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Soldier in the Rain
extremely rare,very good condition
- GenresFiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
3 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
William Goldman
83 books2,699 followersGoldman grew up in a Jewish family in Highland Park, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, and obtained a BA degree at Oberlin College in 1952 and an MA degree at Columbia University in 1956.His brother was the late James Goldman, author and playwright.
William Goldman had published five novels and had three plays produced on Broadway before he began to write screenplays. Several of his novels he later used as the foundation for his screenplays.
In the 1980s he wrote a series of memoirs looking at his professional life on Broadway and in Hollywood (in one of these he famously remarked that "Nobody knows anything"). He then returned to writing novels. He then adapted his novel The Princess Bride to the screen, which marked his re-entry into screenwriting.
Goldman won two Academy Awards: an Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men. He also won two Edgar Awards, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay: for Harper in 1967, and for Magic (adapted from his own 1976 novel) in 1979.
Goldman died in New York City on November 16, 2018, due to complications from colon cancer and pneumonia. He was eighty-seven years old.
William Goldman had published five novels and had three plays produced on Broadway before he began to write screenplays. Several of his novels he later used as the foundation for his screenplays.
In the 1980s he wrote a series of memoirs looking at his professional life on Broadway and in Hollywood (in one of these he famously remarked that "Nobody knows anything"). He then returned to writing novels. He then adapted his novel The Princess Bride to the screen, which marked his re-entry into screenwriting.
Goldman won two Academy Awards: an Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men. He also won two Edgar Awards, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Best Motion Picture Screenplay: for Harper in 1967, and for Magic (adapted from his own 1976 novel) in 1979.
Goldman died in New York City on November 16, 2018, due to complications from colon cancer and pneumonia. He was eighty-seven years old.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 13, 2022
3.5*
William Goldman has such a way with words, and I'm not quite sure what it is about his writing that draws me in and captivates me. His prose isn't especially good. It's quick and very, very simple, but it allows the story to proceed at a fast clip and makes it very readable: I typically read about a page a minute, but I read Goldman's stories much faster than that. He has a talent for making the common place, boring, day-to-day stuff interesting and often times laugh-out-loud funny (such as the scene in this book where Slaughter poses as Major Schmidt).
As Goldman's books often do, this book is riddled with problematic elements that were common in the 50s and sixties: homophobic language and sexism (I swear this is at least the second book I've read of Goldman's where there's a scene where the main character is just grading women on their appearance). The soldiers are often seen engaging in relations with high school girls, which is gross, but one of the main relationships -- one between a fifteen-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man doesn't necessarily cross into inappropriate (she's very clearly interested in him, but he never crosses a line and makes it clear to her that he won't), and I appreciated that a lot.
I kept expecting the book to end up in Vietnam, but then, I realized, it was written some time before the general population realized how bad things were over there. Instead, the book takes place entirely at a military base in the USA that's about to close, every scene about the day-to-day happenings of the base. Somehow though, it held my attention and didn't let go until I finished the book (which I did in about a day. I did sleep for the evening, but picked it up again as soon as I woke up the next morning to finish it off).
The final scene contrasts with the rest of the book which makes it far more poignant.
I really don't know how Goldman keeps writing these books that I love, but somehow he does.
William Goldman has such a way with words, and I'm not quite sure what it is about his writing that draws me in and captivates me. His prose isn't especially good. It's quick and very, very simple, but it allows the story to proceed at a fast clip and makes it very readable: I typically read about a page a minute, but I read Goldman's stories much faster than that. He has a talent for making the common place, boring, day-to-day stuff interesting and often times laugh-out-loud funny (such as the scene in this book where Slaughter poses as Major Schmidt).
As Goldman's books often do, this book is riddled with problematic elements that were common in the 50s and sixties: homophobic language and sexism (I swear this is at least the second book I've read of Goldman's where there's a scene where the main character is just grading women on their appearance). The soldiers are often seen engaging in relations with high school girls, which is gross, but one of the main relationships -- one between a fifteen-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man doesn't necessarily cross into inappropriate (she's very clearly interested in him, but he never crosses a line and makes it clear to her that he won't), and I appreciated that a lot.
I kept expecting the book to end up in Vietnam, but then, I realized, it was written some time before the general population realized how bad things were over there. Instead, the book takes place entirely at a military base in the USA that's about to close, every scene about the day-to-day happenings of the base. Somehow though, it held my attention and didn't let go until I finished the book (which I did in about a day. I did sleep for the evening, but picked it up again as soon as I woke up the next morning to finish it off).
The final scene contrasts with the rest of the book which makes it far more poignant.
I really don't know how Goldman keeps writing these books that I love, but somehow he does.
June 18, 2017
A longtime fan of Goldman's thrillers, I decided to try this early novel because some have rated it a neglected classic; an opus from him. I wouldn't want to leave this a gap in my appreciation.
I'm about halfway through and while its enjoyable I don't immediately see anything particularly glorious or mesmerizing. Its confidently written; smooth and polished and affable like all his stuff is.
I'm glad he wrote it; I'm glad he has such a solid and respectable venture into straight drama. Its a decent feather to have in his cap.
And maybe it will turn into something fantastic in the latter pages. But so far I see it as merely a light and pleasant read; nothing more.
Looking forward to seeing the movie with McQueen and Gleason.
I'm about halfway through and while its enjoyable I don't immediately see anything particularly glorious or mesmerizing. Its confidently written; smooth and polished and affable like all his stuff is.
I'm glad he wrote it; I'm glad he has such a solid and respectable venture into straight drama. Its a decent feather to have in his cap.
And maybe it will turn into something fantastic in the latter pages. But so far I see it as merely a light and pleasant read; nothing more.
Looking forward to seeing the movie with McQueen and Gleason.
September 28, 2013
This is Goldman's most polished book. The writing is clean and crisp, and flows effortlessly. Essentially a buddy comedy about barracks life toward the end of the Korean War, the book is chock full of amusing and uproarious episodes, and reads like a long episode of M*A*S*H minus the blood and guts. Eustis Clay and Maxwell Slaughter are Goldman's best characters, Eustis the bumbling idiot always with a get-rich-quick scheme up his sleeve, and Maxwell the eloquent, overweight senior officer who's going to save his buddy from himself. Their antics will have you in stitches, and the ending will leave you in tears.
January 24, 2013
I admire Goldman for making me care so deeply so fast. I loved his characters as if I’d known them all my life and I never trusted Goldman again after he took one away. (I was in junior high at the time—can’t help taking things hard at that age.)
April 22, 2008
A view of relationships and friendship, unpolished and raw with funny anecdotes that reflect real life situations. Good book to read in the rain or sunshine to relax & reflect a little.
April 16, 2009
One of the better books about life in the peacetime military. A little gem of a movie with Steve McQueen, Jackie Gleason, and Tuesday Weld.
November 17, 2009
I read this years ago and wanted to see if I still loved it now as much as I did then. I did.
June 12, 2011
A character study of the simple, uneducated dreamer, Sgt. Eustice Clay and the middle aged Master Sgt that he has latched on to as father figure, mentor, co-conspirator and friend.
May 13, 2013
i heart william goldman, but this protagonist did so little for me.
June 4, 2015
An alright vacation read but not a classic. Well written, at times humorous but rather unbelievable and lacking in depth. I felt like I was reading an episode of M.A.S.H.
January 16, 2017
Interesting story about career Army non-com's. Humor and irony are the author's tools and he uses them in this story. Would like to see the movie (Steve McQueen & Jackie Gleason),.
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January 12, 2009Soldier in the Rain by William Goldman (1966)
April 11, 2017
I love William Goldman but this never felt like it went anywhere. Not as funny as most of his other funny books, and while Clay, Slaughter, and Bobbi Jo were likable enough, I never really found myself worrying about them. Where was the conflict? What changes by the end of the novel? Ehhhh.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews