From Here to Eternity

By: James Jones

Narrated by: Elijah Alexander

Length: 36 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Diamond Head, Hawaii, 1941. Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt is a champion welterweight and a fine bugler. But when he refuses to join the company's boxing team, he gets "the treatment" that may break him or kill him. First Sgt. Milton Anthony Warden knows how to soldier better than almost anyone, yet he's risking his career to have an affair with the commanding officer's wife. Both Warden and Prewitt are bound by a common bond: the Army is their heart and blood...and, possibly, their death.

In this magnificent but brutal classic of a soldier's life, James Jones portrays the courage, violence and passions of men and women who live by unspoken codes and with unutterable despair. The most important American novel to come out of World War II, this is a masterpiece that captures as no other the honor and savagery of men.

©1998 James Jones (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

A good story, but dated

I have a relative who studied writing with James Jones. Thats why I picked the book. I would have given the performance 4 stars if it werent for the voicing of Maylen Stark. like nails on a chalkboard...

One of the best I’ve ever heard.

Great characters, and story arcs. The personal philosophies expressed by the characters are done expertly to fill the reader with a sense of familiarity. Now I can’t wait to check out the movie.

Far removed from the movie

Like many books, the film adaptation of this book is nothing like the actual writing. The book goes into rich detail and fleshes out characters that are barely mentioned in the film. The book is far better than movie, only the two are not really comparable. The reader does a great job and makes listening enjoyable - important in a book of this length. So enjoy it.

war on different levels

I enjoyed this story a lot and have thought about it quite a few times since finishing it. Good characters and flow to the story and dec 7 seemed very real and funny in ways too.

Infinitely Better than Movie

This is not a war story, or a WWII novel, or a love story. This is a powerful story of the interactions between human nature and the American military, American relationships, and American socialism. This is a great book that has aged well as the subject matter is eternal. The writing is superb and comparable with Steinbeck and Hemingway.

There is substantial violence, rough language, alcoholism, explicit sexuality, racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and sexism, all presented as American as apple pie. Some reviewers found this book depressing or negative, I did not. I found this simply honest. One of the key messages is that if America is to evolve into a better America, we must all first be completely honest about our human nature, including our less inspiring aspects. The book is gritty, but optimistic about Americans' capacity to see the truth and improve.

I would highly recommend this book to any adult who would not be greatly bothered by the content.

Although this was hailed as a great book, I put it off reading it for a long time, because I had seen the 1953 movie years ago (famous for Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr lying in the surf) and did not like it much.

After reading this great book, I rewatched the old movie. The movie was much better having read the book, but I understood why I found the movie tedious. The 1953 movie was limited by morality, pro-military, anti-socialism, and time limitations that eviscerated the story.

The narration was very good, but a few of the voices were over the top and distracted.

Love, death, religion, and everything In between

James jones has said with this book all the things I've always felt but could never express in words regarding the human condition. Love and death and religion and everything in between swirl together seamlessly in the vortex that is part story and part life. This is a fine book.

Not a Pulitzer Prize Story

Reference to Blacks and Jews were derogatory. Too much profanity. A lot of embellishments and falsehoods.

Great book, lousy narrator

Most of it is okay if unremarkable. One characterization is quite good (Ike Galovich), but the voice used for Stark is bizarre and almost unlistenable. Like Billie Bob Thornton’s voice in Slingblade played at half speed.

Very Solid Read

Any additional comments?

This book is "Solid" in terms not just a fluff book you read and forget and move on to the next read.

The book makes you think a bit.The story is not contrived especially the romances. It is somewhat closer to real life than "romance" novels.

The beginning was a bit slow.

I almost abandoned the book, but hung in there.

The setting is at a army base but a lot of the book was about people and the characters. For the time and morals of the American culture when the book was published it was quite racy.

WOW. Great book!

Closest book like this I can think of is "A Prayer for Owen Meany".

Great Story poorly read.

James Jones is my favorite author, unfortunately Elijah Alexander's character voices nearly ruined this imo.