Jean-Francois Lyotard asserts that the essential trait of postmodernity is its skepticism towards grand narratives. While numerous revisionist history texts have exhibited this tendency, I have found it more challenging to identify examples from fiction. However, "The Naked and the Dead" is precisely such an instance.

What I ostensibly know about WWII has been derived from and shaped by films, above all else. Films like "The Longest Day," "Mrs. Miniver," and "Band of Brothers" affirm the grand narrative (G.N.) of the Allied powers as absolute good, defending freedom by waging war against the Axis powers of absolute evil. (The term "The Good War" more or less encapsulates the G.N.) No matter how often I read Zinn or Loewen (or Lyotard), my thoughts remain centered around the same flawed G.N., extolling the virtues of industrialism, capitalism, camaraderie (but never socialism), honor, heroism, and the unimpeachable iniquity of the enemy.

Mailer's novel, written long before Lyotard's quip, portrays a significantly different American Army and a distinct campaign. Here, the focus is split between the enlisted men of the reconnaissance platoon and the officers of division HQ, and further divided to cover the biographies of approximately a dozen significant characters, thereby depicting the heterogeneity of the military from private to general. The lasting impression conveyed by the novel is that, absent the framework of the Army, none of these individuals would willingly spend time with one another, and the only factor maintaining the military structure is what Mailer terms the "ladder of fear" (it is telling that the only character who might have escaped this confining hierarchy is killed). There is little in the way of combat action in the traditional sense, and this, I believe, reveals another departure from the G.N.: a great deal of what the war entailed was waiting around, performing tasks simply for the sake of doing them, and preparing for attacks that never materialized. In this manner, over the course of seven hundred concise pages, Mailer burdens the reader with the sleepless tedium of Army life.

At the conclusion of the entire affair, the campaign being fought is won not due to brilliant military strategy or individual effort but because the enemy was not as strong as anyone in HQ had anticipated. This final detail, to me, is the true genius of the novel and the ultimate nail in the coffin of the G.N. Whatever glory or positive sentiment that might have been achieved through success in the campaign is contingent upon the worthiness of the enemy, and what everyone ultimately discovers is that the enemy is starving and pitiful. Is the prevailing philosophy here nihilism? Perhaps. It is difficult not to fall into the trap of seeing nihilism as mere pragmatism when considering what is happening in this book, and indeed, a great deal of hollow meaning is revealed to be attached to the principles held by these characters. This may be a distinction without a difference, but I believe this novel preaches agnosticism. Whether or not our actions have inherent meaning is unknowable, and while the G.N. of WWII (and that of much of Western history) has chosen, in the face of this unknowability, to lean towards positivism, this novel, along with Lyotard and postmodernity, responds by presuming meaninglessness until further evidence emerges.

If your mind is a car, then lean the seat back and prepare for a long and arduous road trip into the lives of an Army unit. This unit is invading an island in the Pacific, and the story develops each character with such remarkable detail that you'll find yourself wondering how one author could manage to bring so many individual psychologies to life so effectively.

Just as the recon squad endures a tortuous slog up the mountain, at times this book feels like an insurmountable mountain whose peak seems almost unattainable. It's a long read, to be sure. There were moments when I longed for the pace to quicken, impatient to see what lay ahead.

However, by the time the final attack commences and the recon patrol is fighting for their lives, clinging to the edge of a mountain, it becomes abundantly clear that every page was worth it. I suspect my military background played a role in my decision to award this book five stars. If you've never been part of a platoon and experienced the complex web of personalities, hatred, love, and squad dynamics, you might not be able to identify with the story as deeply.

Nonetheless, it's a captivating and immersive tale that offers a unique perspective on the realities of war and the human spirit.

REREAD

This is a thought that often crosses our minds when we revisit something we once held in high regard. It's that moment of anticipation as we embark on the rereading, hoping to recapture the same magic and excitement that we felt before.

However, sometimes the reality doesn't quite live up to our memories. We might find that the story or the experience, while still good, lacks that certain je ne sais quoi that made it so special the first time around.

Perhaps our perspectives have changed, or maybe our expectations were set too high. Nevertheless, it's important to remember that even if it's not as good as we remembered, there is still value in the rereading. It allows us to see things from a different angle, to notice details we might have missed before, and to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

In the end, whether it's a book, a movie, or a past event, the act of rereading can be a worthwhile and enlightening experience.

This is the second book by Norman Mailer that I have read, after the excellent novel "The Naked and the Dead" which I read and enjoyed in July 2017, and truly I have no words to express my admiration for the epic that I just completed, after six days of reading. Honestly, I don't know where to start and where to end, this book confused me, shook me, and threw me off balance.

Ah, I think I found a good starting point: Do you believe that Mailer started writing this book when he was twenty-three years old and that he saw it published at the age of twenty-five? What acuity, what passion, what cynicism Mailer had in his youth, and he managed to write an epic novel about World War II, arguably one of the best and most authentic novels ever written about that cursed war! Of course, the fact that Mailer fought in the Philippines helped, but how many other millions of soldiers did the same and didn't write a single line?

