Yes, Some Came Running is a 1,266-page book. It took James Jones six years to write it after the success of his first novel, From Here to Eternity. Sadly, Some Came Running was a financial flop. It’s lack of monetary success forced James Jones into writing a screenplay for The Longest Day in order to pay his bills. I didn’t know about Some Came Running until I read Lee Sandlin’s review in the Wall Street Journal. You can check it out here.
Dave Hirsh returns from World War II with what we know today is PTSD. Hirsh had some success as a writer before the war and tries to get back to writing. But he flies into rages, he chases women, and he drinks like a fish. Dave’s brother, Frank, is trying to build a financial empire. The brothers don’t get along and fight continually. The post-WWII world is changing and everyone is struggling to adapt. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a 1000+ page book, but I enjoyed this one. James Jones could have written another 5000 pages about these characters…and I would have read them. Jones has that kind of narrative power. I was able to find an unabridged copy of Some Came Running online for $12. The unabridged edition has never been reprinted. But it’s worth seeking out.
Liked both From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line. Never read this one tho.
Steve, after reading SOME CAME RUNNING, I’m tempted to go back and read FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. I also have a copy of THE THIN RED LINE which I’ve yet to read.
I like the movie a lot and was lucky enough to see it at the cinema not that long ago – could never quite bring myself to look at the book, I admit mostly due to length. Thanks George, this is encouraging
Sergio, it took me a week to read SOME CAME RUNNING. But the time was worth it.
These days it’d probably come out as a 4-part series. A helpful editor would encourage Jones to re-write it so that Ginnie is a witch, Bama has returned from the dead and Dave has shape-shifting powers….
Dan, exactly right! And there would have to be dragons!
I would also recommend A SOLDIER’S DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES by Jones’s daughter. He had his share of issues too.
Deb, the failure of SOME CAME RUNNING devastated James Jones both financially and psychologically. I have A SOLDIER’S DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES and now I need to read it. His daughter helped with the new (but abridged) edition of SOME CAME RUNNING.
I’ll probably never read another book this long, but if I did, I think this would be the one.
Bill, SOME CAME RUNNING took a lot of time to read, but it never felt long. And, as I mentioned to Rick, if SOME CAME RUNNING was 5,000 pages I’d read every page. James Jones is a hell of a writer!
I can’t imagine how it couldn’t have been 600 pages and still carried the narrative punch and character drive of this long novel, which I’ll undoubtedly never read.
Rick, James Jones launches so many intense characters and subplots he generates almost irresistible narrative momentum.
Definitely sounds worth reading – I remember liking the movie a lot – but like Bill and Rick I doubt I’ll ever do so. Still, you never know. For years I had my father’s edition of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY but lost it somewhere along the way. Jones was an interesting guy. I read his A TOUCH OF DANGER 40 years ago.
Jeff, SOME CAME RUNNING would be the perfect ebook. I was uncomfortable much of the time trying to hold this 1,266 page book. And the print was a bit too small, too.
Having read all of his novels except “Whistle”, I’d recommend two more Jones novels that are mostly forgotten–“The Merry Month of May” and “Go to the Widow-Maker”. And “A Touch of Danger” is interesting as a crime novel by a literary writer.
Michael, thank you for your recommendations! I’m going to find copies of THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY, GO TO THE WIDOW-MAKER, and A TOUCH OF DANGER. You’ll be seeing reviews of these book on this blog later this year.
George,
Started reading it Monday.
THANKS!
Dan
Dan, I’ll be eagerly awaiting your review of SOME CAME RUNNING.
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Thanks again George!
Dan, you’re very welcome! Great posting!