Listen free for 30 days
The Wrong Stuff
People who bought this also bought...
-
Combat Crew
- The Story of 25 Combat Missions over Europe from the Daily Journal of a B-17 Gunner
- By: John Comer
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Comer kept a journal of the 25 missions he flew in 1943, when the casualty rate on his base was close to 80 percent. His book is handwritten history, recorded within hours after the battles occurred. Comer vividly creates his experiences as top-turret gunner/flight engineer in a B-17 squadron that was thrown against the best pilots the Luftwaffe could offer.
-
-
possibly the best of the genre
- By M. A. Burgess on 19-11-16
-
Panzer Ace
- The Memoirs of an Iron Cross Panzer Commander from Barbarossa to Normandy
- By: Richard Freiherr von Rosen, Robert Forczyk
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944 commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak company) against the Russians in Hungary in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of these King Tiger tanks were ever built.
-
-
Gripping
- By Kindle Customer on 18-09-19
-
Blood Red Snow
- The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front
- By: Günter K. Koschorrek
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gunter K. Koschorrek was a machine-gunner on the Russian front in WWII. He wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some 40 years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow.
-
-
If you like the Eastern front then you’ll like this book
- By Jayceon1888 on 29-08-18
-
Big Week
- The Biggest Air Battle of World War Two
- By: James Holland
- Narrated by: Charles Armstrong
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Officially called Operation ARGUMENT, this monumental air assault very quickly became known simply as Big Week.
-
-
A good focus on the air war
- By Nick Shoubridge on 24-03-19
-
A Thousand Shall Fall
- The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two
- By: Murray Peden
- Narrated by: Anthony Haden Salerno
- Length: 19 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During World War II, Canada trained tens of thousands of airmen under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Those selected for Bomber Command operations went on to rain devastation upon the Third Reich in the great air battles over Europe, but their losses were high. German fighters and anti-aircraft guns took a terrifying toll. The chances of surviving a tour of duty as a bomber crew were almost nil.
-
-
One of the finest Bomber Command memoires.
- By Stephen on 03-05-16
-
To the Limit
- An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam
- By: Tom A. Johnson
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From June 1967 to June 1968, Tom Johnson accumulated an astonishing 1,600 flying hours piloting the UH-1 "Iroquois" - better known as the "Huey" - as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the Vietnam War, and helped redefine modern warfare. Johnson's riveting memoir takes us into key battles and rescue missions, including those for Hue and Khe Sanh. In harrowing detail, he tells of being shot down in the battle of A Shau Valley, of surviving enemy attacks during the Tet Offensive, and of a death-defying nighttime river rescue.
-
-
Well worth a credit
- By adam davies on 13-03-19
-
Combat Crew
- The Story of 25 Combat Missions over Europe from the Daily Journal of a B-17 Gunner
- By: John Comer
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Comer kept a journal of the 25 missions he flew in 1943, when the casualty rate on his base was close to 80 percent. His book is handwritten history, recorded within hours after the battles occurred. Comer vividly creates his experiences as top-turret gunner/flight engineer in a B-17 squadron that was thrown against the best pilots the Luftwaffe could offer.
-
-
possibly the best of the genre
- By M. A. Burgess on 19-11-16
-
Panzer Ace
- The Memoirs of an Iron Cross Panzer Commander from Barbarossa to Normandy
- By: Richard Freiherr von Rosen, Robert Forczyk
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944 commanded a battle group (12 King Tigers and a flak company) against the Russians in Hungary in the rank of junior, later senior lieutenant (from November 1944, his final rank). Only 489 of these King Tiger tanks were ever built.
-
-
Gripping
- By Kindle Customer on 18-09-19
-
Blood Red Snow
- The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front
- By: Günter K. Koschorrek
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gunter K. Koschorrek was a machine-gunner on the Russian front in WWII. He wrote his illicit diary on any scraps of paper he could lay his hands on. As keeping a diary was strictly forbidden, he sewed the pages into the lining of his thick winter coat and deposited them with his mother on infrequent trips home on leave. The diary went missing, and it was when he was reunited with his daughter in America some 40 years later that it came to light and became Blood Red Snow.
