The Purple Plain

by H.E. Bates

During 1945 H. E. Bates spent some time in Burma and India with the aim of writing about the Burmese war for American readers. The experience inspired three ‘Asian novels’, one of which was The Purple Plain. After returning to England he heard a story about a pilot who, having lost his wife to a German bomb while on honeymoon, as a consequence had become "a much-decorated hero by the dubious method of trying to get himself killed". It provided the spark that prompted Bates to start working on the novel (in any event, because of his experiences while over there, he was already keen to write about his time in Burma). In the novel, Forrester, commander at an air station on the "purple plain" of Burma, loses the will to live, but regains it upon meeting a young Burmese woman, Anna, who has passed through her own wartime trauma. He survives a plane crash, rescues a fellow pilot, and is finally reunited with Anna. It is a tale of human courage and endurance in the face of tremendous odds, and it was certainly “something different” for Bates. The book was published in late November 1947, and in 1954 the story was filmed starring Gregory Peck and Win Min Than.

Genres: Fiction, War, Historical Fiction, Classics, World War II, Novels, Modern

312 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 1947

About the author

Herbert Ernest Bates, CBE is widely recognised as one of the finest short story writers of his generation, with more than 20 story collections published in his lifetime. It should not be overlooked, however, that he also wrote some outstanding novels, starting with The Two Sisters through to A Moment in Time, with such works as Love For Lydia, Fair Stood the Wind for France and The Scarlet Sword earning high praise from the critics. His study of the Modern Short Story is considered one of the best ever written on the subject.

He was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire and was educated at Kettering Grammar School. After leaving school, he was briefly a newspaper reporter and a warehouse clerk, but his heart was always in writing and his dream to be able to make a living by his pen.

Many of his stories depict life in the rural Midlands of England, particularly his native Northamptonshire. Bates was partial to taking long midnight walks around the Northamptonshire countryside - and this often provided the inspiration for his stories. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River.

In 1931, he married Madge Cox, his sweetheart from the next road in his native Rushden. They moved to the village of Little Chart in Kent and bought an old granary and this together with an acre of garden they converted into a home. It was in this phase of his life that he found the inspiration for the Larkins series of novels -The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, etc. - and the Uncle Silas tales. Not surprisingly, these highly successful novels inspired television series that were immensely popular.

His collection of stories written while serving in the RAF during World War II, best known by the title The Stories of Flying Officer X, but previously published as Something in the Air (a compilation of his two wartime collections under the pseudonym 'Flying Officer X' and titled The Greatest People in the World and How Sleep the Brave), deserve particular attention. By the end of the war he had achieved the rank of Squadron Leader.

Bates was influenced by Chekhov in particular, and his knowledge of the history of the short story is obvious from the famous study he produced on the subject. He also wrote his autobiography in three volumes (each delightfully illustrated) which were subsequently published in a one-volume Autobiography.

Bates was a keen and knowledgeable gardener and wrote numerous books on flowers. The Granary remained their home for the whole of their married life. After the death of H. E Bates, Madge moved to a bungalow, which had originally been a cow byre, next to the Granary. She died in 2004 at age 95. They raised two sons and two daughters.

primarily from Wikipedia, with additions by Keith Farnsworth

Reviews

[Georgia Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I ever need to give myself courage, I'll remember this novel. The humor which Forrester and Carrington use to keep themselves alive following a plane crash is one I won't forget. It didn't make me laugh. It made me think. Reserves of strength may lie in wait inside all of us.

This is not a story of battles on a field but of minds in which trauma has struck. From a mother turned mute during a death march to a young man embittered from the London Blitz, the novel asks how we go on. In this war, not between armies but thoughts, fatalism and hope spar, cynicism and romance take swipes at one another.

Read it then watch one of those old black and white films about wartime nurses or put on the WWII drama "Ice Cold in Alex" for more examples of human endurance.

[Jyothsna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Purple Plain is one of those rare gems that I found going through an old relative's books that had been brought down from the attic and I was being offered first pick before they were donated. I have found many a great book like that. When I picked up Purple plain, I expected an Alistair Mclean type action novel, instead what I got was a slow paced book with a bit of adventure and a predictable ending. However, that is not to say this is not a good book.
One of the strongest attributes of this book is the authors ability to bring the setting to you or rather place you right in the middle of the country where the story takes place. Even though there was not a great story line to speak of or any character building, I could feel the heat of Burma as the author described it. It felt like I was standing next to the little girl in extreme heat watching her kill the lizard and almost sometimes like the lizard itself. I think that is where the power of this book lies. It is hard to come across books like these anymore. Overall, a good read!

[Jan Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book set in Burma. Whilst I enjoy Bates i did find a lot of repetition of phrases and descriptions in this. I'm surprised a good editor did not point this out.

