Meet the Author: James Campbell
James Campbell, author of The Final Frontier, will talk about his new book, The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea, The Forgotten War of the South Pacific. He’ll discuss the book and his adventures, read a few selections, and show a 10-minute trailer of the upcoming documentary film on Tuesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at the Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St.
A Wisconsin native, James Campbell received his B.A. from Yale University. He has written adventure travel and environmental pieces for Outside, National Geographic Traveler and other magazines. In 2006, he followed the footsteps of the Ghost Mountain Boys across New Guinea - a journey that historians describe as “one of the cruelest in military history” - and shot a documentary film in the process. He lives in Lodi with his wife and three daughters.
Entry Filed under: Authors and Books, Events
8 Comments Add your own
1. Laura L. Mosby | December 6th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Mr. Campbell, thank you for bringing the sacrfice of 32nd at Bloody Buna to light in your wonderful book. My father and several other men of the 126th Inf. from our town was with Bottcher at Bottcher’s corner. If you need some more stories for future projects, please feel free to contact me.
2. Alyn Bailey | January 20th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hi Mr. Campbell,
Will you be traveling to Florida to do any of your speeches? I live in Tallahassee Florida and I am very interested in your book. I really enjoyed it. My Grandfather was Mr. Gus Bailey.
3. Tana | January 23rd, 2008 at 2:27 am
Alyn, thank you for your comments on our library’s web site regarding James Campbell and his book, Ghost Mountain Boys.
Unfortunately our blog is not his official blog, nor is there any guarantee he’ll read your comment. I’d suggest asking your question of him directly at the email listed on his web site.
4. James Johnson | February 18th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Dear Mr. Campbell,
I’m something of a WW II history buff having read books and articles on the Pacific Theater for some thirty years or so.
Your book, The Ghost Mountain Boys, was one of the very best. It was hard to put down, written almost like a novel but in every way descriptive of the horrors of war. These men are truly the heroes and you are to be congratulated for an extrordinary piece of research and wrting. Best wishes
5. Al | February 19th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I have read many Civil War and WWII books. This book ranks with the best.
I Paddled around the Pacific for several years during the Korean war, courtesy of Uncle Sam’s Navy.
So I’ve been on some of the islands where the WWII campaigns took place.
The Ghost Mountain book covers a rarely written about campaign in the Pacific, it is well researched and it makes for a fascinating read.
6. Burton L. Showers | March 4th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
What a terrific book with excellent reasearch and writing. Every page I read–I realized I could have been any one of those many GI’s— having arrived in New Guinea as a combat engineer a year or so after the Buna campaign— but knowing full well there was much combat and brutal campaigns yet ahead of all of us in the Pacific on our way to Tokyo. I got that “lucky break” when I was at Oro Bay replacement camp, and was assigned to MacArthur’s GHQ in Australia and finished the war in G-3 Operations and G-3 Drafting in Toko. I was never so far removed from the “actual” war that I could never appreciate what my fellow GI did. War is always hell no matter how one is involved. Death is not cheap! Buna campaign proved that!!
7. Charles Green | March 14th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Dear Mr. Campbell: My father, Gordon Green, was a member of Co. F, 43rd Engineers, U.S.A. during WWII. This was the U.S. engineering unit attached to the Austrailian infantry in New Guinea who were both ordered to defend against the Japanese attack at runway #3 during the battle of Miline Bay. I have an unpublished history of the 43rd ’s activity in New Guinea and the Philippines compiled by Col. John Brauns from data collected by him from interviews, diaries, books and military records. You are welcome to a copy if you like. Contrary to most histories, the first Allied victory over Japanese land forces in WWII was at Miline Bay.
8. Jennifer Whitten | October 10th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Dear Mr. Campbell,
How fabulous that you have a new book! I can’t wait to read it. I only heard about it just now, from Mr. B. Ellison’s mother. The reviews sound great.
Best,
Jennifer
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