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FORREST GUMP (Movie Tie in)
by Winston Groom
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Pocket (1994-07-01)
ISBN: 0671894455
EAN: 9780671894450
Dewey Decimal #: 813.54
Paperback: 256 pages
SKU: 786
Condition: Reading Copy
Comments: Binding: Softcover. Condition: Reading Copy. Book bent a little Some stains on cover. Pages/binding in great shape.
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Editorial Reviews
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Book Description
"Bein' a idiot is no box of chocolates," but "at least I ain't led no hum-drum life," says Forrest Gump, the lovable, surprisingly savvy hero of this wonderful comic tale. When the University of Alabama's football team drafts Forrest and makes him a star, that's only the beginning! He flunks out--and goes on to be a Vietnam war hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a wrestler, and a business tycoon. He compares battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discovers the truth about Richard Nixon, and suffers the ups and downs of true love. Now, Forrest Gump's telling all--in a madcap, screwball romp through three decades of the American landscape. It's Gump's amazing travels...and you've got to hear them to believe them.
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Customer Reviews
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Groom writes a very funny, creative, and enjoyable story...
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-05-18
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Before the movie was the book. And the book never got much attention or praise. But I suggest any fan of the movie (which, in my opinion, was incredible) to at least try Groom's short novel. It's a lot different than the movie, and I mean a lot, but it's a lot better when you don't compare it to the movie. Groom writes it in a way where it's almost as if you can hear Forrest talking, and you can't help but fall in love with the guy as he chronicles his unique life.
Some parts are a bit over the top, yes, and very improbable. The book is short, and some parts of it seem a bit rushed. But overall, a very enjoyable book, and definately one I'd recommend.
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The Book vs. the Movie
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-11-28
3 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
My friends have read this book and said it was okay, but it was very different from and not as good as the movie. Very seldom is a movie better than or even an improvement on the book. So I decided to obtain a copy and read it to see. The first day I started reading it I oddly couldn't put it down. I read over half of the book the first day, and then finished reading it the very next day. I loved it and I think everyone that has seen the movie should read it. It was hysterical, interesting, and imaginative, but diverse from the movie. I'm glad I chose this book as one of the last books to read this year.
This is a really good book, but... The author used a style of grammar that I have never seen before. Since Forrest is a little mentally challenged he says things slightly different. And since Forrest is the narrator, the author writes the book in the way that Forrest talks. This is difficult because it is kind of hard to read and comprehend. I had to read some sentences two or three times to get it. I would recommend this book to everyone because it is a great book, but some may not like it more than the movie.
For me I enjoyed the book and I enjoyed the movie. Which is better is hard to say because they are so different. I'm glad I experienced them both.
Gwen Paddington
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The Movie Was Better
Rating  (1)
Date: 2007-06-14
1 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
Groom seems to have no understanding of someone like Forrest. He just writes him like he's trying to make him sound stupid.
Plus, the narration done by an oaf is a lot better in a film than in a book... because you have to read him constantly.
It just looks like Groom used him as an excuse to be lazy in his writing.
The only good thing I got out of it is that I can relate to the black lady in the beginning a whole lot more.
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This is the BOOK, not the Movie/DVD !!!!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2006-05-31
4 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
I'm not sure how so many reviewers managed to mix up the two . . . anyway, the nature and tone of the book are vastly different (and in my mind, much more entertaining) than that of the movie. Winston Groom's "Gump" is filled with side-splitting ironic humor, as well as an healthy skepticism of the various powers that be that the protagonist encounters. My guess is that people who saw the movie first will be disappointed by the lack of sentimentality in the book - but if you are one of the handfull of people remaining on the planet who have not seen the movie, PLEASE read the book first - it's hilarious and life-affirming, without falling into the maudlin trappings that (at least in my mind) diminished the movie.
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The history of USA, from origins to about 1990
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-05-07
2 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
Forrest Gump, as movie (and probably as novel) are excellent, dense, powerful works presenting the sometimes very self-critical history of the USA. This is made as an allegory, where a few individual characters attempt to give easily identifiable bodies for millions of Americans.
Forrest Gump, as character, "represents" the American people through history, in its most typical way, e.g. having the opinion of the majority of voters, in an allegory fashion. Jenny represents a significant alternate opinion, shared by an important minority of American people.
To give a very few examples: origins are briefly sketched (behind the name of Forrest we are supposed to think of Amerigo Vespucci, the house of Forrest Gump's mother is an image for the New land receiving immigrants, the young Forrest is initially walking with the help of leg braces - England - than is forced to grow independant); ... much later we see progress develop gradually, with contributions from other countries; Vietnam-war outcome for USA is shown to Pres. Johnson in a crude way, with relatively minor damages; ... at the end AIDS appear, Eastern, communist countries fail (Joe's house destroyed), people is shown to have become shareholder, some computer enterprizes successfully appear (Apple), and future opens (re. child of "all" America, Forrest Gump's and Jenny's child).
In addition, great samples of representative American landscapes and music are provided.
The feather flying at the beginning and at the end of the movie, at the beginning touching Forrest Gump and at the end passing to his son, is obviously meant to represent American spirit.
JDD
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