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meme_too2's review against another edition
3.0
I caught the movie by accident and really loved the movie with Greer Garson. The book wasn't nearly as good and was somewhat hard to follow. The man loses his memory several times forgetting his long term memory, then his short term memory. Of course things work out by the end, but the ending of the movie is so much better.
paul_cornelius's review against another edition
4.0
James Hilton deals in sentimentality and nostalgia, all presented through a middlebrow medium. That sounds harsh. And so it was meant when Hilton began his career in the interwar years, especially among the modernist highbrow set. But during the 1950s, middlebrow literature gained a slight degree of respectability--although it was still used by aspiring highbrows to harpoon great literary whales represented by such institutions as the Book-of-the-Month Club and the Modern Library. The sense of ennui after World War II sent a generation on a search for meaning. And books such as Random Harvest and Hilton's other two earlier major works, Lost Horizon and Goodbye Mr. Chips fit the bill perfectly, even if they had already gained widespread popularity during their initial publication in the 1930s and early 1940s and in subsequent film versions. For the post World War II 1950s, material comfort and well being were not enough. Albeit set against the backdrop of possible annihilation through atomic war, life needed a certain frisson. And so a flurry of successful middlebrow works in literature addressed to this concern began to flourish. And Hilton's work also gained a foothold as a sort of classic for the medium.
Random Harvest, in particular, sounded a sympathetic chord both when it first appeared (1941) and later on. World War II was in its second year and a successful outcome was far from assured. In that atmosphere, the story of Charles Ranier, a wealthy business tycoon and veteran of World War I who had for some months during and following the Great War lost his memory, presented itself as a paean to earlier and better times of old English values. These included a sort of feudal fantasy of intermingling social classes, unspoiled village life, and idyllic scenes of the countryside.
The twist in the story is that Ranier regains his memory lost due to shellshock (aka combat fatigue/PTSD) in 1917 but in so doing then loses his memory of the time he became hospitalized during the war until just around Christmas in 1920. Recovering those three years and merging them into Ranier's postwar life becomes the task of the novel.
Along the way, Hilton engages in some visionary preaching. These are the moments of greatest weakness in Random Harvest. Delivered by an old parson, these harangues cover everything from the League of Nations to the Common Law rights of villagers to restore their access to the commons being swallowed up by arrogant and distant members of the elite. There are also allusions to the rights and values of the working man in a reformed system of capitalism. (Did Hilton recognize the similarity between his social solutions and the corporatism of Mussolini?) In the end, he sort of espouses a Fabian socialist worldview without accompanying rules of parliamentary procedure. The only thing missing is an avowal of fruit juices and veganism.
So, yes, it's easy to punch holes in Hilton's literary world. But taken on its own terms, it nevertheless maintains its appeal. Is it a literary crime, after all, to write accessibly for the wider public? Should an author reject giving voice to a sense of unease in society simply because it is too common a feeling? And so what if he provides a satisfying answer that lifts people out of those moments of despair about their lack of being connected both to earlier generations and coming generations. Must everything end in modernist cynicism? And Hilton may have dealt in feelings primarily. But without them what do you have?
Finally, an interesting point of view for contemporary readers. While Hilton employed nostalgia for an England he saw disappearing into the abyss of World War II, readers today, of course, have an added level of nostalgia to encounter. There is not only that of the world before and right after World War I but the milieu of World War II in which Random Harvest first appeared. The two greatest political calamities of the twentieth century. And we are drawn back to them. Constantly.
Random Harvest, in particular, sounded a sympathetic chord both when it first appeared (1941) and later on. World War II was in its second year and a successful outcome was far from assured. In that atmosphere, the story of Charles Ranier, a wealthy business tycoon and veteran of World War I who had for some months during and following the Great War lost his memory, presented itself as a paean to earlier and better times of old English values. These included a sort of feudal fantasy of intermingling social classes, unspoiled village life, and idyllic scenes of the countryside.
The twist in the story is that Ranier regains his memory lost due to shellshock (aka combat fatigue/PTSD) in 1917 but in so doing then loses his memory of the time he became hospitalized during the war until just around Christmas in 1920. Recovering those three years and merging them into Ranier's postwar life becomes the task of the novel.
Along the way, Hilton engages in some visionary preaching. These are the moments of greatest weakness in Random Harvest. Delivered by an old parson, these harangues cover everything from the League of Nations to the Common Law rights of villagers to restore their access to the commons being swallowed up by arrogant and distant members of the elite. There are also allusions to the rights and values of the working man in a reformed system of capitalism. (Did Hilton recognize the similarity between his social solutions and the corporatism of Mussolini?) In the end, he sort of espouses a Fabian socialist worldview without accompanying rules of parliamentary procedure. The only thing missing is an avowal of fruit juices and veganism.
