The War Lover.
First Edition of John Hersey's The War Lover
The War Lover.
HERSEY, John.
$50.00
Item Number: 141482
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1959.
First edition of this aviation history classic, basis for the 1962 film starring Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner and Shirley Anne Field. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a good dust jacket, owner name. Jacket design by Guy Fleming.
The War Lover is about Buzz Morrow, a pilot who glorifies war and his military duties. Hersey makes the point that wars exist precisely because there are men like Buzz who revel in them. At the same time, he gives us a detailed account of a Flying Fortress crew based in England during WW II. The language is rough and expressive, revealing the loyalties, humor, and camaraderie existing in this wartime atmosphere.