Johnny Got His Gun

By: Dalton Trumbo

Narrated by: William Dufris

This was no ordinary war. This was a war to make the world safe for democracy. And if democracy was made safe, then nothing else mattered - not the millions of dead bodies, nor the thousands of ruined lives. This is no ordinary novel. This is a novel that never takes the easy way out: it is shocking, violent, terrifying, horrible, uncompromising, brutal, remorseless, and gruesome...but so is war.

Johnny Got His Gun holds a place as one of the classic antiwar novels. First published in 1939, Dalton Trumbo's story of a young American soldier terribly maimed in World War I - he "survives" armless, legless, and faceless, but with his mind intact - was an immediate best seller. This fiercely moving novel was a rallying point for many Americans who came of age during World War II, and it became perhaps the most popular novel of protest during the Vietnam era.

©1991 Dalton Trumbo (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"[This] is a terrifying book, of an extraordinary emotional intensity." ( The Washington Post)
"There can be no question of the effectiveness of this book." ( The New York Times)

In A Category of Its Own

Would you listen to Johnny Got His Gun again? Why?

Yes- - - the oration is as excellent as the written work. Every single page brings some poignant reason why life and the living are important and how absolutely obscene is war. Dalton Trumbo's genius and courage are benchmarks for any author or script-writer who even dreams of composing a story that deals with the consequences of war. Trumbo's "Johnny Got His Gun" is, in a serious way, equivalent in impact to "Catch 22" from Joseph Heller. Anyone who claims to be human should dedicate the minimal time needed to experience the stark, rich and artful portrayal of the human aberration called "war" and the ultimate ugly result it can create. In an era where politics have become so polarized and laden with jargon, "Johnny Got His Gun" is a book, which can withstand any pro-war propaganda and end up demonstrating that most wars are fought at the sole expense of the man (and now some women) who are where the lead meets flesh. A more significant work of literature is yet to be written. The question is; "Written by whom and about what?"

What did you like best about this story?

The vividness of the wording and the pictures that came to mind, making it feel real.

Which scene was your favorite?

Irrelevant

If you could take any character from Johnny Got His Gun out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Dumb question. Joe Bonham was being fed through a gastro-tube.
I am not good enough in Morse Code to communicate with Joe.
Sorry to be sarcastic but the question is irrelevant for this book.

Any additional comments?

R E A D (Listen to) T H I S B O O K.
It will transform your life.

Wow! So good!!

I've known about this book for a long time and just never picked it up. It was so good! The Audible performance was amazing! This book was good on so many levels!

This narrator is terrible.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I really had a hard time listening to this. It sounds like the narrator read this book doing a Bill Clinton impression. Terrible.

A must read for all ages

Masterfully executed premise with an incredible message. The style of writing is beautiful in and of itself, and the performance adds a new level of intimacy to an already profound experience.

Best performer

The best American performer I have listened to. This performance is not narration but a one-man dramatic experience. If you read this book, listen to the Audible simultaneously, or visa versa.

The movie does no justice. a must read

no wonder this book was black listed. it is a master piece. Trumbo was a great story teller.

Utterly gripping

Would you listen to Johnny Got His Gun again? Why?

Yes, I read it 25 years ago; now in audible format William Dufris' narration made this stunning book even more compelling, if that is possible.

What other book might you compare Johnny Got His Gun to and why?

This is arguably the most compelling anti-war book ever written.

Classic

Any additional comments?

How can a book about a man that looses both legs and arms, his eye site, and hearing in WWI be anything but depressing? Not sure. But this book does what it intends to do.

It it shows the futility of war and how it normally is brought about by special interests for their own purpose and results in the death of the young and innocent.

A classic on tragedy of war...

Would you listen to Johnny Got His Gun again? Why?

I just finished the book, so I'm not in a frame of mind to listen to it again. I enjoyed it immensely--it's like one, long soliloquy. I might listen to it again in the future, but at this point, I'd have to say I wouldn't.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Joe Bonham was my favorite character. He's lying there in a hospital bed, no legs, no arms, no face, just a brain--it's as though he was a prisoner, a prisoner inside the dungeon of his badly wounded body. Joe's struggle to "escape" this prison requires an exploration of existential questions. He eventually is able to tell time. This is a major accomplishment for him. Joe's honesty and candor about his wounded, maimed body is amazing. I enjoyed Joe's commentary on the futility of war.

What about William Dufris’s performance did you like?

Dufris did an excellent job in his performance, an incredible acting job. He added such drama and pathos to the character of Joe Bonham.

If you could rename Johnny Got His Gun, what would you call it?

The original title is a good one, but I suppose if I had to rename it maybe I'd call it The Wounded Warrior.

Any additional comments?

I don't know if the author intended a play on words, but Joe Bonham sounds a bit like the French word "bonhomme," which means fellow or old fellow in French. Certainly, Joe is old beyond his years when he is lying there, helpless in his hospital bed. I think every high school student would do well to read this book.

wow

Brutally brilliant novel. This is the best anti-war work of art I've ever come across. This one will stick with you for a while.