About the Book
The Long March Home: A World War II Novel
of the Pacific
by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee
Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of
Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his
high school sweetheart, Claire.
Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of
December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed
Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as
enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the
Pacific theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan
Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in
history.
What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern
warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three
friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the
beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.
Reviews
"In this tour de force from Brotherton (A Bright and Blinding Sun)
and Lee (A Single Light), four friends’ lives change
irrevocably when America becomes embroiled in WWII. Brotherton and Lee
masterfully capture what it was like for soldiers to face war’s
atrocities, as well as the heartbreak of those waiting for them back
home. This is a winner." ―
Publishers
Weekly
“A great read for those enthralled with real-life stories of
war and survival such as Laura Hilderbrand’s Unbroken and Adam
Makos’s Devotion. Recommend to those looking for a new angle on
World War II fiction.” ―
Library Journal
“The Long March Home is a stunning
WWII story of the ferocity with which three friends loved and fought for one
another. Taking inspiration from true stories, the novel is an astonishing
combination of gritty wartime action tempered with poignant growth and
drama. Alternating chapters reveal the stories behind the men’s resilient
friendship, from the innocence of childhood to the confusion of adolescence
to the impossible choices expedited by war. A heartbreaking, resonant story
with characters who effortlessly come alive make this a must-read literary
triumph.” ―
Booklist