-
-
If you like the Eastern front then you’ll like this book
- By Jayceon1888 on 29-08-18
-
Big Week
- The Biggest Air Battle of World War Two
- By: James Holland
- Narrated by: Charles Armstrong
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces launched their first-ever round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. The aim was to smash the main factories and production centres of the Luftwaffe and draw the German fighter force up into the air and into battle. Officially called Operation ARGUMENT, this monumental air assault very quickly became known simply as Big Week.
-
-
A good focus on the air war
- By Nick Shoubridge on 24-03-19
-
A Thousand Shall Fall
- The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two
- By: Murray Peden
- Narrated by: Anthony Haden Salerno
- Length: 19 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During World War II, Canada trained tens of thousands of airmen under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Those selected for Bomber Command operations went on to rain devastation upon the Third Reich in the great air battles over Europe, but their losses were high. German fighters and anti-aircraft guns took a terrifying toll. The chances of surviving a tour of duty as a bomber crew were almost nil.
-
-
One of the finest Bomber Command memoires.
- By Stephen on 03-05-16
-
To the Limit
- An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam
- By: Tom A. Johnson
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From June 1967 to June 1968, Tom Johnson accumulated an astonishing 1,600 flying hours piloting the UH-1 "Iroquois" - better known as the "Huey" - as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the Vietnam War, and helped redefine modern warfare. Johnson's riveting memoir takes us into key battles and rescue missions, including those for Hue and Khe Sanh. In harrowing detail, he tells of being shot down in the battle of A Shau Valley, of surviving enemy attacks during the Tet Offensive, and of a death-defying nighttime river rescue.
-
-
Well worth a credit
- By adam davies on 13-03-19
-
Carrier Pilot
- By: Norman Hanson
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1942, Norman Hanson learned to fly the Royal Navy's newest fighter: the US-built Chance Vought Corsair. Fast, rugged, and demanding to fly, it was an intimidating machine. But in the hands of its young Fleet Air Arm pilots, it also proved to be a lethal weapon. Posted to the South Pacific aboard HMS Illustrious, Hanson and his squadron took the fight to the Japanese. Facing a desperate and determined enemy, Kamikaze attacks, and the ever-present dangers of flying off a pitching carrier deck, death was never far away.
-
-
A new perspective on a rarely mentioned group of men
- By Stephen Howlett on 25-11-17
-
Total War
- From Stalingrad to Berlin
- By: Michael Jones
- Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The powerful story of the Red Army's battle of liberation against the Nazi invader - from Stalingrad all the way to Berlin. In February 1943, German forces surrendered to the Red Army at Stalingrad, and the tide of war turned. By May 1945 Soviet soldiers had stormed Berlin and brought down Hitler's regime. Total War follows the fortunes of these fighters as they liberated Russia and the Ukraine from the Nazi invader and fought their way into the heart of the Reich. It reveals the horrors they experienced - the Holocaust, genocide and the mass murder of Soviet POWs - and shows the Red Army, brutalised by war, taking its terrible revenge on the German civilian population.
-
-
Eastern Front in Perspective
- By Evelyn O'Connor on 18-08-18
-
Spitfire
- Portrait of a Legend
- By: Leo McKinstry
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The gripping saga of the plane that carried Britain through the Second World War. In June 1940, the German army had brought the rest of Europe to its knees. 'Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world will move forward into broad, sunlit uplands,' said Churchill. The future of Europe depended on Britain.
-
-
Definitive
- By Neil Ferguson-Lee on 06-07-18
-
Lancaster
- The Second World War’s Greatest Bomber
- By: Leo McKinstry
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 25 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A comprehensive history of Britain's greatest bomber plane. The Spitfire and the Lancaster were the two RAF weapons of victory in the Second World War, but the glamour of the fighter has tended to overshadow the performance of the heavy bomber. Yet without the Lancaster, Britain would never have been able to take the fight to the German homeland. Highlights the scale of the bomber's achievements, including the famous Dambusters attacks. With its vast bomb bay, ease of handling and surprising speed, the mighty Lancaster transformed the effectiveness of the Bomber Command.
-
-
Well read & well written
- By Sean on 17-10-18
-
Air Force Blue
- The RAF in World War Two - Spearhead of Victory
- By: Patrick Bishop
- Narrated by: Tim Frances
- Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a return to sweeping social history of wartime, Patrick Bishop explores the lives and wartime experiences of thousands of men and women who served in all units of the air force. On 1st April 2018, the Royal Air Force will be 100 years old - a short life by military standards but an extraordinarily important and eventful one. From the start it was special, standing sometimes awkwardly but always proudly a little apart from the existing services.
-
-
Entertaining listening
- By D. Williams on 18-01-18
-
Wings on My Sleeve
- The World's Greatest Test Pilot Tells His Story
- By: Eric 'Winkle' Brown
- Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The autobiography of one of the greatest pilots in history. In 1939 Eric Brown was on a University of Edinburgh exchange course in Germany, and the first he knew of the war was when the Gestapo came to arrest him. They released him, not realising he was a pilot in the RAF volunteer reserve - and the rest is history. Eric Brown joined the Fleet Air Arm and went on to be the greatest test pilot in history, flying more different aircraft types than anyone else.
-
-
A great read!
- By Jay Grady on 02-07-16
-
Adventures in My Youth
- A German Soldier on the Eastern Front 1941-45
- By: Armin Scheiderbauer
- Narrated by: James A. Gillies
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The author could be described as a veteran in every sense of the word, even though he was only age 21 when the war ended. Armin Scheiderbauer served as an infantry officer with the 252nd Infantry Division, German army, and saw four years of bitter combat on the Eastern Front, being wounded six times. This is an outstanding personal memoir, written with great thoughtfulness and honesty.
-
-
A disjointed story.
- By phphoto on 09-12-17
-
The German Aces Speak
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- By: Anne-Marie Lewis, Jon Guttman, Brigadier General Robin Olds USAF (Ret.), and others
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the World War II fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the 65-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots' heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries - the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?
-
-
Exceptional
- By nathan on 05-12-17
-
Panzer Gunner
- From My Native Canada to the German Ostfront and Back. In Action with 25th Panzer Regiment, 7th Panzer Division 1944-45
- By: Bruno Friesen
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Panzer Gunner is a unique memoir of a Canadian serving in a German armored division. Bruno Friesen explains what it was like to fight in a tank on the Eastern Front and provides details on the battlefield performance of the Panzer IV tank. Six months before World War II erupted in 1939, Bruno Friesen was sent to Germany by his father in hopes of a better life. Friesen was drafted into the Wehrmacht three years later and ended up in the 7th Panzer Division. Friesen experienced intense combat against the Soviets in Romania, Lithuania, and West Prussia.
-
-
fantastic read
- By B COOK on 29-09-19
-
Masters of the Air
- America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- By: Donald L. Miller
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 25 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the dramatic story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, this is a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden. Fighting at twenty-five thousand feet in thin, freezing air no warriors had encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear.
-
-
Masters of The Air
- By Allan on 01-02-12
-
Steel Boat Iron Hearts
- A U-boat Crewman's Life Aboard U-505
- By: Hans Goebeler, John Vanzo
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using his own experiences, log books, and correspondence with other U-boat crewmen, Hans Goebeler offers rich and personal details about what life was like in the German Navy under Hitler. Since his first and last posting was to U-505, Goebeler's perspective of the crew, commanders, and war patrols paints a vivid and complete portrait unlike any other to come out of the Kriegsmarine. He witnessed it all, from deadly sabotage efforts that almost sunk the boat to the tragic suicide of the only U-boat commander who took his life during World War II.
-
-
Poor Narration
- By P H. on 06-05-18
-
The Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the English Electric Lightning
- By: Richard Pike
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
According to a recent international study, the Lightning is the fifth most popular military aircraft of all time. It has many thousands of devotees who are a ready market for this timely and entertaining book which, with over 20 individual stories from former Lightning pilots, relates the highs and lows, and the dramas and the demands of those who operated this iconic aircraft from the sharp end.
-
-
Excellent
- By Chris M on 22-10-15
Summary
Between April and July 1944, Truman Smith flew 35 bombing missions over France and Germany. He was only 20 years old. Although barely adults, Smith and his peers worried about cramming a lifetime's worth of experience into every free night, each knowing he probably would not survive the next bombing mission. Written with blunt honesty, wry humor, and insight, The Wrong Stuff is Smith's gripping memoir of that time. In a new preface, the author comments with equal honesty and humor on the impact this book has had on his life.
Critic reviews
What members say
Average customer ratings
Overall
-
-
5 Stars20
-
4 Stars6
-
3 Stars5
-
2 Stars0
-
1 Stars0
Performance
-
-
5 Stars10
-
4 Stars6
-
3 Stars10
-
2 Stars3
-
1 Stars2
Story
-
-
5 Stars24
-
4 Stars6
-
3 Stars1
-
2 Stars0
-
1 Stars0
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The BoatBuilder
- 27-04-15
What an amazing guy
Clearly Truman Smith was a very good pilot as must have been 'Moon'. You couldn't survive a 35 mission tour on luck alone. When Truman takes over the plane for his last few missions it's apparent how much more than pilot ability is required to survive.
What a great read (listen). A very easy style of narrative perfectly suited to describing a life of
continual stress. You are with him all the way.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- rgb
- 26-06-18
sounds like its read by a computer.
a good story, very badly let down by the tinny mechanical voice reading it. Pity.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Royston
- 11-04-17
Interesting title that makes total sense.
This book introduced some thought provoking concepts regarding what is required to win a war. Without spoiling it you can see the validity of his philosophy when you look at the wars of the last 40 odd years.
That aside, this is an amazing story of a 20 year old thrust into the thick of air combat as a B 17 Bomber co-pilot. You experience the fear and excitement 5 miles above the ground as the crew strive to survive first 25 combat tours, then as they near that target the marker is moved to 30 before the final move to 35 combat missions. For the crew to reach that figure is indeed a fantastic achievement, couple that with the huge amount of "wrong stuff" that conspired against them makes it even more monumental. This is a story of human sacrifice at its best and its worst, with an early recognition of the mental impact day light air campaigns had on the crews. This is definitely on my listen to again list.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M. WILLIAMS
- 08-02-16
a great piece of WW2 aviation history
Both funny and informative, with many stores that disagree with the usual books and histories on this subject. Highly recommended, the performance is a little stilted and place names etc can jar a little on English ears.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M
- 06-11-15
no doubt a good story but cannot abide the voice
I normally love these types of book and have several downloaded, but sadly the narrators voice on this was too much like an artificial life form that it detracted from the story itself
so much so I have actually deleted it from my device and got a credit from amazon which is excellent
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gogscot
- 21-07-15
Great Story
Great story and amazingly written, only down side is the reader is not the best and is sometimes distracting.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. A. Hill
- London
- 07-07-15
What a wonderful account of young 8th AF Pilots
What other book might you compare The Wrong Stuff to, and why?
This is a great personal account and has a lot of very funny moments, in this way it's more light hearted than other combat books such as 'A Higher Call'
Which scene did you most enjoy?
Great tales from some of the antics during flying, such as sleeping on route to a bomb run
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Allan
- 17-03-15
Action, suspense, and history
I was surprised that the book is such a recent work. The descriptions were so vivid that it seemed like a report that must have been penned during the action.
62 of 62 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lady Pamela
- 29-03-15
The Greatest Generation on Display
One of the books written about the individual aviator warrior of WWII. Humor, pathos, irreverence, deep introspection--it's all there and I'm happy to see that it survived to my days as an air force crew dog. Smith includes several details about which others may have wondered, but have become air force legend, like just how one handles "nature's call" in a B-17 at thirty-thousand feet. The book emphasizes the idea that warriors/soldiers fight for their buddies, and not necessarily out of patriotism or other high ideals. Once I got to know Smitty and the crew I didn't want it to end. Loved the history lesson--the war fought in the skies of Europe was never a glamorous affair, rather composed of misery and even humor. It would have been a boring book if not for the interludes between sorties--he reveals inexperience with alcohol and women--you’re reminded he’s still just a kid. I find it equally amazing how vivid Smith’s memory was in recounting his wartime service, some 50 years later.
46 of 46 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Robert A.
- 30-03-15
War and Human Nature
This was a true story I won't forget. The sad facts are that war is bad and it kills people. Truman Smith wrote this book towards the end of his life after he'd had a chance to reflect on the time he spent flying the B-17's during WWII. He was only 20 when he did this with near impossible odds of surviving. He dealt with a lot of death and sadness with stories of the comradery and friendship that were built during this time. I would highly recommend this book.
43 of 43 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Rainiac
- 29-03-15
I love this book fantastic 1st person account.
Recalling knowing at 20 years old his survival percentages were 2% every word from this bomber pilot had me right there.
I highly recommend this one. I may listen to it twice.
