"The definitive history of one of World War II's great American fighting ships." - James W. Grace, author of The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; "The best researched and written history of a combat cruiser in the Pacific War, admirably focused on the individual sailor and officer of all ranks. Essential for every library and personal collection of naval history titles." - Clark G. Reynolds, author of The Fast Carriers; "Generous's clear, sometimes witty, and often eloquent prose gives his reader not only a sense of what those men went through and felt, but as a naval historian he also skillfully embodies the 'Sweet Pea' into the larger strategy of the great Pacific Naval War that masterly helped to defeat the Japanese Empire." - Carl N. Degler, author of Out of Our Past"
