Johnny Got His Gun

Rating:
Summary: Not worth reading.
Review: This is probably one of the most boring books that I have ever read. I found this book fairly hard to follow at the start but, as it went on it got a little easier to understand. I, as an American citizen, was offended by the anti-war views that he had expressed in this book. Dalton Trumbo is a very good writer, but I didn't agree with some of his views that he expressed in this book. I think that a good American citizen should be willing to put his or her life on the line for our countries saftey if it is needed.

Rating:
Summary: Joe's Hope to Communicate With the Outside World
Review: Just imagine being without most of your senses. How could someone live that way, but Joe has learned to move on with his life and try to figure out how he could possibly communicate with the outside world. This was an interesting book to see how war could effect someone. It told about many factors of the war. But, on other hand it was really wierd to think that someone could actually live that way which is impossible.

Rating:
Summary: Realizing the POWER of one's mind.
Review: When all you have left is merely the power to think, you might be suprised just how powerful your brain/mind is. Joe was able to accomplish many difficult tasks by simply taking the time and brain power to do it. I thought this book was an excellent eye-opener to a lot of subjects. By reading this I was able to see exactly how I felt on certain subjects, war especially, considering this book sends a strong anti-war message. I think I speak for a large majority when I say the ending was rather dissappointing, yet it gives you the chance to hope for the best and decide for yourself what happens to poor 'ol Joe!!!

Rating:
Summary: HORRORS OF WAR
Review: JUST THINK HOW IT WOULD BE TO HAVE LOST ALL OF YOUR SENSES EXCEPT SENSORY TOUCH.TO LAY IN BED AND TO DREAM AND THINK OF WHAT YOU HAVE LOST. NOTHING BUT YOUR BRAIN TO KEEP YOU COMPANY.NOTHING BUT YOURSELF ALONE.

Rating:
Summary: Joe takes his desaster and turns it into hope.
Review: Dalton Trumbo takes you into a world where no one has before. In the face of a terrible war one man is devistated by a bomb with nothing left but his torso. This is a good book as long as you can follow it. With the diffrent stories and timeline it is easy to get lost and forget what signifigence these tales hold. Joe is the main character and fights through the whole book to communicate with the world. This task is acomplished, thus ending the book. The only part about this book I do not especially like is the ending. I am the type of person who hates authors who leave you hanging to decide what the characters fate is. I want to know how the author thought the end should be. Overall this is a good book that does leave you to imagine what Joe is going through. How one person could go through so much have hope and live for years. I recomend this book to anyone who likes fiction and has an open mind.

Rating:
Summary: A story that has no story inside it.
Review: I didn't really care for this book at all. All that happened was his flashbacks. It wasn't even really a story. It's just a guy remembering some stuff that happened a long time ago. The ending was probably the most unclarified part of the book. Al;l of a sudden the book just ends, you don't find out what happens. This book is not worth the time to read.

Rating:
Summary: Strong message, but annoying character
Review: I thought this book sent a very strong, one-sided anti-war message that leaves an impression on the reader. Personally I do not agree with the message totally because it is to rash. I don't believe that a soldier would feel the way the character in the book did. I can't imagine being able to live the way he did, but I also can't believe his attitude. He thought the whole world was against him, but he didn't help them much by reacting the way he did and I think something could have been done to the ending to keep it from turning out so weak. Over all, I felt the book left a lasting impression on me even if I didn't totally agree with the message and the character.

Rating:
Summary: I found the book hard to follow at times.
Review: The misuse of punctuation in the book made it hard to understand at times, but it does give you a true insight as to how his thoughts were running through his head. The way he continued to recall the past brought to truth the realities of what he went through, and the things that he was going to miss out on. He would never see, or hear anyone again. While I will probably never read this book again, I would advise everyone to read it at least once. It makes you realize how unglamorous wars really are.

Rating:
Summary: A decent book with excellent insight.
Review: I thought that this book was a little extreme in it's opinions, but it served it's purpose as an antiwar book. Joe defied all odds by breaking out of his darkness by communicating with the outside world, the outside world however, pushed him back into his lonely darkness. Trumbo gave detailed and vivid insights into the life of Joe, the main character.

Rating:
Summary: Great Writing, Bad Message
Review: I thought Dalton Trumbo did a fine job of writing, it took a lot of talent to write that book. I also feel that the message that he was trying to portray was horrible. I don't like the way he is so anti-war. I am in no way for war at all, but I also do feel that there are some things that we have to fight for. WW1 was one of those instances. When you are selected to fight you must do it with honor cause you are fighting for your country. Joe was not put into that horrible state for nothing, he was put that way while he was fighting for his country. Dalton Trumbo needs to realize that even though war is such a horrible thing, it is the reason we live the lives that we do. We live lives of freedom. It is to bad that men had to lose their lives doing it, but that is why I honor them every year. On a final note, this is not a book that I would have my students read, I definently would not promote Trumbo's message.