So, yes, it's easy to punch holes in Hilton's literary world. But taken on its own terms, it nevertheless maintains its appeal. Is it a literary crime, after all, to write accessibly for the wider public? Should an author reject giving voice to a sense of unease in society simply because it is too common a feeling? And so what if he provides a satisfying answer that lifts people out of those moments of despair about their lack of being connected both to earlier generations and coming generations. Must everything end in modernist cynicism? And Hilton may have dealt in feelings primarily. But without them what do you have?
Finally, an interesting point of view for contemporary readers. While Hilton employed nostalgia for an England he saw disappearing into the abyss of World War II, readers today, of course, have an added level of nostalgia to encounter. There is not only that of the world before and right after World War I but the milieu of World War II in which Random Harvest first appeared. The two greatest political calamities of the twentieth century. And we are drawn back to them. Constantly.
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
I had never heard of James Hilton, so was surprised to discover he had written several successful novels, three of which had been made into equally successful movies: ‘Lost Horizon’, ‘Goodbye Mr. Chips’, and ‘Random Harvest’. ‘Random Harvest’ has a really interesting plot line with a man losing his memory near the end of the war, taking up a completely new identity, but then getting reminders of his lost life. The story then slowly begins to unravel the mystery of who he was. The actual writing style is good, but the story really meanders with people and events being brought into the story, being given significant attention, and then being allowed to disappear without having any particular relevance to the story. I liked the main character, who had no desire for money or business , or power, but who always aimed for simplicity, but It was a totally frustrating read.
emiged's review against another edition
3.0
Like several of the other reviewers I had already seen the movie when I picked up the book. That took away the surprise reveal at the end of the book, of course, but it was interesting to consider the different structures; the book worked backwards chronologically beginning with a successful, married Charles Rainier, while the movie started in the asylum and moved forward from that point.
While I found the film very moving, I didn't get the same emotional impact from the book - again, probably because the element of surprise was taken away. The book focused more on Charles Rainier / Smithy. I felt the film was more centered around Paula. But enough of the comparisons already...
It was an interesting peek into the society and culture of Britain between the wars. Over in the States we have an easier time distancing ourselves from the two World Wars, I think, possibly because of our distance from the Continent. From the point of view of a former soldier in The War To End All Wars turned reluctant, but successful businessman, it was fascinating to see how his life unfolded and his memory eventually returned. Heartbreaking, though, to consider that it took 20 years.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
While I found the film very moving, I didn't get the same emotional impact from the book - again, probably because the element of surprise was taken away. The book focused more on Charles Rainier / Smithy. I felt the film was more centered around Paula. But enough of the comparisons already...
It was an interesting peek into the society and culture of Britain between the wars. Over in the States we have an easier time distancing ourselves from the two World Wars, I think, possibly because of our distance from the Continent. From the point of view of a former soldier in The War To End All Wars turned reluctant, but successful businessman, it was fascinating to see how his life unfolded and his memory eventually returned. Heartbreaking, though, to consider that it took 20 years.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
hrynkiw's review against another edition
James Hilton wrote "Lost Horizon" and "Goodbye Mr. Chips".
cmbohn's review against another edition
4.0
Charles Rainier has a rising political career, a beautiful and charming wife, a fine country home, and a successful business, but he is missing something - about 2 years of his life. He was wounded during World War I and received a head injury. From the time of his injury in a trench in Germany to over 2 years later when he 'came to himself' on a park bench in England, he can't remember a thing. This is the story of his life, his romances, and his ultimately successful attempt to figure out who he is.
I really enjoyed this book. It's set during the rise of Hitler and the coming war sort of hovers over all the action. It sounds like it would be sort of sappy or something, but instead I just kept wanting to read more. I put it in the 'love' category because I heard it called a love story. It is, but you don't get the payoff to the love story until the very end of the book, so the rest of the time, it just reads like the story of man torn between his family obligations and his own desires. So good.
I really enjoyed this book. It's set during the rise of Hitler and the coming war sort of hovers over all the action. It sounds like it would be sort of sappy or something, but instead I just kept wanting to read more. I put it in the 'love' category because I heard it called a love story. It is, but you don't get the payoff to the love story until the very end of the book, so the rest of the time, it just reads like the story of man torn between his family obligations and his own desires. So good.
sewingdervish's review against another edition
4.0
one of my favorite movies so I was eager to read the book. it was hard not to imagine Greer Garson in the role. I think she was absolutely perfect for it . there were some passages explaining economic and War stuff that was dragged a little but overall it was very good I loved it.
saemiligr's review against another edition
3.0
This book only got three stars thanks to the mildly interesting plot twist in the end. I've been struggling with it for over a Month only to realize that it's a vauge plot with basicly the history of Englands economics between WWI and WWII. Itresting to know, but not what I was looking for.