Eclipse

by Dalton Trumbo

Wealthy merchant John Abbott roused from a dreamless slumber and recorded in his journal: August 6, 1926, “Had a good day and night. Nothing happened. What more could I ask?”

From this contented beginning in Eclipse, events begin to cast lengthening shadows over Abbott’s success in Shale City, Colorado. Soon the desperate glare of the Great Depression would reveal the true nature of his relationships.

Genres: Fiction, Classics

367 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Dalton Trumbo worked as a cub reporter for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, covering courts, the high school, the mortuary and civic organizations. He attended the University of Colorado for two years working as a reporter for the Boulder Daily Camera and contributing to the campus humor magazine, the yearbook and the campus newspaper. He got his start working for Vogue magazine. His first published novel, Eclipse, was about a town and its people, written in the social realist style, and drew on his years in Grand Junction. He started writing for movies in 1937; by the 1940s, he was one of Hollywood's highest paid writers for work on such films as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), and Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), and Kitty Foyle (1940), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay.

Trumbo's 1939 anti-war novel, Johnny Got His Gun, won a National Book Award (then known as an American Book Sellers Award) that year. The novel was inspired by an article Trumbo read about a soldier who was horribly disfigured during World War I.

In 1947, Trumbo, along with nine other writers and directors, was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee as an unfriendly witness to testify on the presence of communist influence in Hollywood. Trumbo refused to give information. After conviction for contempt of Congress, he was blacklisted, and in 1950, spent 11 months in prison in the federal penitentiary in Ashland, KY. Once released, he moved to Mexico.

In 1993, Trumbo was awarded the Academy Award posthumously for writing Roman Holiday (1953). The screen credit and award were previously given to Ian McLellan Hunter, who had been acting as a "front" for Trumbo since he had been blacklisted by Hollywood.

Reviews

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gift from my nephew. My husband and I are new to Colorado, and my nephew researched which books best captured CO history - this is one of two that he settled on as gifts. I did enjoy this, even though I am not much of a fiction reader. It focuses on an up-and-coming town/city in CO in the early 20th century; a time period similar to our present place in the 21st century. The author grew up in Grand Junction, and the book is believed to draw heavily from his experiences. Toward the end of the book, the main character reflects, "This country was not the country of his youth, and it never would be. Something had happened. He could chart its course to his own satisfaction, but he couldn't find the reasons for it." This quote seems appropriate for the 2020s as much as for the 1920s. Factors beyond the control and understanding of the residents of Shale City, CO, brought the Great Depression to town. The residents were part of a world-wide event that would forever change their town, country, and world. I believe the 21st century already feels this way to many.

[John Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep going into Dalton Trumbo's with low expectations or something because each time I read his work I'm blown away by how lush and full of life it is. This social realistic novel really is deserving of more praise and critical interest.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful depiction of life in a small town. Loved this book - it's about my hometown. The character development is exceptional and the depiction of early 1900's small town growth was fascinating. The book is hard to get, but worth the read.

[Steve Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets a slight boost in rating because it is written by legendary Grand Junction, CO, resident Dalton Trumbo. He was a member of the Orange & Black student newspaper staff at Grand Junction High School in the 1920s. He went on to fame in Hollywood as a screenwriter, winning Academy Awards for "The Brave One" and "Roman Holiday." His novel, "Johnny Got His Gun," won a National Book Award in 1939. He went on to become famous as one of the "Hollywood Ten" who refused to testify to their political affiliations in 1947 before Congress. If you want to know more about Trumbo, watch the well-made movie about his life called "Trumbo." As for this novel, it is about early Grand Junction as is emerged as the biggest city between Denver and Salt Lake City in the high desert west of the Rocky Mountains: dealing with similar issues we still deal with in Grand Junction from the heat and drought to the ultra-conservative that continues to hinder progress. The book is clearly written to be made into a movie: It may happen soon enough. Interestingly, the copyright to the book is owned by Mesa County Library.

[Bree Hobgood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me of a Wallace Stegner book, whom I love. With one notable difference...he was writing about my husband's hometown!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a special edition of this book loaned to me by an acquaintance. His version included a list of the actual individuals who were described in the book and given pseudonyms. This tremendously increased my enjoyment of what otherwise would have been a middle of the road, small town America read of a hundred years ago. I live in the city he wrote about and have seen things around town dedicated to some of the characters in this book. Seeing his negative portrayal of the city and some of its more illustrious citizens goes a long way to explain why he was persona non grata here for the rest of his life and, to this day, some of the people here want to keep the author's family away from the area.

[Kevin Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shout out to the proprietor of Grand Valley Books in Grand Junction, Colorado for recommending, and in fact pressing this ultra-local work upon me! Dalton Trumbo’s first book is a biting social satire on the citizens and leaders of Grand Junction’s early years, which made it controversial in the community when originally published. Now it’s regarded as a valued local historical novel.

This book was 3.5 stars for me. The pacing of this book (short chapters which kept the plot moving) were perfect. But the mainly workmanlike prose, and the fact that ultimately the book was a tragedy of manners with almost no redemption for any involved, means that I’m left unsettled rather than satisfied at the end.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book about the early days and development of Grand Junction, Colorado (disguised as "Shale City"). I learned of the book during a weekend in Grand Junction and am so glad I worked hard to locate an electronic copy. Would love to read more, similar, books.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowing from his childhood in Grand Junction this book brings to life the small mountain town in the 1920s. From the pinnacle of success to the lowest, most despised member of the community, the story of John Abbott explores the meaning of the legacies we leave behind.

[Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Koda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great satire and character piece taking place before and during the Great Depression.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things never change

[John Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Book! Story of power hierarchy between 1920 and the late 1930’s in Shale City (based on Grand Junction, Colorado - my hometown.)

[Whitney Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cool book that is based around and about my hometown!!!

[Laurian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I live in a Grand Junction, the hometown of the author, Dalton Trumbo. The setting is here in the 1920s and early 1930s. The style is very melodramatic, but the story us engaging. It tells about the rise and fall of a local businessman, ending withe terrible early years of the Great Depression. I enjoyed seeing this early work of Trumbo, and learning a little more about local history. Not recommended unless you have anInterest in either Trumbo or western Colorado.

[Peter Kempenich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

[LibraryLady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mesa County Public Library District's One Book for 2008