What do you think?
Rate this book
The Big Red One
A new edition of a World War II classic -- from the poet laureate of hard-boiled America.
Describing Sam Fuller as a cult legend and a celluloid genius would be like describing Muhammad Ali as a boxer or Jimi Hendrix as a guitar player. He was a singular American visionary, a giant of independent filmmaking, and a king of bruised-knuckle cinematic poetry. The Big Red One is his masterpiece. Twenty years in the making, both the novel and the film are based on Fuller's own experiences with the Army's First Infantry Division ("the Big Red One") in World War II. The story centers on the friendship of five soldiers and follows them from the arid landscapes of Vichy French Africa to Europe to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and onward into Germany. Excruciating scenes of suffering and brutality are juxtaposed against heartbreaking scenes of compassion and selflessness. In Fuller's vision the lines between heroism and villainy are blurred--"the only glory in war is surviving"--but The Big Red One also provides an epic adventure steeped in the true history of World War II.
Describing Sam Fuller as a cult legend and a celluloid genius would be like describing Muhammad Ali as a boxer or Jimi Hendrix as a guitar player. He was a singular American visionary, a giant of independent filmmaking, and a king of bruised-knuckle cinematic poetry. The Big Red One is his masterpiece. Twenty years in the making, both the novel and the film are based on Fuller's own experiences with the Army's First Infantry Division ("the Big Red One") in World War II. The story centers on the friendship of five soldiers and follows them from the arid landscapes of Vichy French Africa to Europe to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and onward into Germany. Excruciating scenes of suffering and brutality are juxtaposed against heartbreaking scenes of compassion and selflessness. In Fuller's vision the lines between heroism and villainy are blurred--"the only glory in war is surviving"--but The Big Red One also provides an epic adventure steeped in the true history of World War II.
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1980
5 people are currently reading
339 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Fuller
50 books39 followersSamuel Michael Fuller was an American film director, screenwriter and novelist. Many of his films are remembered for their controversial topics and presentations.
Fuller's family moved from Worcester, Massachusetts to New York City after the death of his father. At the age of 12, he began working as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. During the Depression years he traveled across the United States by hitchhiking and riding trains. By the time the U.S. entered WWII Fuller had writing credit for several screenplays and had published in the pulp fiction trade.
Samuel Fuller served as an infantryman in World War II with the famed U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment. He fought in North Africa, Sicily, France, and Germany and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB). The movie The Big Red One (written and directed by Fuller) is considered to be a semi-autobiographical account of his war experience.
Fuller's family moved from Worcester, Massachusetts to New York City after the death of his father. At the age of 12, he began working as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. During the Depression years he traveled across the United States by hitchhiking and riding trains. By the time the U.S. entered WWII Fuller had writing credit for several screenplays and had published in the pulp fiction trade.
Samuel Fuller served as an infantryman in World War II with the famed U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment. He fought in North Africa, Sicily, France, and Germany and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB). The movie The Big Red One (written and directed by Fuller) is considered to be a semi-autobiographical account of his war experience.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 14, 2011
Believe it or not, I read this novel when I was in the 5th grade--I got it as a birthday gift from a friend in my class. It was the first real big book I ever tackled & I believe I'm better for it. Not only is it an excellent novel, but it is an excellent example of what a novel about soldiers & WWII can be.
Fuller approaches his novel by telling it from the point of view of the squad's Sargent, who is a veteran of the Great War & designed the company's insignia from which the book derives its title. He is not portrayed as a hero with much praise & accolades thrust upon him wrapped in the stars & stripes--far from it. He is portrayed as a career soldier who is doing his job: fighting a war & helping his men survive by leading them through the countless meat grinders they find themselves in. It is not structured like a SGT. ROCK comic book, nor a anti-war statement--it is about the business of war & the men who willingly or unwillingly fight it. Furthermore, Fuller does not waste his prose on the military hardware the soldiers use--not giving us the background history to a Sherman tank or an M-1 carbine--instead he writes about the hardware which informs us about them in the manner in which they are used to conduct war. Brilliant.