[Andy Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Purple Plain is the only novel of Bates' that I've read so far, but surely it must rank among his best. Set in the midst of World War II, it follows the hardships and subsequent spiritual rebirth of one Bill Forrester, a British fighter pilot whose life has been torn apart by his young wife's death in the London bombings.

Posted to far-away Burma (now Myanmar) as part of British operations to liberate the country from the Japanese, and with no obvious end to the war in sight, Forrester battles with suicidal tendencies and behaves in an offhand, hostile manner to those around him. Far from taking any interest in Burma, he despises it for its scorching heat and dust.

Things begin to look up when squadron doctor Harris persuades Forrester to join him on a trip to a local village, where friendly folk reside. Here, Forrester meets Anna, a pretty Burmese girl with impeccable English skills and an aristocratic manner. The two are taken with each other, however no sooner has this happened than disaster strikes. Forrester, back out on standard flying operations two days later, is forced to make an emergency landing in the Burmese wilderness due to a technical fault in his plane. He and his two passengers, Blore and Carrington, survive the crash, but are now faced with the seemingly impossible task of making it out of the Burmese desert with little water and no food. Will Blore and Carrington learn to trust Forrester, now that he has found a reason to live? Will the three men make it back to civilisation? No longer wanting to die, Forrester's strength and tenacity are tested like never before.

All in all, a brilliant tale that paints a vivid but fair picture of this Asian country and its people, and one that recounts the strength, bravery and rebirth of one man.

[Richard Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cruised through author Bates' book in very short order, captured by the lure of one of the exotic areas of the world, Burma during World War 2 and the descriptive expertise of the writer who builds a plot that draws the reader from chapter to chapeter.
The author accurately depicts the down and out mental condition of Forrester, who, after recovering from wounds as a pilot, has been stationed in an isolated corner of Burma. Here, sweltering in the insuperable heat and bugs of the tropical plain, he stagnates while awaiting the arrival of an unknown man, Carrington, who will be his new navigator. He has nothing to go back to in England, his wife having been blow up during the Blitz of London, only a few short days after their wedding. His anger and hatred of life and the world, over which he has almost no control, grows into a hatred that lashes out at his fellow officer, Blore, who is due to be transferred out of the hellhole of Burma and back to India.
At the point where Forrester is about to crack up completely, the unit doctor, Harris, cajoles him into taking a ride out to a local village where he is helping a local missionary pick out hymns for Easter Sunday. In a fit of pique, Forrester decides to go along and meet the missionary and ladies in the village who are living out the war in solitude as most of their men have been conscripted to fight the Japanese who are pressing southward and rolling over the country.
The common things of ordinary village life confront Forrester during that first day out, and he meets two sisters and their mother in the village and begins to make their acquaintance in a rather stilted manner. On subsequent visits, Forrester begins to enjoy the company of Anna, the younger of the two ladies and begins to develop a close relationship. He becomes involved with village life and is present when the Japanese bomb the village, killing and wounding a number of the children who are being taken care of by the women and missionary lady.
At the point that Forrester is becoming enamored with the village and Anna, Carrington arrives and Blore receives his final orders to depart Burma. As Forrester pilots the plane towards Rangoon engine failure causes them to have to crash land in the scrub bush wilderness. Carrington, injured and unable to walk, is carried by Forrester as the three men attempt to reach human habitation and find a source of water for drinking.
The book is a page-turner, not because of any violent action and heroes fighting off attackers, but rather because of the concise description of village life, the countryside, the thoughts of the characters, and the oppressive heat and dryness that prevails throughout the story. Your mind can picture the thatched huts, hear the happy children riding on the back of the jeep through the village, taste the coolness of a lime drink in the sweltering heat, and the screams and cries of the children as the village is bombed. The reader will pick up on the author's amazing ability to describe the looks, personalities, and foibles of each of the three main characters as they struggle to survive in the face of impossible odds in an implacable unforgiving environment.
For those who have lived on the edge at one time or another in their lives, this book will give you ample opportunity to reflect and think about humanities' purpose and direction.

[David Lowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

H E Bates wrote The Darling Buds of May. The Purple Plain is about as far as its possible to get from that. The story is set in Burma towards the end of 'the forgotten war' At a small outpost, a bitter and cynical English pilot flies every mission hoping to be killed. Two years earlier he had lost his wife in the Blitz. A meeting with a beautiful Burmese girl gives him reason to live, a new resolve when his plane crashes while flying a short mission.

The book's great strength is the quality of writing, especially the descriptive material about the climate and challenge of the Burmese jungle. The characters are beautifully drawn, each responding in a different way to the threat and trauma of war. The scenes involving the native Burmese and the British are breath taking and extremely moving.

