About the Author

Barbara Brooks Tomblin taught military history at Rutgers University and is the author of several articles and books.

Reviews

"A masterful history of the Allied naval war in the theater Winston Churchill called 'the soft underbelly of Europe.'" -- Military Trader

"Almost encyclopedic in detail and carefully researched, With Utmost Spirit is the most comprehensive study of Allied naval operations in the Mediterranean to date." -- Bowling Green (KY) Daily News

"An important, well-researched, and beautifully written chronicle of amphibious operations in the Middle Sea." -- International History Review

"Offers a detailed account of Allied Naval forces' struggles in the Mediterranean during World War II. This is not a well-known subject and its study is long overdue." -- Military Review

"Outstanding! An extraordinary account of WWII naval history in Europe. Tomblin's judicious scholarship, dogged attention to detail, and thoughtful analysis provide an impressive and straightforward narrative." -- Robert Love, U.S. Naval Academy

"The eyewitness descriptions can be vivid, and the accounts frequently make for exciting reading.... The author is to be congratulated on reviving interest in aspects of the naval war that have tended to be overshadowed." -- H-Net Reviews

"Tomblin portrays the strategy and execution of each operation with a combination of vividness and accuracy that C.S. Forester would have admired" -- SirReadalot.org

"Tomblin's lifetime study of the naval war in the Mediterranean culminates in this definitive account of an important World War II campaign the tends to be neglected." -- Dean C. Allard, Former Director of Naval History, U.S. Navy

"Tomblin's passionate and involved writing style guides the reader through what feels like an oral history in order to address an important theater of World War II often neglected by historians." -- Sea Power

"Will probably be the definitive book on naval operations in the Mediterranean." -- Books-On-Line