Then Fuller sets this WWII novel on a higher scale than others of its kind by showing a point of view from the enemy--a German Sargent to be exact--our main character's doppelganger in Werhmacht garb (not SS, thank God). Both the American & German counterparts have their own threads within the story, sometimes converging in battles, but never coming face-to-face till the novels end. Again, brilliant.
Sam Fuller not only was a soldier but one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers. When the film THE BIG RED ONE came out, I was happy to know I had read the novel first. It is great film too & I long to see its extended cut. Regardless, I still find the book to be way better & Fuller a solid writer as he is a filmmaker.
I do not seek out novels about WWII or any other war for that matter. I'm not a die-hard war buff who has tech manuals about weapons of war--though, I am fascinated by war & its history (especially WWI). But I will say from reading this particular novel, I have read one of the greatest novels about war & the soldiers who fight them. It is one of the few novels I would read again if given the chance. It is also one of those few novels which has stayed with me throughout the years from the day I finished it. It's that good.
Fuller approaches his novel by telling it from the point of view of the squad's Sargent, who is a veteran of the Great War & designed the company's insignia from which the book derives its title. He is not portrayed as a hero with much praise & accolades thrust upon him wrapped in the stars & stripes--far from it. He is portrayed as a career soldier who is doing his job: fighting a war & helping his men survive by leading them through the countless meat grinders they find themselves in. It is not structured like a SGT. ROCK comic book, nor a anti-war statement--it is about the business of war & the men who willingly or unwillingly fight it. Furthermore, Fuller does not waste his prose on the military hardware the soldiers use--not giving us the background history to a Sherman tank or an M-1 carbine--instead he writes about the hardware which informs us about them in the manner in which they are used to conduct war. Brilliant.
Then Fuller sets this WWII novel on a higher scale than others of its kind by showing a point of view from the enemy--a German Sargent to be exact--our main character's doppelganger in Werhmacht garb (not SS, thank God). Both the American & German counterparts have their own threads within the story, sometimes converging in battles, but never coming face-to-face till the novels end. Again, brilliant.
Sam Fuller not only was a soldier but one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers. When the film THE BIG RED ONE came out, I was happy to know I had read the novel first. It is great film too & I long to see its extended cut. Regardless, I still find the book to be way better & Fuller a solid writer as he is a filmmaker.
I do not seek out novels about WWII or any other war for that matter. I'm not a die-hard war buff who has tech manuals about weapons of war--though, I am fascinated by war & its history (especially WWI). But I will say from reading this particular novel, I have read one of the greatest novels about war & the soldiers who fight them. It is one of the few novels I would read again if given the chance. It is also one of those few novels which has stayed with me throughout the years from the day I finished it. It's that good.
September 18, 2011
I personally thought it was an incredible book. One of my all-time favorites!
February 14, 2023
If you haven't read this classic, make sure you do soon. Then watch the movie!!! In my opinion, this book should be required reading in every high school in the country. Too often nowadays there is less and less emphasis placed on our country's history. And to borrow a phrase, the greatest casualty is being forgotten. This book, along with several other classics about WW2 has a permanent spot on my best bookshelf. A very good read.
May 7, 2024
Effective and immersive vignettes of war painted by experience. It’s interesting how many times stories from his memoir echo around the lightly fictionalised tale here.
Perhaps I’d prefer something more psychological and introspective but that isn’t the aim. This explores theatres that culture widely ignores and gives us a broad view.
Perhaps I’d prefer something more psychological and introspective but that isn’t the aim. This explores theatres that culture widely ignores and gives us a broad view.
September 17, 2020
Gritty, unforgiving, well written, for me the best WWII novel I have ever read. After reading this I suggest you read Samuel Fuller's autobiography "A Third Face: my tail of writing, fighting and film making". Also, of course, watch the director's cut of the movie. Again, and again, and again.
November 6, 2014
I consider Sam Fuller's film The Big Red One, released in 1980 and restored in 2002, the greatest war movie I've ever seen. And the greatest I'm likely ever to see.