After all, Mailer wrote many lines, countless, full of quality and passion, presenting the absurdity of war in all its grandeur. This is the work of a passionate amateur writer who puts on paper all that he saw, did, and thought about the war, using as his tools a whole bunch of characters, from generals and high-ranking officers to non-commissioned officers and simple soldiers, all - or at least most - pieces of meat ready for the war machine, all - or at least most - full of dreams, thoughts, and ideas about the future, but who are daily faced with the paranoia of war, as well as with the darkness within them, the prejudices, and the evil that each one brings out at some point for the other.

This war novel has no heroes, does not inspire heroism, does not idealize the American participation in the war theater of Asia and the Pacific, the whole portrayal is far from any notion of heroism. And the characters - both the officers and the soldiers - have their own demons, their own complexes, are quite far from the image we have in our minds when we hear the word "hero". What can one say, Mailer was a cynic, and he portrayed on paper a reality, no matter how hard and harsh it may be.

Obviously, the book is not to everyone's taste, because in general Mailer and his way of thinking are not to everyone's taste. And in this book, sometimes he rambles, strays, fills the descriptions and the thoughts of his characters with adjectives. Yet the book did not bore me at all, at any point. When I put it down to do something else, I couldn't wait to pick it up again. Yes, it seemed very addictive and extremely easy to read considering its size and theme. And, of course, the writing and the way of presenting the story and the characters (with many flashbacks to the past of some of them) suited my tastes perfectly. A definite ten for me.

Being a mailman, I have a special affinity for a guy with the last name "Mailer". This particular novel of his won him a Pulitzer Prize, and I don't believe it was solely for his writing ability. In my opinion, the awarding committee might as well have slapped a gold star on his posterior for having the audacity to bring a pair of colossal balls to the literary arena. "The Naked and the Dead" is raw, crude, visceral, and yet, it is also highly cerebral. It truly exudes authenticity as a war novel. This is not at all surprising, considering that the author was a veteran of the conflict in the Pacific Theater.

My favorite character in the novel is the good-natured, down-home, aw-shucks kind of guy, Wilson. He simply can't fathom that his buddies would abandon him for dead in the tall grass after he's been gut-shot. The thoughts racing through his head make the scene feel almost too real.

Mailer liberally peppered his novel with the F word. I think he did this to extract the maximum amount of grit from his fictional Marines. He managed to slip it past the 50s era censors by pronouncing it "fugg", as in "I hate that fugging guy". Strangely enough, the effect of the word is even more potent!

-Terence Winstead (author of "The Arms of Venus")

A gritty war novel about Marines fighting in the Pacific during WWII. It vividly描绘s the harsh realities and intense battles that the Marines endured. The story takes the reader on a journey through the eyes of these brave soldiers,展现ing their courage, determination, and the sacrifices they made.

This is the first Norman Mailer book I read. And I was truly impressed. The writing is excellent, with a detailed and immersive description of the setting and the events. The characters are realistic and well-developed, each with their own unique personalities and backstories. Mailer does a great job of making the reader care about these characters and feel their pain and struggles.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for anyone interested in war stories or historical fiction. It offers a powerful and moving look at a significant period in history and the men who fought to defend their country.

Probably the best war epic in the "from here to eternity" vein that I've ever read.

And it's all the more astonishing because Mailer seems to have initiated that style - at least in America; I haven't read Tolstoy.

Moreover, it's even more remarkable considering that Mailer was only 24 when it was published.

Definitely a spectacular first novel.

However, the problem is that it also confirmed for me that I'm simply not overly enthusiastic about the war epic in the "from here to eternity" style.

I admire Mailer's plot and character development in principle, and there are indeed some brilliantly written passages.

But the structure just doesn't resonate with me.

I also thought that the characters, although well-portrayed, often adhered to stereotypes.

The greatest aspect that reveals their humanity is the equitable time Mailer allocates to them.

Deaths are not foreshadowed, nor are they part of an arc.

It's a war, and people often die without the accompaniment of dramatic music to prepare the audience for what's about to happen.

This adds a sense of authenticity and rawness to the story.

Overall, while I can appreciate the technical merits of the novel, it didn't fully engage me on an emotional level.

This is a novel set during World War II.

Contrary to what Goodreads describes, it involves Army soldiers rather than Marines. However, this fact doesn't significantly impact the story.

The book does an excellent job of vividly描绘 the life of a GI. It provides a detailed picture of their experiences.

Nevertheless, it doesn't fully explore the horrors of war.

Although I'm not a veteran myself, my father was, and my youngest son is also a veteran.

The story features characters from various backgrounds, including those from the North and South, upper society and the ghettoes, Jews and Gentiles, and Hispanics.

It begins with an invasion of an island, and strategically placed within the novel are sections that Mailer calls "Time Machine." These sections offer flashbacks of a particular soldier, adding depth to the narrative.

The book progresses well and contains a significant amount of senseless violence, which is, after all, a characteristic of war.

Overall, it provides an interesting perspective on the experiences of soldiers during World War II.

Sure, Mailer was an out-sized personality. He was larger than life, with a presence that could not be ignored.

But this book was written before all that. It was a work that emerged from a different time, a time when Mailer was still finding his voice as a writer.

