"The Pistol" by James Jones is a short novel that delves into the events surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, in Hawaii. It follows the story of U.S. Army enlisted men, particularly focusing on the transition from peacetime to wartime alert. The plot revolves around a stolen pistol and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, highlighting themes of honor, honesty, fear of the unknown, and the human condition during times of conflict. Jones' writing style captures the essence of soldiers' experiences and emotions, making the narrative engaging and thought-provoking.
From The Publisher:
As bombs begin to fall on Pearl Harbor, nineteen-year-old PFC Richard Mask is wearing a pistol, a .45 caliber automatic that makes him feel connected to the army of the Wild West and Custer's Cavalry. In the chaos of his first days and weeks of the war, as Mask and his company move from Schofield Barracks to the beaches of Oahu, then to a remote mountain pass, a struggle over the pistol dominates this novella's action, providing the pathos and savagery of the story.
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