This is the novel version, written between the time Fuller lived it with the titular First Infantry Division (fighting from North Africa to a Nazi death camp in Czechoslovakia) and the time he got to shoot it for screen.
Your mileage may vary, but I think the restored film is stronger. Watch it, and if you find yourself wanting more, as I did, read this. Also read A Third Face , Fuller's non-fiction work, written near the end of his life, which includes plenty of memories from the war.
This is the novel version, written between the time Fuller lived it with the titular First Infantry Division (fighting from North Africa to a Nazi death camp in Czechoslovakia) and the time he got to shoot it for screen.
Your mileage may vary, but I think the restored film is stronger. Watch it, and if you find yourself wanting more, as I did, read this. Also read A Third Face , Fuller's non-fiction work, written near the end of his life, which includes plenty of memories from the war.
September 12, 2013
This is another great story inside the history of WWII. It is a must for any historical reader out there. Even readers of every genre can appreciate the irony of war and feel the life taken away from so many people.
I think this should be read in history classes in high school across America.
Kids today don't learn enough about why they have the right to choose what they wear, where they go, what sports to play, or which car they want for the 16th birthday. The need to know why they can do all those things is most important. Honesty, truth, loyalty, honor, sacrifice, courage, rage , and fear.
recommend to all
I think this should be read in history classes in high school across America.
Kids today don't learn enough about why they have the right to choose what they wear, where they go, what sports to play, or which car they want for the 16th birthday. The need to know why they can do all those things is most important. Honesty, truth, loyalty, honor, sacrifice, courage, rage , and fear.
recommend to all
August 27, 2009
It took me forever to finish this book but overall I did enjoy it. At first I kept thinking that no one soldier would fight it all of those battles, North Africa, Italy, D-Day, Battle of the bulge and more but when I went back to the preface I saw the author did fight in all of those battles. I did get tired of every new grunt getting killed in the first two pages after he was introduced to the reader. Now I have to find the authors autobigraphy and read that. I am sure it will be fascinating.
Read
June 18, 2015Cinco jóvenes soldados de infantería se ven conducidos por su sargento a través de los campos de batalla de media Europa durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, desde los áridos paisajes de Vichy, en el África francesa, hasta Europa y las playas de Normandía, en el día D, pasando por el asalto a Mons en Bélgica, la Batalla de Crucifix Hill en Alemania y terminado por el cruce de la Línea Sigfrido el 19 de enero de 1945, donde la guerra termina para ellos.
May 5, 2007
The first war novel that I read that actually seemed realistic. They should be teaching this book in schools. Most other war novels don't depict soldiers as human enough or as funny enough or as foul-mouthed enough. Which is probably why they're allowed in schools. The movie's a real classic, too.
August 13, 2011
i love sam fuller. he writes at the end that truly to capture the experience of war the book should have at least one booby-trap. but short of being physically maimed, the reader still feels quite comprehensively roughed up. bloody good.
April 10, 2011
one of the best books i have read in a while
July 5, 2011
Blood, guts, war is hell. A very good book despite all the gore. I couldn't put it down. Now I need to see the movie.
July 18, 2012
The best war novel I have read. Definitely read if you are a fan of WWII fiction.
September 17, 2020
Better than average war-book written by a filmmaker/novelist. Made into a low-budget movie with Lee Marvin, directed by the author himself. Great, visceral writing. A semi-classic.
June 12, 2022
All American blood and guts war stuff! Nicely done. Made into a great film featuring Luke Skywalker.
January 1, 2021
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese young Samuel
Fuller enlisted in the United States Army. He fought in the North
African Campaign, Sicily, and eventually in the Normandy invasion of
Europe by the Allies. He won a silver star at Omaha Beach. He was
already a fairly successful author, having sold a number of
screenplays, short stories, and had completed a novel and he kept a
rough diary of his experiences. Later he wrote a screenplay. He
turned down a deal because the actor slated to play the sergeant was
John Wayne and Fuller felt like the Duke was too heroic to play the
part. Fuller's response was to rework the screenplay into the novel
that is the subject of this review. Of course, later the screenplay eventually
was filmed.