A superb novel. I'll try another H E Bates tale soon

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed it - the writing style is good and the characters are interesting, although the actual story itself wasn't the fast paced, action packed book I would normally go for. It was intriguing though, despite the blurb on the back being a bit misleading. The 'crash' doesn't happen until a few chapters from the end, so it is a book about Forrester, rather than of the accident. The heat of the plain, the desperation of the men and change in their attitudes was really well portrayed. Overall verdict - an interesting, good read, but not one I would return to in the future, but I might track down other books by the author.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The movie of this book has always been one of my favourites, evoking a time, place and memories from when I first saw it years ago. I don't know why until very recently I hadn't bothered to read the book, but I'm really glad I did now.
It's always interesting to compare the book and the movie, and to notice differences and think about why the movie isn't the same as the book. Sometimes it's fairly obvious, sometimes not.
The character of Blore was interesting. In the book, you almost can't help liking him in an endearing sort of way, which is very different to how I feel he comes across in the movie.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was ok but took more than half of the book to get started. I didn't like how the author characterized some of the people. The Burmese were all almond or almond eyed. One lady is described as having "ugly Irish lips" - what's with that.He talks about one Burmese as having "no imperial humbug", which is exactly what the author had.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent war story. Not typical, set in Burma during WWII and deals with a British pilot who must get back from behind enemy lines. The movie starred Gregory Peck.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good stretches. Made a good movie.

[Chris Waterford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love H. E. Bates---mainly gentle romances that are well written but this is a war survival story and the romance seemed slight. I gave up on it.

[Fionnuala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect when I picked this up; it was one of my charity shop finds, chosen purely on the basis that it looked interesting enough. I absolutely didn't expect such a touching and accurate portrayal of grief and trauma. It's honestly incredible how these themes are threaded through absolutely everything that the main character does; the close third-person POV, almost exclusively centred on Forrester, also enables some very clever manipulation of view and outlook and self-image that's played with via impeccable pacing, thus creating a very accurate overall image of what such things can do to a person's behaviour and perception. It's written in an almost gentle way, nothing happening too quickly -- which is impressive, considering the drama and action and terror of many of the scenes -- and it's incredibly well-written. It's a deeply character-focused piece, but not to the detriment of plot or supporting characters; the relationships are all very believable, the other characters well-rounded and complex. I can't believe so much was packed into one book without it suffering for it, but it manages to hold its pacing and characterisation throughout. It's a deeply touching book.

Of course, it's a product of its time, and it's pretty racist by our standards. At the time, I'm sure it would probably have been seen as relatively progressive -- for example, the non-white characters are just as developed as the white characters, and the main character does not believe himself to be naturally superior and doesn't discriminate regardless of a person's sex or nationality/race. But there's still some pandering to the sensibilities of the time, mainly the Burmese love interest, of whom the narration is eager to inform you is very pale-skinned, paler than a white person even, and barely looks that "native" at all. And of course the Irish character, Burke; while as an Irishwoman I will wholly accept that we do deserve a slagging for the way we word things (especially in the context of friendly banter, as between Forrester and Burke) I do think that the narration could have maybe called us all ugly a little less. Just my opinion.

I was genuinely touched by the nuance awarded to the whole process of grief and trauma, and how it makes a person act monstrously, rudely, and incomprehensively. It's honestly one of the most accurate portrayals of "coming back to life" I've ever seen -- the transition from being completely indifferent to dying, perhaps even desiring to die, seeking some form of passive suicide, to the realisation that you don't want to die. And even better, this book differentiates between "realising you don't want to die" and "realising you want to live" -- an important distinction that only those who have experienced it will know. I was also stunned by the similarity of Forrester's catalyst to my own; the suddeness of such a shock, the way it reroutes your brain and makes you realise what a fool you've been -- and then the exquisite terror of it, the clumsy first steps back towards life. It's all beautifully represented here, and it's very impressive in its accuracy.

I debated on the ending for a bit -- I would have liked Forrester and Anna to have been reunited more explicitly, as I would like to have seen Anna's relief when she realised Forrester hadn't died. But the more I think about it, the more I think that the ending is very themactic. The whole book is about, in part, things happening out of sight, and the world changing in subtle ways until it stares you undeniably in the face. The fact that the narration leaves them there, suspended in that moment before knowing, the fact that Forrester always swore to Anna that he would return, and she should never believe what anyone said otherwise, and the final scene leaves her asleep and unaware that in a few hours her hope is going to be rewarded is very touching and appropriate for the tone of the book.

This was honestly such a pleasant surprise. Genuinely I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while.

