Reviews

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"Novak's deckplate-level log will be of significant value to maritime historians and would make an appealing movie a la The Sand Pebbles."
--Proceedings from the US Naval Institute

"A classic of its kind."
--The Northern Mariner

"Novak tells the sort of war story that rarely makes it into the history books but deserves to be remembered."
--Journal of Military History

"The best book on the U.S. Coast Guard"
--Foundation for Coast Guard History website

"A marvelous glimpse into life on the Greenland Patrol through the eyes of a young, scared, lonely, non-rate."
--Foundation for Coast Guard History Website

"An excellent book presenting an important document for histories of Greenland in World War II and of the Unites States Coast Guard."
--Polar Record

"To anyone wishing to know more about World War II, this diary adds dimension to the broader context of the war in general, and the North in particular, as well as into Canadian-American wartime relations . . . No history of war is complete without the men and women who fought in the proverbial and literal trenches. Though they were often unsung heroes, they all have a story to tell, and it is important for there to be a place where their voices can be heard. Novak's contribution to the University of Florida series on "New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology" is one such place."
--International Journal of Maritime History

It is a tale of misery, loneliness, and peril: while the specific instances may have been unique to Novak and his shipmates, the general experiences are universal to fighting men and women across time.
--H-Maritime

…a personal account of an ordinary man serving his country… …a fascinating window into a tiny piece of the war.
--Canadian Naval Review

…opens the door to one of the least known areas of naval warfare in World War II. Highly recommended.
--Ships Monthly

" Interesting and important facet of naval history."
--Work Boat World

"Provides a useful background account of the necessity for military intervention around Greenland and appends informative notes about ships and persons mentioned in the main text."
--Mariner's Mirror

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