The Admirals

The first book to deal with the four [admirals] together, focusing on their intertwined lives, friendships, and rivalries….A very well-crafted book. - John Lehman, Washington Post

In his superbly reported new book, historian Walter R. Borneman tackles the essential question of military leadership: What makes some men, but not others, able to motivate a fighting force into battle? - Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

Engagingly written and deeply researched… Mr. Borneman makes it easy to understand the complex series of maneuvers and counter-maneuvers at Leyte Gulf…which is not always the case with accounts of the battle. - Andrew Roberts, Wall Street Journal

Borneman demonstrates comprehensive command of published and unpublished sources, fingertip understanding of the period, and a polished writing style in this unique collective biography of the four men who ‘with a combination of nimble counsel, exasperating ego, studied patience, and street-fighter tactics’ shaped the modern U.S. Navy to win WWII at sea. - Publishers Weekly

Walter Borneman’s The Admirals is an epic group portrait of Nimitz, Halsey, Leahey, and King. Not since the heyday of Samuel Eliot Morison has a historian painted such a fine portrait of the five-star admirals who helped America beat Japan during the Second World War. Highly recommended! - Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of The Wilderness Warrior