The Big Red One is perhaps one of the most realistic World War II
novels ever written because it is based on Fuller's experiences. He
knows his material well and because the novel is based on his
screenplay it offers great visual appeal to the reader's imagination.
The Big Red One refers to the bright red insignia of the Army's first
Infantry Division. The novel follows the campaigns of this group with
great respect. The Sergeant is a lifetime military man who is well
acquainted with warfare and is a tragic figure who never married and
has nobody to care for other than his squad. The Four Horseman, as
they are called, are the four men who manage to emulate this warrior
and survive multiple campaigns. They are a colorful group of
characters and the author demonstrates their courage, their fears, and
each of their own personality quirks. It is a pleasure to see them
bonding and working together.
The Sergeant is haunted by his last kill of World War I where he
killed an enemy because he was unaware that the war had ended four hours
earlier. He carries this guilty burden and when he finally shares
it with his squad he refers to it as murder. This leads to a discussion of
the difference in killing in wartime and murder.
The squad constantly is replenished by green
replacement troops. These inexperienced dogfaces have interesting
backgrounds and Fuller's ability to both provide a background and
character treatment before he kills them off, demonstrates his respect
for the unknown soldiers who died in the war.
Interestingly, enough, I learned the origin of the nickname- doughboys- which
stems from the Mexican campaign when Wilson sent troops down to hunt
Pancho Villa, who had raided a new Mexico town. The adobe dust from the
houses stuck to their uniforms and doughboys came from adobe boys.
The novel provides plenty of downtime and humorous banter between the
soldiers, but its real strength lies in the way Fuller mixes those
moments with serious combat. The author truly understands what it was
like to be under enemy fire from all sorts of artillery and weapons.
The reader is transported to the tragedies of war and recognizes that
both civilians and soldiers die gruesome and unexpected deaths.
There is also an underlying story about another professional soldier
on the other side. Throughout the novel this soldier encounters the
American squad and manages to survive. He respects the expertise of
the American sergeant and there is something of a rivalry in these
encounters that goes beyond war... This sort of strained credibility, but it still is
a fine War novel.
Fuller enlisted in the United States Army. He fought in the North
African Campaign, Sicily, and eventually in the Normandy invasion of
Europe by the Allies. He won a silver star at Omaha Beach. He was
already a fairly successful author, having sold a number of
screenplays, short stories, and had completed a novel and he kept a
rough diary of his experiences. Later he wrote a screenplay. He
turned down a deal because the actor slated to play the sergeant was
John Wayne and Fuller felt like the Duke was too heroic to play the
part. Fuller's response was to rework the screenplay into the novel
that is the subject of this review. Of course, later the screenplay eventually
was filmed.
The Big Red One is perhaps one of the most realistic World War II
novels ever written because it is based on Fuller's experiences. He
knows his material well and because the novel is based on his
screenplay it offers great visual appeal to the reader's imagination.
The Big Red One refers to the bright red insignia of the Army's first
Infantry Division. The novel follows the campaigns of this group with
great respect. The Sergeant is a lifetime military man who is well
acquainted with warfare and is a tragic figure who never married and
has nobody to care for other than his squad. The Four Horseman, as
they are called, are the four men who manage to emulate this warrior
and survive multiple campaigns. They are a colorful group of
characters and the author demonstrates their courage, their fears, and
each of their own personality quirks. It is a pleasure to see them
bonding and working together.
The Sergeant is haunted by his last kill of World War I where he
killed an enemy because he was unaware that the war had ended four hours
earlier. He carries this guilty burden and when he finally shares
it with his squad he refers to it as murder. This leads to a discussion of
the difference in killing in wartime and murder.
The squad constantly is replenished by green
replacement troops. These inexperienced dogfaces have interesting
backgrounds and Fuller's ability to both provide a background and
character treatment before he kills them off, demonstrates his respect
for the unknown soldiers who died in the war.
Interestingly, enough, I learned the origin of the nickname- doughboys- which
stems from the Mexican campaign when Wilson sent troops down to hunt
Pancho Villa, who had raided a new Mexico town. The adobe dust from the
houses stuck to their uniforms and doughboys came from adobe boys.
The novel provides plenty of downtime and humorous banter between the
soldiers, but its real strength lies in the way Fuller mixes those
moments with serious combat. The author truly understands what it was
like to be under enemy fire from all sorts of artillery and weapons.
The reader is transported to the tragedies of war and recognizes that
both civilians and soldiers die gruesome and unexpected deaths.
There is also an underlying story about another professional soldier
on the other side. Throughout the novel this soldier encounters the
American squad and manages to survive. He respects the expertise of
the American sergeant and there is something of a rivalry in these
encounters that goes beyond war... This sort of strained credibility, but it still is
a fine War novel.
January 17, 2020
Come spesso ha affermato l'autore, questo romanzo non è stato realizzato per esaltare lo spirito patriottico americano, ma neanche per denunciare gli orrori della guerra. Il suo intento è stato chiaro fin da subito, Fuller voleva scrivere un romanzo sulla sopravvivenza, su come l'uomo in situazioni così estreme e disperate, riesca a tirare fuori tutto il suo cinismo più bieco. Ed è così che attraverso le sue pagine, che scorrono come i proiettili dei loro fucili, riviviamo un pezzo importante della nostra storia, facendoci riflettere sulla vera essenza del nostro essere uomini.
August 12, 2025
Mit is mondhatnék erről a fantasztikus regényről?
Számomra ez volt A második világháborús könyv. Fiatalkoromban megszámlálni sem tudom, hányszor olvastam végig, számtalan országba cipeltem magammal és még most is, évtizedekkel később ott van a polcomon.
Akciódús, érzelmes, filmszerű és szerethetőek a karakterei. Lehet nem ez a legtökéletesebb regény, de tudom, hogy amíg élek, nem fog por telepedni a borítójára.
Számomra ez volt A második világháborús könyv. Fiatalkoromban megszámlálni sem tudom, hányszor olvastam végig, számtalan országba cipeltem magammal és még most is, évtizedekkel később ott van a polcomon.
Akciódús, érzelmes, filmszerű és szerethetőek a karakterei. Lehet nem ez a legtökéletesebb regény, de tudom, hogy amíg élek, nem fog por telepedni a borítójára.
March 17, 2019
Samuel Fuller's autobiographical nove, The Big Red One, is a no-nonsense, mud, blood, and guts rendering of what WWII dogfaces encountered every day. It is full of the horrors and ridiculousness of war. Amazingly enough, there are even some laugh, but I suspect that is attributed more to the author's talent in describing the crazy things that war comprises. This is a novel not to be missed!
July 1, 2019
The book was written by the director and screenwriter of the movie “The Big Red One”. It contains a superset of the scenes in the 1980 release. The movie was edited down by the studio without Sam Fuller’s OK. After Fuller passed away, the movie was reconstructed and re-released as “The Big Red One: The Reconstruction” in 2005. It is very graphic.
November 17, 2021
Despite the typos and rampant POV hopping, this is a great ground level war book that avoids romanticizing anything and really puts you there. It’s got an endless grunt work feel with simple details that only someone there would know. It’s written in a brisk pulp style of facts and realism and is a Great addition to the already great movie. Well worth reading.
July 11, 2018
One of the best war novels that I have read. It is not pro or anti war. I think it is just an honest potrayl as to what war is really like. It is confusing. The characters are especially well developed. You are never sure of the why, but they move on. I guess that is what war is.
February 15, 2018
This book has some intriguing scenes, but the elevation of Sergeant to mythical heights so early kinda did not do it for me...
May 20, 2018
finished the screenplay not the novel. took me awhile but very interesting.:-)
October 2, 2018
Lee Marvin was perfect as the sergeant in the movie.
July 4, 2024
Bona novel.la sobre la II GM
July 28, 2025
Imprescindible. Encontré la edición de Edhasa en español y es decente.
December 30, 2016
Read this book before I watched the movie and got really caught up in it. The movie didn't disappoint either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews