James Jones: A Friendship

by Willie Morris

Willie Morris gives us a finely tuned, funny, and heartrending elegy to his friend, James Jones, whose novels From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line immortalized the experiences of a whole generation of World War II victims and survivors.
Morris, a former editor of Harper's and a prolific author in his own right, sketches the pivotal events of Jones's life as well as small but defining moments of intimacy and compassion. Interweaving recollections by Jones's colleagues, such as Irwin Shaw and William Styron, and his editors, Maxwell Perkins and Burroughs Mitchell, Morris spins out Jones's experiences in the wartime Pacific, his storybook marriage, his self-imposed exile in Paris, and his return to East Hampton, Long Island. He also recounts Jones's race against the clock to finish Whistle, the culmination of his World War II trilogy, which Morris himself completed after his friend's death in 1977.

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

William Weaks "Willie" Morris (November 29, 1934 — August 2, 1999), was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly the Mississippi Delta. In 1967 he became the youngest editor of Harper's Magazine. He wrote several works of fiction and non-fiction, including his seminal book North Toward Home, as well as My Dog Skip.

Reviews

[Edward Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for research -- part of my forthcoming essay on FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. This is a poignant memoir/quasi-biography on James Jones, whose work truly deserves a lot more respect. In addition to some insights on mid-20th century literary life and publishing culture, Morris portrays Jones as a fair-minded and honest man who laughed off a lot of the jackals who thought he was a one book wonder. (And because of this book, I ended up ordering the massive SOME CAME RUNNING, which was hammered big time by critics upon its publication.) Every writer should have a pal as loyal as Morris.