The Pistol

This book portrays a little bit about the thinking and behavior of U.S. Army enlisted men in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack at the beginning of WW II. The transition of soldiers from peacetime to wartime alert is very good. The portrayal of Privates Mast and O'Brien is excellent.

Please Note: the title of this book is THE PISTOLThis short novel as JJ called it, or novella as others labeled it, begins on December 7, 1941, and continues into the short future until Hawaii realizes that the Japanese are not going to return and invade. The book did have an option also to reach the movie screen.The book was written in New York sometime after From Here To Eternity and Some Came Running, with Some Came Running yet on the bestseller charts. Soon after completion he moved to Europe while at that time beginning work on The Thin Red Line. The entire writing took only 5 weeks for JJ to complete, and he was later to say in his letters that the writing had been enjoyable.The issues at hand of both the pistol and other dramatic events are mainly autobiographical coming from events JJ participated in. As true with all fiction, many other items of plot come from the writer's direction and imagination. The theme of security and protection coupled with salvation are all interlocked in this short writing, with the touchstone being the pistol. JJ said in his letters that though he had showed the work to many people, the book always seemed to mean different things to each reader.The Pistol, as with many other of JJ's writings, has generally been viewed a critical failure, but a popular success. Since his death in 1977 though, certain critics and biographers of insight have taken second looks at his works realizing this writer was one of our better ones. With no work of the 20th century portraying WWII as JJ experienced it any better than the trilogy he left us: From Here To Eternity, The Thin Red Line, and Whistle. In all of these books James Jones' soldier's eye and voice speak from hard experience. It was a war in which he participated and one he knew well.For me this book is a wonderful addendum to From Here To Eternity, for it extends and adds to that work. For a couple night's reading no better work on Hawaii early in the war exists.Semper Fi.

This book is about honer and honesty. The main character obtained apistol honestly but kept it illegally instead of turning it in to the rightfulowner, the army. He is constantly disappointed with the other men inhis company who he respects and looks up to when they try to stealhis stolen pistol while he constantly rationalized his own actions.In the end honesty is the best policy.

A book where the protagonist is a..... pistol! Not really, but as the title suggests, everything revolves around it. Many people want it, but only one can ultimately have it. Why do they want it? The answers lie in power, prestige, jealousy, and the self confidence that ownership can bring in a war time environment, even if combat is not present. It is a fast read and well worth it to find and think of the irony attached to the final, legitimate owner.

Thank you. Authentic 1st Printing with owner's nameplate.

I really love James Jones writing style. I read his "trilogy" already and loved them all. I also bought his daughters book A SOLDIERS DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES and that was good too. This book is well written and it's fun too since I have been to Makapuu Point on more than one occassion where James Jones and Richard Mast were stationed after Dec 7.

Book arrived in top condition and it was a fun read.

Jones was a great writer. I love his books.