[LadyCalico · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I never before hear of this book or even its more famous movie? Unbeknownst to Forrester (or us), he is under observation for a possible Section 8--or whatever is the British equivalent--even though his remote RAF unit in rural Burma is desperately in need of manpower and Murphy's Law is righteously fulfilling itself at every opportunity. Just when he straightens out and starts to regain his humanity and will to live, it looks as if his death wish will finally be fulfilled, taking several others down with him. This was a really great book with an unusual plot for a WWII novel, about some very human and flawed characters in a miserable situation with both the overused men and planes under a great deal of stress and strain. Although there is war action in this book, it is more of a character study of both the self-destructive flight commander and WWII Burma. Most of the time I didn't know whether I felt sorry for Forrester or just wanted to slap him silly.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book written by a gentleman, for men, about men who are struggling with themselves and for each other as they endure hardships and overcome tragedy. It is set in the war in Burma and the characters are British airmen, intelligence officers, and nurses, and the indigenous people. It is written in the days before ubiquitous literary and internet pornography. The women characters are revered for the attributes that make them different from men. The men must apply the attributes that make them different from women in order to overcome deathly hardship and survive. Love blooms and survives in the spaces between.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Purple Plain is a wartime novel set in the central plain of Burma towards the end of the Second World War, where a depleted RAF squadron of Mosquitoes is based. Forrester, commander at an air station on the "purple plain" of Burma, loses the will to live, but regains it upon meeting a young Burmese woman, Anna, who has passed through her own wartime trauma. He survives a plane crash, rescues a fellow pilot, and is finally reunited with Anna. It is a tale of human courage and endurance in the face of tremendous odds.

[Michele King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story of a WWII pilot in Burma that was written shortly after the war. Initially he is angry and bitter due to watching his new, young wife die in the blitz in London. He finds himself again through love, death and hardship. I liked the vividness of the writer's descriptions of people, places and emotions and, I liked the storyline. Because of when this was written, there are minor stereotypical descriptions that were considered acceptable for that time. I

[Alan Korolenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

A survival story, both life threatening and personal set in World War 2 Burma. Rather slow going in the first half with Bates somewhat plodding in his descriptions of a local in which he is clearly fascinated. But, above all, Bates is a grand storyteller and things really accelerate in the second half as a plane crash challenges three men to survive using all their strengths, limited resources and teamwork. Powerful, suspenseful and ultimately touching.

[Commander Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

This the second HE Bates I've read the other being Fair Stood the Wind For France, both RAF, both plane crashes, both unlikely love interests from left field, same war, different theatres.

Got the impression of a Hemingway impersonator the last one and again for this one. It may be that they were both writing in the same era, who knows.

[Mr Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent novel, well written and evocative. Fewer stuff upper lips than many books of that era.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular writing! Brilliant humanity.

[Jason Towers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very visual story of ordeals in WWII Burma. Lovely descriptive prose, although it takes some getting used to two of the main characters being referred to as solely "the girl" and "the boy".

[Sneezewort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this more the second time around

[Julie McSorley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple of years ago I came into possession of a 1949 purple canvas-bound edition of this book, and have only just got around to reading it. I was not disappointed. It's well worth delving back into some of the great literary classics and taking a master-class on great literature. Occasional plot lapses are hardly noticeable because Bates keeps the time/place momentum (wartime, heat-soaked Burma) throughout. The lucid descriptions of desolate landscapes and characters; locals and stiff upper-lipped RAF officers, are interwoven with the broody inner-monlologue of Forrester, a man with a backstory that explains his indifference to everything and everyone. He thought he'd lost the will to live, but meets Anna just before fateful circumstances threaten to wipe him out. He ponders on the irony of his desperate situation; previously he would have welcomed death as a relief but now he is on a mission to survive and reunite with his newfound love. A haunting, moody tale, set against a beautifully described backdrop – the endless, purple plain.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during World War II The Purple Plain is the story of an RAF pilot who, distraught after the death of his wife, seeks to end his own life. He meets and falls in love with a young Burmese girl and this gives him the will to live. He and his navigator crash in the Burmese desert and latter part of the novel describes their fight for survival. The narrative is told with Bates' typical sentimental style and rather dated prose, but it's a great story and one of his better novels.

[Connor FitzGerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. A great story. Beautifully written. The sort of book you can’t wait to get back to at the end of each day. It reads like it’s written in another era when everyone had more time and less modern distractions. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Highly recommend.

[Keith Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

[Virginia Appleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It is so atmospheric and the characters and details completely enthralling

[Christine Carlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as a young person, think I want to read again to get a better feeling of the meaning of this book.

[Sharron Wildig]

My copy is hardback

Strange how I came to read this one. I collected really old books at the time and came across a copy of this outside a book shop in Stroud.
If you appreciate phrase, descriptive skill and history, you will love this. Yes, the book was written in 1947 and as I have said previously, I'm not a fan of historical / period drama, but I would read this again. It's not a war novel or a romance, it's much more. A stone can save your life!
On a personal note, I found a letter at the back of the book and there is an address on the letter which does not even seem to exist anymore. So sweet.