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New South #1
Loser
A brawling, hard-hitting novel of a man driven by the white heat of ambition-- and the women who fought for a share in his life.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Borden Deal
51 books10 followersBorden Deal was an American novelist and short story writer. Born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, Deal attended Macedonia Consolidated High School, after which he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and fought forest fires in the Pacific Northwest. Before he began writing, his checkered career included work on a showboat, hauling sawdust for a lumber mill, harvesting wheat, a position as auditor for the United States Department of Labor, a telephone solicitor, copywriter, and an anti-aircraft fire control instructor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In 1946, Deal enrolled in The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. While there he published his first short story, "Exodus". His creative writing professor was Hudson Strode. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree within three years, then enrolled in Mexico City College for graduate study.
It was not until 1956 that Deal decided to become a full-time writer. Among the pseudonyms he used were Loyse Deal, Lee Borden, and Michael Sunga.
A prolific writer, Deal penned twenty-one novels and more than one hundred short stories, many of which appeared in McCall's, Collier's, Saturday Review, and Good Housekeeping. His work has been translated into twenty different languages. A major theme in his canon is man's mystical attachment to the earth and his quest for land, inspired by his family's loss of their property during the Great Depression. The majority of his work is set in the small hamlets of the Deep South. From 1970 Deal also published, under the name "Anonymous", a series of erotic novels with pronoun titles such as Her and Him.
His novel The Insolent Breed served as the basis for the Broadway musical A Joyful Noise. His novel Dunbar's Cove was the basis for the plot of the movie Wild River, starring Lee Remick and Montgomery Clift.
Deal was married twice and had three children. He died of a heart attack in Sarasota, Florida.
In 1946, Deal enrolled in The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. While there he published his first short story, "Exodus". His creative writing professor was Hudson Strode. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree within three years, then enrolled in Mexico City College for graduate study.
It was not until 1956 that Deal decided to become a full-time writer. Among the pseudonyms he used were Loyse Deal, Lee Borden, and Michael Sunga.
A prolific writer, Deal penned twenty-one novels and more than one hundred short stories, many of which appeared in McCall's, Collier's, Saturday Review, and Good Housekeeping. His work has been translated into twenty different languages. A major theme in his canon is man's mystical attachment to the earth and his quest for land, inspired by his family's loss of their property during the Great Depression. The majority of his work is set in the small hamlets of the Deep South. From 1970 Deal also published, under the name "Anonymous", a series of erotic novels with pronoun titles such as Her and Him.
His novel The Insolent Breed served as the basis for the Broadway musical A Joyful Noise. His novel Dunbar's Cove was the basis for the plot of the movie Wild River, starring Lee Remick and Montgomery Clift.
Deal was married twice and had three children. He died of a heart attack in Sarasota, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 25, 2015
Three-time governor Warlock "Daddy" Williams is preparing for another run for office in 1962 Mississippi. Despairing of the prospects for victory by their handpicked candidate, a quintet of state power brokers decide to run John Bookman, a struggling young lawyer, as a spoiler to take votes away from the formidable Williams in the Democratic primary. Agreeing to play the role of a designated loser, Bookman soon displays considerable talent on the campaign trail, so much so that the prospect of ultimate victory seems within his grasp. But can Bookman triumph over his political patrons, who will stop at nothing to frustrate his plans?
A prolific author of novels set in the Deep South, Borden Deal provides an interesting portrait of a region in the midst of change, with a new, younger South challenging the traditional political bosses and populist demagogues. Throughout it a range of characters are on display, with none of them as compelling as Bookman, a man whose experience opens up new vistas of understanding about both himself and what it takes to get ahead in the world of state politics. While many of the scenes seem quaint today, there is a sense of authenticity in Deal's depiction of politics on the eve of civil rights change, which is presented from a perspective that wears surprisingly well today. Though it may not enjoy the stature possessed by Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, this is a novel that any fan of Southern political fiction would find entertaining reading.
A prolific author of novels set in the Deep South, Borden Deal provides an interesting portrait of a region in the midst of change, with a new, younger South challenging the traditional political bosses and populist demagogues. Throughout it a range of characters are on display, with none of them as compelling as Bookman, a man whose experience opens up new vistas of understanding about both himself and what it takes to get ahead in the world of state politics. While many of the scenes seem quaint today, there is a sense of authenticity in Deal's depiction of politics on the eve of civil rights change, which is presented from a perspective that wears surprisingly well today. Though it may not enjoy the stature possessed by Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, this is a novel that any fan of Southern political fiction would find entertaining reading.
November 12, 2021
I know this book was written in the 60’s, but this
Author has some pretty twisted views of how women handle rape, love, and relationships.
I had a difficult time finishing it. It was almost a good story, but just missed the mark. John Grisham writes better lawyer related stories than this.
I read one Borden’s shirt stories as a preteen in the Readers Digest and loved the story
I intentionally looked him up to try more of his books.
I obviously picked the wrong one.
Author has some pretty twisted views of how women handle rape, love, and relationships.
I had a difficult time finishing it. It was almost a good story, but just missed the mark. John Grisham writes better lawyer related stories than this.
I read one Borden’s shirt stories as a preteen in the Readers Digest and loved the story
I intentionally looked him up to try more of his books.
I obviously picked the wrong one.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews