Forrest Gump

By: Winston Groom

Narrated by: Mark Hammer

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

"Bein' a idiot is no box of chocolates," but "at least I ain't led no hum-drum life," says Forrest Gump, the lovable, surprisingly savvy hero of this wonderful comic tale. When the University of Alabama's football team drafts Forrest and makes him a star, that's only the beginning! He flunks out - and goes on to be a Vietnam war hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a wrestler, and a business tycoon. He compares battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discovers the truth about Richard Nixon, and suffers the ups and downs of true love. Now, Forrest Gump's telling all - in a madcap, screwball romp through three decades of the American landscape. It's Gump's amazing travels...and you've got to hear them to believe them.

©1996 Winston Groom (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Part Candide, part Huck Finn and a whole lot of Andy Griffith, [Gump] makes his case in a voice all his own.George Plimpton A wacky and funny nuthouse of a book." ( Los Angeles Times)

"Broad satire with serious resonances...Gump's adventures are both hilarious and bawdy....This picaresque tale will set you guffawing." ( New Woman)

"A Huckleberry Finn­-type odyssey, complete with the humor-tempered irony and insight of Mark Twain. A rollicking satire, milking laughs from our sacred cows...As much fun as a box of chocolates, but far less fattening." ( Pittsburgh Press)

Not at all what I expected

So much different from the movie, but equally enjoyable and I laughed the whole way !

great book only a little similarity to the movie

great book only a little similarity to the movie both have lots of things that don't cross over

Mark Hammer is magnificent

This book is amazing just honestly amazing and mark hammer narrating is just phenomenal! AWESOME

Better than the movie

it's satire, and extremely well-done satire, at that. John Waters famously said of the film: "During the part where Forrest runs cross-country, I looked around and just saw all this love in the audience. And I wanted to start stabbing people." No stabbing required here!

Amazing story telling

I can’t believe what a difference there is between the movie and the book. Of course as good as the movie was the book it 1000 times better and more descriptive. I absolutely loved the book and highly recommend listening or reading whether you’ve seen the movie or not.

Not like the movie

I wasn't expecting it to be the same, but I am amazed that the movie came from this booked. I liked it, it just caught me by surprise.

awesome book

sad and awesome.. I liked it so much, I wrote essay about it for my school. Book is very different from the movie. So, in my perception, Forrest Gump in the movie represents the best of American character. Forrest Gump in the book is more of an earthy but really fictional character with fantastically good fortune and some unrealistic events in his life. He is travelling in space, for example, or saving life of Mao Zedong. It's written as an autobiography of Forrest Gump that is funny and sad in the same time due to how country and society are acknowledged through mind of autistic person. The book is much deeper and very much politically incorrect to compare to the film. The book is full of satire and sarcasm toward American bureaucracy, schools, police, army, politicians; but all of it presented in the sort of “why is that?” way, not as a straight criticism of the government or society. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the reasons behind the things and events that happened to Forrest; because he is an idiot or because there is too much idiocy around him. But there is no manifestation of right or wrong way to be, to do, or to live in this book. His overall positive outlook and good nature, stubbornness and desire to work hard for his goals made him eventually successful and accomplished, even though he left his business, never married Jenny (she did not die like in the movie), and still travelling around the country with Lt. Dan. In my opinion, this book belongs to classical collection of the best American books and comparable with adventures of Tom Sawyer or Gulliver. You may read this book over and over and find something new, different, nostalgic or thrilling, new funny, again and again… Also, Raquel Welch must be amused with this book (read it and you will find out why... funniest part of the book). Narrator is great too..

Reader is brilliant!

The story is wonderful and occasionally hilarious. Mark Hammer's performance makes it even better. Please record more of Winston Groom's novels!

forrest is something else

good story, I can see why a lot was left out of the movie, plus he has to pee alot..

the one case where I liked the movie better

this is much less uplifting and hopeful than the movie is. the result of his life is a much less positive. there's a lot more evidence of racism and he keeps on calling himself an idiot whereas in the movie he always said stupid is as stupid does and I like that message a lot more period it's still an entertaining tale but I definitely appreciate with the movie did.