Wounded Tiger Book Review

I’ve become very selective in choosing books to review. I focus on Bibles, Bible study helps, and historical fiction of special interest to women. Wounded Tiger meets none of that criteria, and yet something about it intrigued me.

Wounded Tiger Summary

Wounded Tiger is the true story of the pilot who led the Pearl Harbor attack, whose life was changed by an American prisoner and by a girl he never met. It’s a story of how God took three very different individuals and intertwined their stories in such a way that it can only be called a miracle. It’s a concept that is especially dear to my heart and was the inspiration for our two movies The Good Book and Providence. But this isn’t fiction. If it was, no one would believe it.

Wounded Tiger Review

When it comes to anything historical, whether fiction or nonfiction, I’m a stickler for getting it right. Research is crucial to telling history. Author T. Martin Bennett stumbled upon an obscure story and then spent the next three years researching to make sure he got it right. Even after the release of the first edition of Wounded Tiger came out, he continued to research. His meticulous work shows.

The book opens with an endorsement by Miyako Fucida Overturf, daughter of Mitsuo Fuchida. What better endorsement could you ask for?

The book is long, 600 pages! It’s a lot of details to pack in to truly show the remarkable way that God worked in the lives of Mitsuo Fuchida, Jake Deshazer, and Peggy Covell.

The text is broken up, however, with pictures, lots of them. As Mr. Bennett did his research, he didn’t just tuck away the cool pieces of information he discovered. Instead, he photographed them and included them in the book.

Besides family photos and military headshots, we find maps and letters, diagrams and newspaper clippings. It’s like going through a family scrapbook.

Though I love history, Pearl Harbor, and the years surrounding it are not part of my familiarity, so I was afraid it would be hard to follow the story, especially since it’s about a young Japanese military officer.

I was amazed, however, at the readability of Wounded Tiger. Mr. Bennett’s writing style is so easy to read, and he does such a great job of placing the reader into the scenes. Though I know nothing about military life or life in Japan, the book brought out the commonalities that we can all relate to.

This revised edition of Wounded Tiger was released just in time for the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. It’s a great reminder of all the little events that led up to the conflict between Japan and the U.S. More importantly, however, it’s a reminder of how God is always at work in our lives and can do a mighty work in each and every one of us.

Whether you’re a war history buff or just someone who loves to hear about God’s miraculous work in the lives of others, Wounded Tiger is a great opportunity to read and reflect on the power of God’s love.