38 of 38 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- LawmanDoug
- 28-03-15
Old retiring atty born 2 yrs after Pearl attack :
Maybe my best WWII story ever. I was irritated by the narrator (who was great) but it sounded like some dweeb had electronically altered the recording giving the reading voice a synthetic sound. However I loved the book and would recommend it and would buy it again. I really enjoyed the pilot tech talk by one who knew about his business. As a non-pilot I was fascinated by all the challenges. The crap in the hat was hilarious and Rose in the Lorry brought back similar experiences to this old VN vet.
37 of 37 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Micah Edwards
- 30-03-15
De-romanticizing WWII
Truman's story shows that there is no such thing as a good war or a good guy in a war. To win the war you have to be the best bad guy. Fortunately for us, and the rest of the world, global domination was not on our mind as it was with the Germans, Italians, and the Japanese. During this time period, men had unique adventures that will never be had again and Truman Smith's story is a prime example of that. Great story, thank you for your service.
36 of 36 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- William
- 19-04-15
No American Wossification here!
What did you love best about The Wrong Stuff?
Wow, what we asked these young men to do is unthinkable today. If the bomber portions of Unbreakable or Memphis Belle remotely interest you, you’ll love this listen. It’s a great first person account of some of the bravest young men our country has ever known.
Which character – as performed by James Killavey – was your favorite?
Initially, I wasn’t enamored with the narrator’s style, but it shortly grew on me and I ended up loving the way he told the story.
33 of 33 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jerry Morelock
- 17-03-15
Enthralling--A Unique WW2 Military Memoir
I've never read a WW2 memoir quite like this, at least by a pilot. Humor, pathos, irreverence, deep introspection--it's all here and often in the same paragraph, and sometimes almost in the same sentence. Smith includes several details we've often wondered about but other authors neglect, like just how one handles "nature's call" in a B-17 at thirty-thousand feet.
64 of 65 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Patrick
- 23-12-14
Do yourself a great favor. Rich, captivating entertainment
What did you love best about The Wrong Stuff?
Eyewitness history from the different world of 70 years ago, which reads like a modern engrossing novel. Hilarious, absolutely real, grim, satirical, poignant; you can feel the pervasive fear and fatigue and bewilderment experienceid by the flyers in their narrow cramped and frozen spaces. You are reminded of "Catch 22" and yet it's so much better for being real.
What did you like best about this story?
Having a ringside seat to one of the most massive and significant endeavors of human history, from the perspective of a boy from Oklahoma who was amazed by what he was living through.
What about James Killavey’s performance did you like?
The narrators delivery style is perfect for the author's dry wit. We are truly fortunate that the author has created this book, I believe it would take a special person to read this and do it justice; Killavey has done just that. The author described the blacksmith's forge which was the air war above Germany in 1944, the narrator was the blacksmith's hammer.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I am truly concerned that I might have missed this book or that it might not have been created in the first place. Fortunately, it went from the authentic hero's mind to the printed page, but with so many to choose from I might have missed this nugget. But in particular, the author pointed out that the individual who receives a physical wound gets a medal, and yet he wondered about wounds to the mind and the scars you cannot see.
Any additional comments?
There are airplanes and bombs and targets in this book, there are great events and great tragedy, however, the value and the richness of the book is the description of what went on in True's mind and the behaviour of his comrades, it is a very personal account and is timeless.
95 of 97 people found this review helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Manti
- 23-03-15
A wonderful book!
What made the experience of listening to The Wrong Stuff the most enjoyable?
This was a wonderful book about the European air war during WW II. It is, in turns, funny, tragic and terrifying. It is written from the perspective of a young twenty years old pilot and others like him. We should always be thankful for their courage and resolve. There will never be another generation like theirs.....God bless them every one.
What other book might you compare The Wrong Stuff to and why?
Unbroken only thing that comes close. Bravery under extreme adversity.
Have you listened to any of James Killavey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes I have. I thought the reading was quite good, and while the majority of reviewers so far seem to agree with me, there are a few surprisingly nasty comments about him. I don’t know why. ..Haters? Personal taste? Ya got me. In any case, the way to find out if you will like the narration is simple…listen to the sample. The book is great and the reader, in my opinion does it justice. Don't let me or the few disgruntled ones decide for you..Listen to the sample and judge for yourself. That's what it's there for.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, too long. Took me a few days.
Any additional comments?
I've been listening to audiobooks for many years. This is one of the best.
61 of 62 people found this review helpful