From Here To Eternity

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
by James Jones

 Award: National Book 1952

 Date Read: April 2, 2019

When you pick up a tome of this size and open to the first page, you know you are going on a long and winding journey and that's one of the reasons I love novels. You will meet characters and experience situations that you will never have in real life. 

I was immediately struck at how From Here To Eternity reminds me of Tales Of The South Pacific. I feel like I've met these soldiers before with their "come what may" attitude, false bravado and impressive capacity for self-sabotage. While this novel reads like a macho tale full of prostitutes, gambling, drinking and fighting, Jones has the unique ability to look into a man's soul and deftly name what he finds there - longing, triviality, scorn, beauty. 

 Throughout my journey with these characters, all I could do is sit idly by and watch them make a shambles of their lives (Don't do it, Prew!) and was continually frustrated at how they could not foresee the horrible consequences looming at the end of each bad decision. Are each of these men really that stupid? Is this a flaw in Jones' storytelling? 

 From Here To Eternity strikes me as a lengthy platform for Jones to play with some inherent truths in life: the nature of the self, love, power, religion, societal constructs. Yet, again, these characters do not strike me as the types that would actually mull these ideas over and it's difficult for me to imagine most of these characters pontificating in the manner they do.

While I'm glad I went on his journey, I doubt I would re-enlist.

 Ranked #62 in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels.

 Looking Ahead: The Pistol

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