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The Story of Dr. Wassell
"The Story of Dr. Wassell" is a moving account of the trials of a Navy field doctor, Corydon Wassell, during the outbreak of WWII on Java in the South Pacific.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1943
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About the author
James Hilton
242 books274 followersJames Hilton was an English novelist and screenwriter. He is best remembered for his novels Lost Horizon, Goodbye, Mr. Chips and Random Harvest, as well as co-writing screenplays for the films Camille (1936) and Mrs. Miniver (1942), the latter earning him an Academy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 12, 2025
Nothing can be wrong with James Hilton's books. Still more to come...
3* Lost Horizon (1933)
3* So Well Remembered (1945)
5* The Passionate Year (1924)
4* Terry (1927)
4* Catherine Herself (1920)
4* Good-Bye, Mr. Chips (1934)
4* The Meadows of the moon (1927)
4* Morning Journey (1951)
5* Random Harvest (1941)
4* Nothing So Strange (1947)
4* Time and Time Again (1953)
2* Knight Without Armor (1935)
3.5* To You Mr. Chips (1938)
4* The Dawn of Reckoning (Rage in Heaven) (1925)
2* Contango (Ill Wind) (1932)
4* Murder at School (1931)
4* The Story of Dr. Wassell
TR We Are Not Alone (1937)
TR Twilight of the Wise
TR Storm passage (1922)
3* Lost Horizon (1933)
3* So Well Remembered (1945)
5* The Passionate Year (1924)
4* Terry (1927)
4* Catherine Herself (1920)
4* Good-Bye, Mr. Chips (1934)
4* The Meadows of the moon (1927)
4* Morning Journey (1951)
5* Random Harvest (1941)
4* Nothing So Strange (1947)
4* Time and Time Again (1953)
2* Knight Without Armor (1935)
3.5* To You Mr. Chips (1938)
4* The Dawn of Reckoning (Rage in Heaven) (1925)
2* Contango (Ill Wind) (1932)
4* Murder at School (1931)
4* The Story of Dr. Wassell
TR We Are Not Alone (1937)
TR Twilight of the Wise
TR Storm passage (1922)
May 21, 2014
3.5 Stars
I begun this book very, very slowly. The author rapidly throws you in to the plot, and then skips around with little tidbits and stories to introduce you to the characters. I can understand why he did this, but the lack of continuity and connection was annoying and prevented me from getting into the book. I continued reading, and things quickly got better as the author dived into the main plot. This wasn't an incredibly intense story of daring or physical heroism, but Hilton made every second suspenseful and interesting. The characters begun to develop, and things quickly became tense.
Maybe this book couldn't be adapted into an action or explosion filled war movie, but its quiet heroism and subdued tension made this in to a book I couldn't put down.
I begun this book very, very slowly. The author rapidly throws you in to the plot, and then skips around with little tidbits and stories to introduce you to the characters. I can understand why he did this, but the lack of continuity and connection was annoying and prevented me from getting into the book. I continued reading, and things quickly got better as the author dived into the main plot. This wasn't an incredibly intense story of daring or physical heroism, but Hilton made every second suspenseful and interesting. The characters begun to develop, and things quickly became tense.
Maybe this book couldn't be adapted into an action or explosion filled war movie, but its quiet heroism and subdued tension made this in to a book I couldn't put down.
July 19, 2017
2.5 stars. This is a classic “feel good” propaganda piece for the home front during World War II. It’s worth tracking down this first edition for the cover alone, which proclaims that it’s the true story of a humble doctor from Arkansas who stuck with his wounded men to help them flee Java as the Japanese invaded. This “Christ-like shepherd,” as the “official report” calls him, will soon be played by Gary Cooper on film. “Read it as fiction, realize it as fact!” The cover further proclaims that Hilton will donate all proceeds of the book to the Navy Relief Society. The back flap claims the book was printed in smaller type to save paper for the war effort, and that it is an official recommendation of “The Council of Books in Wartime” as a book that is “a weapon in the war of ideas.”
Hilarious stuff, which, at the time, was considered patriotic and meaningful, I guess.
The book itself is straight-forward and quite hokey -- not at all one of Hilton’s best works. It reads like a mid-40’s war movie, complete with “Ah-Shucks”-type red-blooded American soldiers whose strongest language is “gee” and “by golly.” (Literally! The latter is spoken by the doctor on page 151.) This is real Gomer Pyle stuff. The entire plot is given away on the back cover.
Of course, the point of the book was just to give American readers an uplifting story to read back home, so there’s nothing here that’s challenging or surprising in terms of plot or character development. This is not a journalistic or investigative piece. It’s pure feel-good entertainment that may be of interest to James Hilton fans, or perhaps readers who like true-life accounts from WWII. But even those two audiences would have so many better choices than this one.
Hilarious stuff, which, at the time, was considered patriotic and meaningful, I guess.
The book itself is straight-forward and quite hokey -- not at all one of Hilton’s best works. It reads like a mid-40’s war movie, complete with “Ah-Shucks”-type red-blooded American soldiers whose strongest language is “gee” and “by golly.” (Literally! The latter is spoken by the doctor on page 151.) This is real Gomer Pyle stuff. The entire plot is given away on the back cover.
Of course, the point of the book was just to give American readers an uplifting story to read back home, so there’s nothing here that’s challenging or surprising in terms of plot or character development. This is not a journalistic or investigative piece. It’s pure feel-good entertainment that may be of interest to James Hilton fans, or perhaps readers who like true-life accounts from WWII. But even those two audiences would have so many better choices than this one.
October 5, 2018
Beautiful book about a remote Americans being cared for by the Dutch in Indonesia on the of island of Java in WW II, and how a Doctor regained his faith after several disappointing episodes in his life.
May 20, 2017
Very interesting and well-written story.
January 17, 2015
True story of Navy Dr. Corydon Wassell from Arkansas, who got his wounded men out of Java through the turmoil of Japanese invasion during WWII. DeMille's amazing film first sparked my interest in Dr. Wassell and James Hilton's narrative of this event in Dr. Wassell's life is wonderful.
December 23, 2018
This was a little surprise gem - a non-fiction work centred around the evacuation of injured US sailors from Java.
Recommended as a quick but interesting read.
Was the basis of a Cary Grant movie (and I suspect Alistair MacLean’s ‘South By Java Head’)
Recommended as a quick but interesting read.
Was the basis of a Cary Grant movie (and I suspect Alistair MacLean’s ‘South By Java Head’)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews