Carrier Clash The Invasion of Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons August 1942

By Eric Hammel
Zenith Press ISBN 0760320527
Beginning with detailed descriptions of the history of the aircraft carrier, the development of carrier-air tactics, the training of carrier pilots, and numerous operational considerations that defined the way carrier battles had to be fought, Carrier Clash takes the reader into the air with brave U. S. Navy fighter pilots as they protect their ships and the Guadalcanal invasion fleet against determined Japanese air attacks on August 7 and 8, 1942. Next, Hammel sets the stage for the August 24 Battle of the Eastern Solomons, by putting the reader right into the cockpits of the U. S. Navy Dauntless dive-bombers as they drive on the Imperial Navy light carrier Ryujo - and hit the ship with 500-pound bombs! Carrier Clash is the definitive combat history of the Battle of the Eastern Solomons third battle (of only five) between American and Japanese aircraft carriers. Had the Navy failed in this battle against the Japanese fleet, the 1st Marine Divisions invasion of Guadalcanal would have been defeated almost before it began.
The first chapter of the book has a thorough overview of US and Japanese naval aviation. Much has been written on US Naval Aviation but much less on Japanese. The author, Hammel, is to be commended for his efforts here.
Hammel shows an incredible ability to give his readers a feel for being at the scene. 

Carrier Clash and the following work Carrier Strike were originally one work. Publisher Zenith Press has done a good job splitting these two works into readable and affordable trade paper sized editions.
Both of these books are highly recommended.