Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Mighty Moo:
A very moooooving story. (I said what I said!)
Quick synopsis:
The story of the USS Cowpens aircraft carrier in World War II.
Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:
The Mighty Moo was caught in Typhoon Cobra which has 70 foot waves and winds of 120 knots.
Fun Fact for History Nerds:
Compartments in the ship could get as high as 130 degrees.
My Take on The Mighty Moo:
I think we readily remember how members of the Greatest Generation saved civilization from the tyranny of Nazi rule. However, I think we often forget how wonderful they were at nicknames. I submit as my evidence the aircraft carrier USS Cowpens, or as the men liked to call her, “The Mighty Moo.” Come on, if you don’t at least smirk at that, you need to check with a doctor.
Author Nathan Canestaro has a personal stake in telling the story of the Moo. I can confidently state that Canestaro leaves no stone unturned in compiling his story about the carrier. The book is packed with facts about everything from the personnel to the latrines. The Mighty Moo saw lots of major events from the Pacific so a lot of the story will be familiar to World War II enthusiasts.
I would caution some readers about the writing style. Canestaro uses a military writing style which means he generally goes from fact to fact without many flourishes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that choice, but I know that some readers want a narrative writing style which is more conversational or character focused. Canestaro’s character is the Moo and you don’t get significant insight to any people. This is a military history and a good one. The reader just needs to know what they are getting into.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
Verdict:
A fun book for World War II navy nerds. Buy it here!
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