It's a haunting look at war. The boredom of waiting for something to happen, the anticipation of what might come next, and the ever-present specter of death. The sheer range of human experience on display here is awesome.

Parts of it do feel dated these days. The language and some of the attitudes may seem old-fashioned to modern readers. And sometimes Mailer's ambition outstrips his skill. He reaches for the stars but doesn't always quite make it.

But still, it's one of the best war novels around. It captures the essence of war in a way that few other books can. It's a powerful and moving work that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

The night was pitch-black, and the dangerous forest surroundings, along with the wounded man's groans, seemed to enclose him, turning him into a single living nerve, reacting to every gust of wind or rustle that crept into the forest from the bushes, holes, and the hidden depths of the black darkness.

The author gets very closely acquainted with the characters. Sometimes one even wonders - why is such an acquaintance with the details of so many characters' lives necessary? But precisely this forces one to approach the incomprehensible, immeasurable, and cruel atmosphere of war. The characters can hardly reveal themselves to each other, can hardly remember each other's names, and then a mine lands on someone's head, and the shrapnel of a bomb wounds them. Here, a teenager dreams of telling his father about adventures in the jungle, here he lies in trenches with pounding hearts and no more tears. Here he lies unconscious from exhaustion, here the sound echoes in the valley between the mountains. Not only the experiences of ordinary people but also those of soldiers are described, with nerves on edge and complete hysteria. Blood mixes with the heat and humidity of the jungle air, and the dream of returning to a loved one remains just a dream after the eyes of the dying are closed. Although I write roughly, the story is not like that - although it is open, with impressive scenes, yet it is quite sensitive. The characters try to come to terms with themselves, try to understand and survive, although they realize the senselessness and are trapped in the fragments of a life that is almost forgotten. They are gathered and arranged one by one as they move along the front line or tremble in the dangerous surroundings. Because you don't know what awaits you in a minute...

"I have become different," he realized. His self-confidence was lost, and doubts crept in. He didn't feel sorry for all the men with whom he lived and worked, and he didn't remember that in the past he had almost never felt sorry for all the people he knew.

"This is what the army has made me," he thought. An old trick. At first, he was in the grip of fear, and then he became resigned.

3.5 stars for what felt a little like a 721-page dry-heave.

To be honest, this work left a rather strange impression. There was an underlying sense of melancholic tone throughout, as if the author was constantly submerged in a pool of sadness.

Moreover, it seemed overly intellectualized. The ideas were presented in a rather convoluted and complex manner, making it a bit of a struggle for the average reader to fully grasp.

What's more, there was a certain heartlessness about it. The characters and their emotions didn't seem to come alive on the page, lacking the warmth and depth that could have made the story more engaging.

In conclusion, while there were some aspects that might appeal to a certain niche of readers, overall, this work fell a bit short in terms of emotional impact and readability.

In his introduction to the 50th anniversary edition of his WWII opus, Norman Mailer reveals that the book is the work of an amateur, a passionate and naive 23-year-old. He admits that parts were sloppily written and marred by overusing adjectives. I'm sorry he chose to introduce it this way, as I initially read the first 100 pages with an editor's mindset, focusing on the words rather than the story. It wasn't until I was over 100 pages into this 700+ page book that I was caught up in something extraordinary.

Imagine a ship at sea, believing it's in a smooth sea when in fact it's on a huge wave. Only when the wave hits shallow water and the top speeds up do you realize the ship can't avoid the crest and the crash. Reading "The Naked and The Dead", I felt like that ship. The story centers on a struggle between Japanese and American soldiers for Anopopei Island, specifically focusing on a small recon group and their officers. It's not filled with blockbuster battle scenes. Mailer gives intimate portraits of all his characters. The book shifted for me when Roth had to do guard duty at night, sitting in a hole in front of a machine gun. Mailer creates such an intense internal dialogue for Roth that I felt I was in his head. And so it goes with all the characters. We see them as children, civilians, and soldiers, and their flaws and the moments that shaped them. We're riding the wave without realizing it.

We feel acceleration, the precipice, and the inrushing water in the last 150 pages. The recon group is sent on a mission that's not typical. It's an endless slog, hot, wet, and exhausting, wiping out everything but the immediate area. Too much goes wrong, but nothing surprises. Mailer has given so much information about the psychological bases of everyone's actions that it's almost expected who will betray whom. At the end of the mission, I was exhausted. My exhaustion had meaning; the men's was for nothing.

There are flaws in this book. Mailer's analysis wasn't wrong. But I'm not sure the weaknesses matter, at least not the ones about adjectives and style. I do wish the characters were more differentiated. Some felt a bit cliché. But I prefer a flawed book with energy and a strong sense of storytelling to a beautifully written one with no story, just like I'd rather have a Van Morrison or Janis Joplin than someone who would make the cut on American Idol.

We can never read too many war stories. Learning that women have just been given full combat duty as I finished this book made me question my women's lib credentials. It's the right decision, but I tremble for those in service. I'm also grateful to those who defend our country, and for that reason, the idea of them being used futilely like the men in "The Naked and the Dead" is loathsome.