REUNION OF THE 108th

by Donald Taggart ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 24, 1967

In his bitterest movie reviews, James Agee had the grace to group whatever good things he had to say at the review's beginning before letting go with the heavy artillery. But the novel is beyond charity, a complicated detour to Dullsville that hasn't a single redeeming character one can like. The plot is about the twenty-year reunion of the officers and men of the 108th Infantry Division who fought through Italy in WWII. Perhaps only boors would come to such a reunion and, if that's the author's point, he's overstated it. The reunion's only Congressional Medal of Honor winner is currently a disk jockey, a randy version of Audie Murphy and great stud who nails the novel's teenage virgin. The main character is an ex-colonel-con artist now fleeing the vengeance of some gambler's hired killers. He has a scheme for selling confidential information to an electronics firm and thus ensure a sale to the Defense Department. Everybody's trying to use the reunion for some personal gain. The story occurs in San Francisco but has precious little local color.

Pub Date: March 24, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION