadership. His World War II novel “Blame the Dead” was featured at the 2020 History Book Festival. A sequel, “Comes the War,” was released in February.
For a complete list of upcoming presentations and detailed information on each program, go to historybookfestival.org.
Copies of “The Eagle’s Claw” are available at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, the official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Biblion in Lewes also has copies of the book for sale. Books purchased at either shop come with a signed archival bookplate.
The June 17 program is part of the 2021 History Book Festival, which features noted authors of newly published historical fiction and nonfiction works. The virtual events will occur weekly through the end of August, except for the week of July 4.
Presenting sponsors of the 2021 festival are Delaware Humanities and the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty.
In addition to the Lewes Public Library, the festival’s virtual programs are supported by the Delaware Division of Libraries and Sussex County Libraries.
Now in its fifth year, the History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history.
