The Manchurian Candidate

by Richard Condon

When its real, Conspiracy is no longer a theory

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Classics, Mystery, Espionage, Politics, Mystery Thriller

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Richard Thomas Condon was a satirical and thriller novelist best known for conspiratorial books such as The Manchurian Candidate.

After service in the United States Merchant Marine, Condon achieved moderate success as a Hollywood publicist, ad writer and Hollywood agent. Condon turned to writing in 1957. Employed by United Artists as an ad writer, he complained that he was wasting time in Hollywood and wished to write a novel. Without Condon's knowledge, his boss, Max E. Youngstein deducted amounts from his salary then fired him after a year giving him the amount of money he had deducted in the form of a Mexican bank account and the key to a house overlooking the ocean in Mexico. Youngstein told him to write his book. His second novel, The Manchurian Candidate (1959), featured a dedication to Youngstein. The movie made from it in 1962, made him famous. Prizzi's Honor (1982) was likewise made into a successful movie.

Condon's writing was known for its complex plotting, fascination with trivia, and loathing for those in power; at least two of his books featured thinly disguised versions of Richard Nixon. His characters tend to be driven by obsession, usually sexual or political, and by family loyalty. His plots often have elements of classical tragedy, with protagonists whose pride leads them to a place to destroy what they love. Some of his books, most notably Mile High (1969), are perhaps best described as secret history. And Then We Moved to Rossenara is a humorous autobiographical recounting of various places in the world where he had lived and his family's 1970s move to Rossenarra, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.

Reviews

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deliciously cynical and satirical pseudo thriller black comedy about McCarthyism and 50s Americana.

But wait! – you say – black comedy?? is this not a psychological thriller about an American soldier who is brainwashed and hypnotized to be a sleeper cell assassin sent in to kill the president?

Well, yes it is, but like Trevanian’s Shibumi, there is the surface adventure story and then the much more interesting underlying allegory told with wit and humor.

Condon, who also wrote Prizzi's Honor, published The Manchurian Candidate in 1959, at the end of the ugly Red Scare era in American politics. His scathing illustration of back room political machinations and our cultural passivity so long as there is food on the table and whiskey in the jar was in top form.

Condon’s Senator Iselin is as abrasively torpid and jingoistically demagogistic as Buzz Windrip from Sinclair Lewis’ It Can't Happen Here. But the character who really steals the show is Iselin’s wife and Raymond’s mother Eleanor. Eleanor Iselin is as coldly domineering as Lady Macbeth and as twisted as Cruella DeVille. Condon’s portrait of her would have made Larry Flynt proud.

I admit that I have seen neither of the films (1962 starring Frank Sinatra and 2004 starring Denzel Washington) but I understand that the satirical nature of Condon’s impressive novel was minimized in both.

A very good book.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting look at mind control - but I think the true strength of this book is how it looks at mind control...how this control is accepted as a means to an end by those that are aware of the control; an element of control that is much deeper and much more insidious than just political control.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book has been removed from my library (real one, not GR). I'll never read it again, but I would still like to see one or both of the movies!

These are the two movies I never saw … uh, I guess that should be the two out of this book I ain’t seen, is that better?




The one from 1962, when I was a frosh in college – and sittin’ right there in the middle of that Cuban missile thing, in Washington D. of C. Maybe that’s why I didn’t see it? I dunno.




That’s the Laurence Harvey actor on the left who was Shaw from the book & “Ol’ Blue Eyes” who was Marco. And as they do here on G-reads I’ll S-P-O-I-L things for you when I tell you that Shaw was the “MC” of the book’s title!





And the one from about 10 years ago. This picture is I guess a picture of an ad. But as you see, it’s the same as the cover of the book I read. So that tells you somethin’ about promotion stuff, am I right?

In this film that name on the right "Liev Schreiber" was Shaw and the guy shown (who’s Denzel Washington) was Marco.

So the two main characters – Shaw and Marco – are portrayed by some guys named Laurence Harvey and Liev Schreiber for Shaw, and some quite a bit more famous guys named Frank Sinatra and Denzel Washington for Marco.

See if you can guess – who’s the good guy, Shaw or Marco? You don’t get no prize for bein’ right. And no fair if you looked inside that spoiler up above!!


All right, so this is on my “crime-fiction” bookshelf, but it ain't really that kinda book, to my way of thinkin’. Most people here on G-reads call it a thriller, but I don't have that bookshelf, and I ain't gonna make one for one damn book.

Everyone and his cousin has seen at least onea these movies (I'm pretty sure.) Except me. Never seen either of 'em - and that was a good thing as we'll see when I get to the ending. But of course I've heard of the book ever since I can remember, and wanted to read it forever, so I finally picked it up a couple years ago and read it.

Let me tell you, I was surprised! Don't know what I expected, but I didn't expect writin' like this ...

Mr. Mavole began to make a lot of slobbering sounds so Raymond said roughly that he would write when he knew what flight he would be on and he hung up the phone and felt like an idiot. Like an angry man with a cane who pokes a hole through the floor of heaven and is scalded by the joy that pours down upon him, Raymond had a capacity for using satisfactions against himself. When he got off the plane ... (you know what those dots mean, don'tcha?) He decided Mavole's father must be that midget with the eyeglasses like milk-bottle bottoms who was enjoying sweating so much. The man would be all over him like a charging elk in a minute. etc etc

So that kinda writin', "prose" as they say, wasn't like anything I was used to. I dunno, maybe that's the kinda writin' they did in the 50s. Maybe thats what Keroac sounded like when he wrote On the Road which I read way back then, but I don't remember now what it sounded like? Anyways, after I got over my surprise, I decided I kinda liked the way the book sounded, and the story was pretty tense as soon as it got goin', so I read it and finished it and liked it. And let me say, I was surprised and shocked at the ending, thanks to not ever seeing the movies.

So I'm glad I read it, and you should be to. And I'm glad also that I didn't see the movie (or movies)!

By the way, the guy who wrote it I looked up on "wiki" and he was kind of a cool guy. (But I have to say his name means nothin' to me except for this book). But anyways see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_... if you want.

Ya know, I don't mind sayin' that I feel kinda strange about what I wrote here. Lookin' it over it seems sort of different from my normal writin' stuff. And here I'm sitting just starin' at a queen of diamonds - the card - and wonderin' why I feel funny. Ya know?

And one more thing. Is it too late to tell you that the damn Q of d-monds has a pretty important role in the book, if you can call it a "role" if it's just played by a damn card?


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[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have decided to embark on a mission to read a number of books on subjects that will be of great importance to the upcoming 2020 US Presidential Election. Many of these will focus on actors intricately involved in the process, in hopes that I can understand them better and, perhaps, educate others with the power to cast a ballot. I am, as always, open to serious recommendations from anyone who has a book I might like to include in the process.

This is Book #14 in my 2020 US Election Preparation Challenge.

At a time when politics is up in the air and no one seems to know who’s in which column, Richard Condon presents this riveting political thriller that has all the key elements to the early Cold War years. Somewhat satirical in its delivery, it may leave some scratching their heads as to what this has to do with anything. There is an element of brilliance in the concept that a ‘sleeper’ could be put into the American political system with the sole purpose of bringing the country to its knees. As apt today as at first publication, Condon gives readers something about which to think, much as Trump does today.

While serving in the Korean War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw is one of a number of America soldiers who are captured by the Chinese. During their incarceration, they are brainwashed and Shaw is utilised as a ‘sleeper agent’ to wreak havoc back home. After creating a narrative whereby Sergeant Shaw saved his fellow G.I.s, he is sent back stateside and wins the Medal of Honor. Shaw rides the high of this while America is in the height of its anti-communist crusade.

A fiery Senator John Iselin is ready to destroy anyone he deems even partially left-leaning, which adds another layer to the Cold War drama. Alongside his wife, deemed by some to be the most loathsome villain of the time, Iselin begins outing anyone he can, which fuels communist sentiment on the other side of the world. The Russians see their chance to being knocking over the dominoes, with the US president in the crosshairs.

While America ramps up its communist hatred, a single call turns Shaw from a passive man into a deadly killer, and no one is the wiser. There’s no time like the present to strike, leaving the world to watch a country fall from grace, its leader gunned down by a man everyone called a hero.

Despite being written long ago, this book packs as much punch today as it did in the 1950s. Condon uses a vast array of characters and personalities to tell his tale, pushing the reader to think hard about what they see develop before their eyes. Raymond Shaw remains at the centre of the story throughout, the unwitting soldier of the communist movement, used to strike the first major blow in the Cold War. His heroism is what wins him over with everyone, yet there is little doubt that he is the most intense of all the characters who grace the pages of this book.

The selection of many other characters not only add depth to the story, but they represent the vying factions of the day, where America was hell-bent on washing itself clean of having any ‘red’ amongst the populace. This comes across clearly to the attentive reader. While the sentiments may have differed into the 21st century, there is surely a strong anti-Russia feeling amongst those who are not sycophants in the Oval Office.

The book is not overly long, allowing many to enjoy it in short order. However, there is a great deal packed into its pages and the reader will not able to easily divorce themselves from the themes as they emerge. Most chapters clip along and keep the reader wanting more, though there are parts dripping with detail and begging for deeper analysis. While I have not read anything else by Richard Condon, I can only wonder if he handles other political situations with such aplomb.

Some will ask why I chose to add this, a piece of fiction, amongst my election preparation books heading into November 2020. It has become apparent to me that there is some form of sleeper cell that has infiltrated its way into American politics, whereby a foreign power appears to be calling the shots, if not pulling the strings. While no US president is about to be killed, America faces assassination of its autonomy, something that cannot be rectified with a single trip to the ballot box. It is high time to end the madness, exterminate the sycophantic attitude that has Russia using America as its plaything. Then again, maybe you see things in another context. I’m eager to hear those views as well!

Kudos, Mr. Condon, for allowing me to think a little as I projected your 1950s thriller into the present time. The more things change, the more they stay the same!

This book fulfils the October 2020 requirements of the Mind the Bookshelf Gap reading challenge.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Man Who Saves America

The Man Who Saves America, a line from the book, could just as easily have been the title, since the novel is about the rise of the far right and, cocooned within that larger framework, is the story of a weaponized American soldier, weaponized by the Russians and Chinese during the Korean War to assassinate American politicians.

It’s really better to begin the novel by seeing it as both a parody and a warning about McCarthyism. Because the danger presented by the US soldier doesn’t truly come into play until halfway through the book whereas the McCarthyism aspect is pervasive almost from the start.

The thriller aspect, with the brainwashed assassin on the hunt for his targets, becomes dominant from a little over 3/4s through the novel. Then it’s like reading a different book, like something from Bourne.

The Man Who Saves America in the novel is a far right GOP Senator.

The book was published in 1959.

3.75

[Dusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Kurt Vonnegut had written a political thriller it would have read a lot like this.

The Manchurian Candidate is famous now for two reasons. First, it has inspired two films, one directed by John Frankenheimer in 1962, the other by Jonathon Demme in 2004. Second, it has proven as gloomily prophetic a political satire as has George Orwell's also-classic 1984. Let's talk about that second point.

Consider this passage:

"Nonetheless her Johnny had become the only American in the country's history of political villains, studding folk song and story, to inspire concomitant fear and hatred in foreigners, resident in their native countries. He blew his nose in the Constitution, he thumbed his nose at the party system or any other version of governmental chain of command. He personally charted the zigs and zags of American foreign policy at a time when the American policy was a monstrously heavy weight upon world history. To the people of Iceland, Peru, France and Pitcairn Island the label of Iselinism stood for anything and everything that was dirty, backward, ignorant, repressive, offensive, antiprogressive, or rotten, and all of those adjectives must ultimately be seen as sincere tributes to any demagogue of any country on the planet."

The demagogue under review here is the oafish senator stepfather character, Johnny Iselin; however, his name could easily be replaced with "George Bush", Iselinism with "Bushism", and we have in our hands a harrowing fifty-years-in-advance prediction of American policy for the first eight years of the Twenty-First Century. Let me repeat: Harrowing.

The Manchurian Candidate's renewed popularity can be attributed to its cinematic connections and its prophesy. But the novel satisfies on many other levels, too. It is a time-capsule, a convincing glimpse at 1950s American war mentality and paranoia. It is a model of wryly disconnected prose, reminiscent of Vonnegut, wherein a careful reader can lose his- or herself in the allusions and puns and absurd descriptions. It is an insightful character study about a woman who lusts for power and about the depths to which she will reach to achieve political domination. It is a tender portrait of two war-ravished men whose friendship nearly redeems them. And it is an expertly twisted suspense yarn -- one of the best I have ever read.

It's become nearly impossible to discuss this particular book without reference to either of the movies, and I suppose that's a compliment to the movies themselves, the first of which is a bona-fide classic, the second of which is a better-than-average action flick. But maybe Manchurian would have made a better opera or miniseries than a movie; the novel is layered and more deeply developed than any two- or three-hour movie could ever be. In any case, whether you love the movie (how couldn't you?) or haven't ever seen it, you'd do yourself a favor to read the book. It's marvelous.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't like a little bit of mind control?

A strange book. A thriller with little to no suspense. In fact, it feels more like a satire of late '50s American politics.

Condon writes in a noir-ish style, that makes the narrative voice seem distant, more or less commenting on what happens. I got the distinct feeling Condon looks down on most of his characters (understandably, most of them aren't great people).

Now I'm off to watch the 1962 and 2004 film adaptations, and read the BFI's book on the '62 film.

[Maciek · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Manchurian Candidate is a novel about conditioning, control and manipulation - and brilliantly explores all these topics. It's concise, well written and one of those brilliant books that you have to read with a straight face because you can't decide whether to laugh or grimace.

Sergeant Raymond Shaw and his fellow G.I.'s have been captured in Korea, where they have been brainwashed by the mysterious chinese doctor Yen Lo. Chinese and Russian scientists select Raymond to be a "sleeper" agent, make him kill two other troops and brainwash them all to believe that Raymond is responsible for rescuing the rest from an ambush, for which he receives the utmost reward in American military - The Medal of Honor.
After the group returns to the States major Marco starts having nightmares where he stands in front of chinese and soviet officials, while Raymond picks up the telephone and listens to the voice which suggests passing time by playing a little solitaire...

Despite being written over half a century ago The Manchurian Candidate is as entertaining as it was in the fifties. Richard Condon's eccentric style is exquisite - his eccentric use of irony is perfect for the paranoid story he is telling. None of the characters can be described as likeable - each of them has some traits that wouldn't propably make you spend time with their company...especially with mr. Iselin, a commie-hating senator obviously modeled after Joseph McCarthy. But the real gem is his wife who also happens to be Raymond's mother - Mrs. Iselin. She's quite possibly one of the most loathsome villains in fiction - and at the same time one of the most desirable. Condon doesn't spend much space describing her looks - the reader gets to know Ms. Iselin as perfection embodied. The paragraph where he describes her legs is almost nauseatingly arousing - you loathe and despise that woman but you can't help yourself and want her at the same time, because of her allure and devilish mind, helpless like moths flying into the fire, blind to knowledge that the encounter will ultimately lead into your demise, willing to any sacrifice in exchange for only a brief taste of the flame. Brilliant, brilliant absolutely brilliant. The ultimate Femme Fatale.

Richard Condon doesn't try to hide his cynism, but he was that guy who knew that the everything was essentialy shit but the fact didn't stop him from making fun of it. The Manchurian Candidate is, to quote the introduction, "a banana overriped to the point of blackness". It was described as "pulp" if it's pulp, it's Great Pulp. The fact that it's considered as not literary allowed Condon to brilliantly balance between thriller and camp in weird, drunk prose. Practically unfilmable, The Manchurian Candidate is a great, satysfying read. Go get it.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read. The plotting & characters are strong and perfectly developed. It carries a humor that isn't brought forward in the cinema. A deeply funny and disturbing book.

[Fatman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intelligent, sharp satire disguised as a Ludlum-esque political thriller. I saw the '04 movie, which completely eliminated the dark-comedy elements of the story, long before I read the book, which colored my expectations to a certain degree. The movie is a very good action movie. The book is humorous without being trite and explores deep themes such as the anti-communist hysteria prevalent at the time of writing, public paranoia, social alienation, incest and the manipulation of popular opinion.

Because of these expectations, it took me a while to get used to Condon's writing style and the pace of the book. I read several negative reviews of The Manchurian Candidate below and they all seem to boil down to "where are my car chases and why isn't there more gunplay".

In spite of being groundbreaking in many aspects, the story suffers from many of the usual maladies common to works from the period. The main characters (Raymond, Marco, Eleanor) are realistic and well developed, but almost everyone else is a cardboard-cutout stereotype. This goes twice for female characters (save for Eleanor). The 'bad guys' are irredeemably evil and cruel, Senator Iselin is a drunk, moronic puppet in the hands of Ray's mother, etc. "Yellow Peril" is implied throughout the novel, complete with a stereotypical Evil Asian Dude.

I encourage readers to give this book a try and not be put off by the author's stylistic flourishes.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Description: As compelling and disturbing as when it was first published in the midst of the Cold War, "The Manchurian Candidate" continues to enthrall readers with its electrifying action and shocking climax....Sgt. Raymond Shaw is a hero of the first order. He's an ex-prisoner of war who saved the life of his entire outfit, a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the stepson of an influential senator...and the perfect assassin. Brainwashed during his time as a P.O.W., he is a "sleeper" -- a living weapon to be triggered by a secret signal. He will act without question, no matter what order he is made to carry out. To stop Shaw and those who now control him, his former commanding officer, Bennett Marco, must uncover the truth behind a twisted conspiracy of torture, betrayal, and power that will lead him to the highest levels of the government -- and into the darkest recesses of his own mind....

[Sumaîya Afrôze Puspîta · Rating 4 out of 5]

বিশ্ব রাজনীতির ইতিহাস বদলে দেওয়ার লক্ষ্যে কূট-অনৈতিকতার আশ্রয় নেওয়ার পর তা কীভাবে সমাপ্ত হয়, তা নিয়ে উপন্যাস।

রেমন্ড একজন যুদ্ধফেরত সার্জেন্ট। যুদ্ধে অসাধারণ বীরত্বে তার সহযোদ্ধাদের বাঁচাবার জন্য তাকে মেডেল অব অনার প্রদান করা হয়। নিউইয়র্কে ফিরে আসে সে। কিন্তু এই পুরস্কার, প্রত্যাবর্তনের মধ্যে রয়েছে চীন-রাশিয়ার এক গভীর ষড়যন্ত্র। মূলত রেমন্ডকে আততায়ী হিসেবে ব্যবহার করাই তাদের উদ্দেশ্য।

স্নায়ুযুদ্ধের খেলা বেশ ভালোই জমেছে উপন্যাসটিতে। মানবমন এবং মানব-মস্তিষ্ক সম্মোহনের জাদু রীতিমতো দৌড়িয়েছে। উপভোগ্য; অনুবাদ সুবিধার নয়।

[MM Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How about passing the time by playing a little solitaire?”😫

Wow!!! Now that's how you right a political thriller, cold war spy story. What else is there to say, I couldn't help but feel very sorry for poor Raymond, and totally despise his mother (gross!). Maybe at one point this novel might have looked far fetched, not so much anymore, heck it all may be happening now😣
One unexpected thing about this book is that I found myself chuckling at some of the lines, but hey I think I have already mentioned my weird sense of humor. Seriously though, if you like spy thrillers and like me you missed this one pick it up!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classic tale first published in 1959, is a quickly paced psychological thriller. At the center is Sgt. Raymond Shaw, unknowingly chosen as an experiment in human brain washing for political power. To add to the intrigue, there's a domineering mother, a sad sack step-father, 2 members of Raymond's platoon with recurring nightmares and love lost, found and lost again.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one weird book. Seriously weird. I've seen the old movie with Frank Sinatra. I've seen the new(er) one with Denzel Washington. Although one of those is very good (1st one) and one of them is so-so (2nd one), neither of them convey the (for want of a better word) weirdness of the book. There are places where you can't help but laugh, but you feel guilty as this isn't a funny book. There are places where you feel sorry for the main character, but you know you shouldn't because he's about as despicable a character as has ever been created with very few no redeemable character traits. But, then again, compared to his mother and his buffoon of a step father, he's not all that bad. No. Wait. He is that bad--it's just that they are worse.

If you remember or grew up in the 1950s, you should read this book. If you didn't grow up in the 1950s, you should read this book. If you have seen either or both of the movies, you should read this book. If you have never seen either of the movies, you should read this book.

Read This Book!

[Kathy Manns055 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirty years ago, I read this book after seeing a repeat of the movie on late night television. I loved the book at the time, and decided a revisit was in order to see if my fond memories of it held up. They did indeed. The Manchurian Candidate is a nifty little thriller that will appeal to those liking a taut political thriller as well as those who are conspiracy lovers.

Made into a movie twice (once with Frank Sinatra in the 1960s, and then remade with Denzel Washington decades later), the story concerns Raymond Shaw, US Medal of Honor recipient, and his captain during the Korean Conflict, Bennett Marco.

During the war, Shaw’s platoon was captured by the enemy, and all were ‘brainwashed’ by the Chinese and Russians who were working in concert to create the perfect killing machine. The action then switches to present day, eight years after Raymond has returned home. Key figures in Raymond’s life are his bombastic stepfather and his mother, and their diabolical machinations as they weave themselves through the political power structure of American politics.

Raymond’s Mother is one of the most evil female characters you will come across in fiction, oozing corruption and venality. She is not above using her son’s status as a war hero for political gain and control. She makes Lady MacBeth look like Mother Theresa.

Meanwhile, Raymond’s former captain (Marco) is having disturbing dreams in which Raymond coolly and unemotionally strangles and shoots several of his platoon members during the brainwashing sessions with the Chinese and Russian captors - sessions in which Raymond and his fellow soldiers were on display, but thinking they were attending a meeting of a ladies garden club! As a result, Marco begins to unravel as he is unable to get respite from the terrible dreams he is experiencing. Finally, he hunts Raymond down to determine whether he is also experiencing similar dreams. Are these nightmares from Marco’s feverish brain - or something more? Marco is determined to find out - before something horrible happens.

This book is deliciously fun to read. Five stars - I highly recommend it.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been on my "to read" list for more than 30 years. But, I will admit that list has thousands of books on it. Published in 1959, the Manchurian Candidate virtually disappeared after the Kennedy assassination in 1963 for obvious reasons. Sgt. Raymnond Shaw is brainwashed in North Korea by the Chinese after his entire unit was taken captive during the Korean War. Raymond is programmed during his captivity to become a killer at the bidding of his communist controllers and he is returned to the United States as a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. The themes of the book are brainwashing, the Cold War, McCarthyism and its anticommunist hysteria, the isolation of many individuals in society, and a dysfunctional family of epic proportions. The dark tone of this book is matched by the situation that Raymond finds himself embroiled in, and the race is deprogram Raymond leads to an almost inevitable conclusion. After reading this book, I came to realize that I, too, have been brainwashed. Be on the lookout for two men--Ben and Jerry--who have programmed me, through no doubt dispicable means, to eat their ice cream at every opportunity. And please, please help me find relief from this incessant consumption of New York Super Fudge Chunk ice cream.

[Larry Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK I haven't seen either of the movies made from this book. But you have heard over and over but the movies although they may have been good didn't really capture the book. I thought the book was stunningly satiric and I think it fits so well with the National politics of 2017. This book is over 50 years old and it's got us cold!

OK let's admit it when you're in the middle of a national political nightmare it is wonderful to read a book that makes you laugh at yourself. I'm not much of figuring out mysteries so I was surprised when the rat came out of hiding about three quarters of the way into the book. But the psycho drama and the intrigue was a delight I thought.

How could the Chinese and the Russians still be the bad guys after such a long time? How could politics still be so corrupt? I listen to the book in the audio format. I think it was recorded in 2013 so I guess they thought they could still sell a few after all those years of cheap paperbacks. I don't feel any urgency to find the movie and it's earlier or later version. I just think the book is wonderful and don't want to experience the sanitized movie versions.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, disturbing and completely fascinating. Mixes all of the best genres. Mystery, Political, Suspense , Spies, Psychological Warfare, danger, humor and mind control.

I should mention I almost did not read this. I had seen the film..not the original the REMAKE..And though it was good..there was something off about it. I did not like the movie as much as I'd thought I would.

This is a case of a book blowing the movie version out of the water. Now I have never seen the original and maybe that one is better.

All I know is that if you like your books fast paced, dark, satirical and whip smart I'd say this is for you. Start with the book rather then the movie.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has good ideas but my main thought throughout the whole book was how dry the writing was. I knew it wasn't an action thriller but even so; all events were too calm and lacked...passion maybe. Still glad I read it regardless as it's one of those books I've heard about quite often over the years.

[Hildy Peterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Grade: F

I really wanted to like this novel, the movie was good but the book...holy cattle it is obnoxious! The style of writing was too much to take! Ugh! Attempted highbrow prose with the most ridiculous descriptions of people and things that I have EVER read! Sorry, couldn't be bothered to finish it therefore it automatically gets grade F!

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raymond Shaw is the son of Eleanor Iselin, perhaps one of the most interesting and dastardly characters in literature, certainly in Cold War literature. I enjoyed this book far more than I had expected, especially after the start which took some doing because of the 1950s jargon. But once I started speed reading it was like looking at an impressionist painting at the right distance so all the details come into focus like a beautiful picture.

Raymond was a veteran of the Korean War who spent time as war prisoner where he was brainwashed by the Russians and Chinese and shaped into a skilled assassin for use by moles at the highest levels of U.S. government. Enter Eleanor Iselin, who left her first husband for her second, Johnny Iselin, a former governor and current senator of his state who aspires to the vice presidency and more. Senator Iselin is a puppet for his wife, who never met a political organization she did not affiliate with or a position she did not take as a Russian asset deeply embedded into the American system cloaked with rhetoric and positions all red, white, and blue.

The political intrigue escalates as Raymond falls in love with Jocie, the daughter of Senator Jordan who is also the Iselins' nemesis. Initially, Mrs. Iselin forbade their union and so Jocie marries and immigrates to Argentina. However, when that marriage fails she returns to the arms of Raymond Shaw who serenaded her with one of his few, and perhaps only, demonstrations of emotion and affection in his life, declaring his love for her.

It does not end well.

There is no secret to conceal, this book has been out since the 1950s with two Hollywood takes (Angela Lansbury and then Meryl Streep playing the infamous Eleanor Iselin.) The book is fast, fun, and takes many twists and turns evocative of the era and true to the spirit and intrigue of the times. Oddly, echoes from the battle between conservatism and progressive liberalism in The Manchurian Candidate remain relevant today in which the lines between the good guys and the bad are not so clear cut.

This was a lot of fun, and now I'm ready to take on the films.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wouldn't you like to pass the time with a little game of solitaire?

Simply put, this is one of the most disturbing and creepy books I have ever read! I had watched bits of the movie years ago, but really didn't remember much about it -- so reading the book was a fresh experience for me.

It is a novel of dysfunction, manipulation, fear and control. It was written in the late 1950s when Communists appeared to be coming out of the woodwork and Joe McCarthy was, for many folks, the most hated man in America. The book introduces Raymond Shaw, a Medal of Honor winner who is so much more than that...

Condon's writing style is a weird mix of "beat" and "noir" and it's not necessarily pretty. In fact, much of the narrative is misogynistic, racist, and distasteful. None of his characters are really likeable, but they are certainly memorable. In fact, he created one of the most notorious mothers in all of fiction (played so well by Angela Lansbury in the 1962 film version).

NOTE: I don't know about the book, but the original movie was pretty much unavailable after JFK's assassination. Too close to home, perhaps. It was released again around 1988.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good. Not at all what I was expecting it to be, in a good way. I saw the Sinatra movie years ago, and somehow expected the book to be this dramatic political thriller. I wasn't prepared for satire and humor. It reminded me of Vonnegut. At the beginning it was downright funny, but got more serious when it started getting into the conditioning/brainwashing stuff. But it's satire, so there's always that underlying tongue-in-cheek tone. I really enjoyed this book and I'm so glad I finally picked it up.

[Teri Pre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard about The Manchurian Candidate for years but hadn't seen the movie nor read the book. It's one I wish I would have read sooner! What a great book with lots of psychological twists and turns. If you've ever been curious about the book, it's worth reading!

[Nemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Manchurian Candidate is a satirical thriller novel by Richard Condon that was originally published in 1959.
The story revolves around Raymond Shaw, an American soldier who is captured during the Korean War and brainwashed by his captors to become a sleeper cell assassin. Shaw is hypnotized and programmed to carry out an assassination plot against the President of the United States. When Shaw returns to the United States, his actions are controlled by his captors, who use triggers to activate his programming. The novel follows the efforts of a fellow soldier, Bennett Marco, to uncover the truth behind Shaw's brainwashing and stop the assassination plot before it's too late. One of the most striking aspects of The Manchurian Candidate is its satirical tone. Condon uses humor and irony to critique the political establishment and highlight the absurdity of Cold War.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could do nothing but love this book and give it no less than 5 stars. This book was published before I was born. The first movie made from it; directed by the great John Frankenheimer, was released before my first birthday. I had to wait until I was in my 20s to ever see it. And I instantly loved it. Yet I never thought to track down a copy of the book.

I found the book just wonderful and fascinating. It made me appreciate the two films that were adapted from it even more. While the story; American soldiers in the Korean conflict who are taken and brainwashed by a collective of Russian, Chinese and Korean 'brain washers' was shocking for its time, there are other subplots that would never make it past the Hayes Code of 1962 and even in 2016 are shocking.

The book's style is rather unique. It is a bit like the writing of the hard boiled detective novels if the author kept a thesaurus on their desk to drop in obscure and obsolete words and phrases. I was often using the dictionary function of my Kindle. There were even words that stumped the Kindle's dictionary. At one point late in the book Raymond accuses his mother of making up words such as Carpetbag steak The book is manly. Most of the main characters are men or women who act like men of the time. Yet the author repeats the theme of the love of a 'good woman' as a redemptive cure for what ails you.

The other thing that I found amazing in this almost 60 year old book was that parts of it almost seemed to be ripped from the headlines of today. There is a Senator who is accusing everyone of working with the Russian Communists and who runs to the media to accuse all of his political enemies of this baseless charge.

Side note, when I read I often imagine the characters since I have previously seen two adaptations of this book I had a wealth of characters to choose from. In my mind all of the characters were from the 1962 version; except Raymond Shaw who in my mind was firmly assigned to Liev Schreiber. Which made me realize why Frankenheimer was such a genius. In the book Raymond Shaw is a blank. He lacks most basic human emotions and passions and the casting of Lawrence Harvey was so perfect that despite his leading role he fails to imprint on you as Raymond Shaw in the book failed to connect with his colleagues and fellow soldiers.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say, it's interesting reading a book where the author seems to have contempt for nearly all of his characters. At least that was the impression I got when the book started. The Manchurian Candidate is populated with patently unlikable characters, beginning with the central character himself, Raymond Shaw. A sergeant in the US Army during the Korean war, Raymond is utterly unlikable. It's not because he's ugly or stupid or foolish, but rather because he just has no desire to be liked at all, and has a personality to guarantee that he'll be left alone. In modern parlance, he would probably have one of the more functional forms of autism - not quite as bad as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, but similar. The first thing you know about Raymond is that you're not supposed to like him.

That goes double for his mother, a power-mad harridan whose only motivation in this world is to fulfill her own ambitions,using anyone she can to do it. As the driving force behind her husband, once an unknown junior Senator, she pushes him into the national spotlight as a kind of Joe McCarthy analogue - a scary example of what McCarthy might have achieved if he'd been at all competent.

Raymond and his family are truly, truly dysfunctional, in every sense of the word, and so Condon has given himself an uphill battle by trying to make us care about this poor wreck of a man. The good news? He succeeds.

The plot is probably familiar to everyone by now - a US soldier is captured by Communists in the last days of the Korean War and subjected to a massive brainwashing project. Now, without his knowledge, Raymond is their weapon, an assassin who is beyond suspicion and devoid of guilt. And he's on a terrible mission that must be stopped....

It's a really enjoyable read. A quick one, too. And like I said, by the end of the book, you really do feel bad for Raymond. You can't help but feel bad for him.... Pick it up and enjoy.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Manchurian Candidate is a picture of national fear, family dysfunction, and truly terrible betrayals. Raymond Shaw is one of the least likable main characters I've ever met. But I still had compassion for him, as a product of so many people's desires and psychosis, his character is not his fault. Richard Condon describes him as one with his armor. Which is a sad thing, to be unable to shed that.
Even though I know the sort of brainwashing discussed in this book isn't currently possible (as far as we know) it was still very frightening. The idea of not being in control of yourself, and being unaware of that fact, is particularly repellent. This story gave me a lot to think about, and it has been on my mind for days. I keep coming back to certain parts of it, taking them out, examining them again.
I would suggest this book should be required reading. And I also think that Raymond's mother should be on a list somewhere of fictions most disturbing villanesses!

[Shannon 3k · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book four times and seen both movie versions a few times. The first movie was far more like the novel. This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read.