The Sand Pebbles Audiobook By Richard McKenna cover art

The Sand Pebbles

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The Sand Pebbles

By: Richard McKenna
Narrated by: Rick Adamson
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The critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller and the basis for the Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated film starring Steve McQueen.

As a spirit of nationalism inspired by Chiang Kai-shek's leadership begins to sweep through China, the river gunship San Pablo is ordered to patrol the region and to protect US citizens. Jack Holman is a machinist aboard the San Pablo, who has joined the navy in order to avoid jail time. Because he is so fiercely independent, Jake remains a relative loner and is uncomfortable with navy protocol and discipline.

Holman's independent mind chafes against military hierarchy and also ensures that he does not share his shipmates' disdain for the Chinese. Instead, Holman is fascinated with the culture and the people that surround him and develops emotional bonds that prove quite thorny when the circumstances become more tumultuous and more dire.

The perspective of The Sand Pebbles is therefore both panoramic as well as personal. Like Lawrence of Arabia, the tension explored here is between the self as individual against the broader spectrum of social and historical forces against which we are all measured.

©1962 Richard McKenna (P)2022 Tantor Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Psychological War & Military Military China Imperial Japan
Well-developed Characters • Epic Tragedy • Historical Authenticity • Expanded Details • Excellent Performance
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Absolutely enjoyed the level of detail that was given to the steam engine. The description of its inner workings made it seem like it was another living creature. Very well written book with throughly developed characters.

Great mechanical details

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I read the book several years ago and have watched the film multiple times. Glad to see it made it to audiobook.

Excellent

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I have read/listen to the book and watched the movie 10x. One of my all time favorites. I will probably do it all again.

great story.

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A very well read story of a group of people who are caught up in amidst the throes of revolution. The characters are well illustrated and the author really captures the feel of China and the men and machines that made up the brown water navy.

The level of detail is breathtaking and if you like engineering it is a real deep dive into steam power and how a steam ship functions. I found it all very engaging and a great listen.

A Tale of People and Nations

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This became an Academy Award winning film, but of course is a better story as a novel. Well done shipmate!

My favorite Naval story

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Well written, and well narrated. The film had always been a favorite. Finding the novel a significant upgrade on the experience.

Excellent story

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The narrative dragged a bit in the middle but it was well done and I enjoyed it overall.

Good Story

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I would rate this with The Hunters as a great American military novel. The performance is excellent

Better Than The Great Movie

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A near perfect novel. More Russian like than American. One can see the injustice and immorality of American hegemony through the eyes of a very simple yet thoughtful Jake Holman. Sorry I waited so long to finally read it.

Far better than the movie

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So much this book generously offered. I highlight only a couple here: the death of Jake Holman, and unique angle of history novel. And the icing on the top: the reading is superb! Enjoy

One finest book

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