Pinky

The Story of North Dakota's First Aerial Combat Ace on Guadalcanal

De: Franklin Hook

Narrado por: Scott P. Delaney

American history is full of heroes: individuals who went above and beyond to ensure the safety and freedom of others. In some cases, they paid the ultimate price.

This is the story of one such forgotten warrior, a World War II US Navy fighter pilot charged with defending Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, and other lands against Japanese air attacks with the Cactus Air Force.

He was Lieutenant Francis Register, also known as “Pinky”—and while he did not survive to speak of his actions during the war, this navy ace fought for his country to the point of exhaustion and beyond. His bravery earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Air Medals, and a Purple Heart, the latter three awarded posthumously.

Fortunately for listeners, Lt. Register went against wartime regulations and kept a diary, documenting his daily life, fears, and frustrations while serving in the war. Along with interviews and surviving family members, this diary was used as one of the primary sources for this valuable look at a real American hero, affectionately penned by triple e-Lit award winning author William Franklin Hook, MD, author of Never Subdued and Desert Storm Diary.

©2014 William Franklin Hook (P)2016 William Franklin Hook

Fascinating Look Into the Past

Would you consider the audio edition of Pinky to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version of the book. This story of historical non-fiction is packed with facts and dates, which are always a bit harder to digest in auditory form, but I'd guess that the audio edition is the preferred option here. The narration (a great job by Mr. Delaney, given the inherent dryness of non-fiction material) pulls you into the past and puts you into the story in a way I don't think you'd be able to accomplish by reading the text.

What other book might you compare Pinky to and why?

Pinky is similar to other non-fiction history I've read, but the fact that the material is based on the man's diary entries gives you an insight not available in other books.

Which character – as performed by Scott P. Delaney – was your favorite?

I have to go with the main man here -- Lt.JG Francis Roland Register. Mr. Delaney is able to bring the man off the page and into focus as an active participant in the events. I got a good sense of Pinky's moods and attitudes as he created the written monologues of his diary entries.

Any additional comments?

The criterium I look for when reading reviews of works I want to purchase is whether or not the reviewer indicates that he's motivated to seek out other works by the same author or narrator. In the case of Pinky, I enjoyed this audiobook enough to want to listen to more by this author and by this narrator.