One of the finest literary novels about being in the army and World War II, this is a visceral and powerful story of soldiers based at the US Army base at Diamond Head in 1941. ***From Here to Eternity won America's National Book Award on publication in 1951, while the iconic 1953 film with Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra and Deborah Kerr directed by Fred Zinnemann won eight Oscars. After the war he returned to live and write in his home town of Robinson, Illinois.' (Taken from jacket blurb). Writing 'From Here To Eternity' has occupied the available spare time of eight of his thirty years. He was appointed corporal in 1942 but reduced to private 18 months later in 1944 he was made a sergeant, but with the same result. He was serving at Scholfield Barracks, inland from Pearl Harbour, on December 7th, 1941.

*** 'James Jones joined the American Army in 1939 soon after leaving school. Many will think it too brutal.' (Quotes taken from jacket blurb). Its author makes us care about his soldiers and caring about them, we care about humanity.' ***'The achievement of an exceptional novelist. 'Make no mistake about it, From Here To Eternity is a major contribution to our literature, written with contempt for the forces that waste human life and out of compassion for men who find love, honour and courage in the lower depths where they are less apparent but sometimes more enduring. ***A bestseller in the USA, this is James Jones' first novel. Dustwrapper not price-clipped, showing publisher's price of 18s. Back panel browned, being a cream background.

Water stain to bottom front corner of dustwrapper and back panel of dustwrapper. ***In a very good illustrated dustwrapper, which is rubbed, creased and nicked at the edges, with small chips to tail of spine and small loss to head of spine. Top corners of a few pages creased and bumped. First 35 pages or so at top corners water stained, not affecting text, and a small amount of water staining to the top edge of the last few pages, also not affecting the text. ***A good copy in blue cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. The first British publication of this famous novel.

From here to eternity jones