Having recently read a couple of books which spawned films I
love (Rumblefish and The Outsiders, for example), I thought I’d give Cool HandLuke a go.
My first impressions were very positive, the lean prose
telling of the harsh routines and lives of prisoners on the Hard Road (or chain
gang). As well as its raw quality, there’s
something poetic in the simplicity.
Take this, a description of then the gang are being driven
back to their cells after another tough day and are taking in some of the
sights:
‘The fruit of the orange trees goes speeding by like the
globes of distant planets dangling in outer-space.’
Eventually the plot gravitates to the Cool Hand Luke of the
title.
He’s a tough bird and a war hero who has seen too much of
what human beings are capable of during his time in Europe to ever care about
much again. He soon becomes the leader of the pack and the stories of his
escapes are retold by those who were there, sometimes to inspire and mostly to
help pass the time.
What you get here is a story that’s woven inside a tapestry
of prison life. To me, the passages became a little repetitive, like the
routines they reflect, which might have a lot to offer many but left me feeling
a little stir-crazy. I wanted to burst out and break back into the narrative of
Luke’s life on more than one occasion.
I was reminded of a reading event I attended a good while ago when Ed Bunker brought to
life his prison stories with colour and humour; I’d definitely have liked a
little of the Bunker spirit in this one.
I did find myself rooting for Luke and holding my breath
while I was holding out for news of his progress on the run and there was
enough in this to bring me pleasure.
In truth, and the question is always going to be there, I
enjoyed the film version so much more.
Once I’d finished, I slipped back to the beginning as I
usually do when there’s an introduction. I was quite taken by the author’s life
and would like to find out more about him. It made me wish that I’d liked the
novel a little bit more.
What I will say is that it has enough about it to make it
worth reading. Give it a try and take from it what you can – you just might
love it.
I forgot this was from a book. I'll have to hunt it down!
ReplyDeletePut me down on the "love it" side. I still have the copy I bought right after the movie came out.
ReplyDeleteI read the novel in 2008. I found it much more poignant and piquant than the film, which I loved when I saw it in my teens and admire more and more. The crisis at the center of Lloyd Jackson's war experiences was far, far more searing than any "explanation" in the movie.
ReplyDeleteI read the novel in 2008. I found it much more poignant and piquant than the film, which I loved when I saw it in my teens and admire more and more. The crisis at the center of Lloyd Jackson's war experiences was far, far more searing than any "explanation" in the movie.
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