About the Author

Walter Lord (1917-2002) was an acclaimed and bestselling author of literary nonfiction best known for his gripping and meticulously researched accounts of watershed historical events. Born in Baltimore, Lord went to work for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. After the war's end, Lord joined a New York advertising firm, and began writing nonfiction in his spare time. His first book was The Fremantle Diary (1954), a volume of Civil War diaries that became a surprising success. But it was Lord's next book, A Night to Remember (1955), that made him famous. The bestseller caused a new flurry of interest in the Titanic and inspired the 1958 film of the same name. Lord went on to use the book's interview-heavy format as a template for most of his following works, which included detailed reconstructions of the Pearl Harbor attack in Day of Infamy (1957), the battle of Midway in Incredible Victory (1967), and the integration of the University of Mississippi in The Past That Would Not Die (1965). In all, he published a dozen books.

Reviews

"Stirring . . . The difference between the Lord technique and that of any number of academic historians is the originality of his reportage. . . . Contemporary history at its most readable." --The New York Times "Lively and interesting . . . Rewarding . . . A good tale, skillfully told . . . [Miracle of Dunkirk] is the most complete and readable account yet to appear." --Christian Science Monitor "Amazing and unexpected heroism . . . well worth reading." --Milwaukee Sentinel "A master narrator." --Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.