The other James Jones (THE Great American Novel Found...and Lost)

Washington Examiner ^ | October 21, 2010 | P.J. Gladnick

[PJ-Comix]

When it was announced recently that National Security Advisor, James Jones, was leaving the White House, the name caused my thoughts to turn to another James Jones. No, not James Earl Jones the actor. Actually my mind focused on James R. Jones the novelist.

Although most people have forgotten about James Jones the novelist or remember him only for his groundbreaking novel, "From Here To Eternity" or, perhaps, "The Thin Red Line," he also wrote what can only be described as THE Great American Novel, "Some Came Running." Perhaps you saw a movie of the same name starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine. Well, the character names are pretty much all that the movie has in common with the novel. "Some Came Running" was a sweeping novel of such detail and depth that it can serve as a goldmine for sociologists and psychologists who want to research what post WWII America was like. In many ways, "Some Came Running" covered the same themes (and more) as Sinclair Lewis' "Babbit" with one important difference: the characters in Jones' novel were much more developed.

[kaylar]

After reading the full article, I did look for a used copy of the book (it's out of print) . Found some 1957 HBs for 9.99, which should be the unabridged version. What the hey-it sounded interesting. :-)

I won't wont hold the movie version of The Thin Red Line against the writer...Though that movie did create one of my fondest memories of my late husband. We were watching the film at the theater, having been tricked by the good reviews. The southern sharpshooter was in the midst of his internal monologue when he has the line, "....the living, and the bor'd..." (Bor'd meaning, borned, rural backwoods for 'people having been born').Anyway, no sooner was that line about "the bor'd" recited when my DH leans over and hisses in my ear, "That would be us". Cracked up right there in the theater. Later, when we we watching the Phantom Menace (again, at the theater) right in the middle, he leans over and whispers, "This is the sci fi Thin Red Line, isn't it?"

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

If you’d sooner call another FReeper a liar than accept a difference of opinion about a literary work...nothing in the rules against that. Carry on!

[PJ-Comix]

Make sure it is the UNABRIDGED version you read. Definitely THE Great American Novel.