Johnny Got His Gun Book Summary

'Johnny Got His Gun' is a poignant anti-war novel that follows Joe Bonham, a young soldier who awakens in a hospital bed, severely injured and unable to see, hear, or speak. As he reflects on his haunting memories, he becomes trapped in a solitary existence, grappling with feelings of loss and isolation. Trumbo's powerful narrative questions the morality of warfare and the price of sacrifice. Through Joe's internal struggles, readers are compelled to confront the brutal realities of combat. This unforgettable story challenges perceptions of heroism and exposes the human cost of war.

By Dalton Trumbo, E. L. Doctorow

Published: 2007

""I can't see, I can't hear, I can't speak, I can't breathe. But I can feel. I can feel everything.""

Book Review of Johnny Got His Gun

The Searing Portrayal Of War That Has Stunned And Galvanized Generations Of Readers An immediate bestseller upon its original publication in 1939, Dalton Trumbo’s stark, profoundly troubling masterpiece about the horrors of World War I brilliantly crystallized the uncompromising brutality of war and became the most influential protest novel of the Vietnam era. With a compelling new foreword by fellow award-winning writer E. L. Doctorow, Johnny Got His Gun is an undisputed classic of antiwar literature that’s as timely as ever. “A terrifying book, of an extraordinary emotional intensity.”--The Washington Post "Powerful. . . an eye-opener." --Michael Moore "Mr. Trumbo sets this story down almost without pause or punctuation and with a fury amounting to eloquence."--The New York Times "A book that can never be forgotten by anyone who reads it."--Saturday Review

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"I can't see, I can't hear, I can't speak, I can't breathe. But I can feel. I can feel everything."

Johnny Got His Gun

By Dalton Trumbo, E. L. Doctorow