Captivating: As a curator in a museum would take photographs throughout the exhibits and add insight resulting in a higher appreciation and understanding, Edward Atkins curates this book of Naval Archive photographs with his personal story, impressions and insight. His words are captivating as it becomes clearly evident to the reader that each and every word, thought and opinion is there for the reader’s benefit, not the author’s.

As there is just so much time a man has in life, it is important to pass along to others the essence of what has happened, how men have created this world in which we inhabit, and why things are the way they are . . . the reader is brought into a first-hand diary of how life was upon a ship for the sole purpose of warfare.

Interestingly, Edward Atkins writes a narration for each photograph using two distinct “voices”: One being a seasoned gentleman of elder years, with the historical knowledge and wisdom earned through his life’s achievements and research; then one of impressionable young man of 18 or 19 years of age, serving in the Navy aboard an aircraft carrier — a man-made creation of immense design excellence of ‘form following function.’

This dichotomy of wisdom and emotion, coupled with the bountiful photographs of exquisite detail, result in an experience one cannot gain nowadays any other way.

5 out of 5 stars: I truly love this book. Between the beautiful, yet deeply realistic picture of life on the ship and the beautiful photographs that further tell the story, it is a book that EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE.

The greatest generation, as they so fondly have been called, is an important part of our country’s history and one that's quickly leaving us. This book has the ability to transport me through time to imagine what it must have been like for those who served then.

Things were so different back then, and to get an inside peek at what that must have been like from someone who was there is a priceless piece of history.

This book also contains amazing pictures that coincide with his story, and life on the ship.  It's really the pictures that move me the most in this book.

These are truly life-lessons for all of us, and they should be passed on to our children and grandchildren  . . .  talking about hard work and doing the right thing. Things it sometimes seems as if our society has lost sight of; stopping to think about something other than themselves.