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William Wharton

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A Midnight Clear: A Novel Paperback – June 30, 1999

by William Wharton (Author)

148

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Set in the Ardennes Forest on Christmas Eve 1944, Sergeant Will Knott and five other GIs are ordered close to the German lines to establish an observation post in an abandoned chateau. Here they play at being soldiers in what seems to be complete isolation. That is, until the Germans begin revealing their whereabouts and leaving signs of their presence: a scarecrow, equipment the squad had dropped on a retreat from a reconnaissance mission and, strangest of all, a small fir tree hung with fruit, candles, and cardboard stars. Suddenly, Knott and the others must unravel these mysteries, learning as they do about themselves, about one another, and about the "enemy," until A Midnight Clear reaches its unexpected climax, one of the most shattering in the literature of war.

Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Publisher

William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication date

June 30, 1999
Dimensions

5.25 x 0.58 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

1557042578
ISBN-13

978-1557042576
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William Wharton
126
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Editorial Reviews

Review

It is a fine book, sad and witty, even profound. -- San Francisco Chronicle

Put it on the same shelf with The Red Badge of Courage. It has mythic quality. -- Chicago Tribune

There are surprisingly few 'classic' novels of World War II. This is one of them. -- The Village Voice

"There are surprisingly few 'classic' novels of World War II. A Midnight Clear joins the best." -The Village Voice --The Village Voice

Review

"Put it on the same shelf with Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage; it has mythic quality." -Chicago Tribune

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (June 30, 1999)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1557042578
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1557042576
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.58 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,650 in Asian American Literature & Fiction
- #4,233 in Cultural Heritage Fiction
- #11,324 in War Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
148

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4.2 out of 5

148 global ratings

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Elaine Booth

A good read

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024

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I'm not one to read war novels, but this one was very well written. It depicted the realities of being in battle in a concise way,nothing was made palatable for the squeamish readers.

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HP

War as seen by the fighters

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2010

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The Battle of the Bulge was both a high point and low point for Americans during World War II. While there was little doubt about the eventual outcome, the German winter offensive caught many off guard, and the newest allied soldiers suddenly found themselves wondering if Germany was truly on the ropes. In the middle of that massive winter battle, with troops on both sides fighting each other and the weather, little groups found themselves engaged in little personal battles, often over real estate no larger than city blocks back home.

German troops, many fighting in units of old men and mere boys, struggled to believe in any sort of final victory and often fought only because they knew their fate should they retreat. At the same time they were defending the soil of the Fatherland and not some town or crossroads in a foreign land.

This film, featuring a wonderful ensemble cast, distills this dichotomy well, with Americans who have no wish to die when the war is really over, and Germans who want nothing more than to go home and try to rebuild their country. In short, no soldier wants to be the last casualty. The conclusion, reached by mutual agreement, seems to make perfect sense, even if not everyone agrees.

Although I generally don't like the idea of voice-over narratives, it works fairly well in this film and provides some insights that would be difficult to explain otherwise. Omar Bradley is quoted as saying war is just an excuse for soldiers to fool around, and in the absence of action, that's what happens here. In the end, it makes perfect sense as each man tries to find sanity in the midst of battle.

One person found this helpful

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Anthony Dilley

Great read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2015

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The story relates to personal experience of the author during WW2. The movie version has Ethan Hawke as one of the actors. The book is set in the Ardennes in the build up to the Battle of the Bulge and tells the story of front line soldiers conducting a reconnaissance mission away from the main army. They come across a small group of German soldiers who, over a few encounters, indicate they would like to surrender. The senselessness of the losses of war, the importance of friendship within a unit, together with the hubris of some military leaders are the main themes of the book.

One person found this helpful

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Riverguy

One of the very few times the movie was better than the book

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019

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I saw the movie in 1991/92, (perhaps on Netflix) not knowing it was an adaptation of a book. Books are usually better than the movies made from them. So my purpose in reading this book recently was mostly interest in how well, or not, the movie tracked with the book. The good news is the movie tracks very close to the book. The problem is the book and movie are structured differently. STOP HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK OR SEEN MOVIE.

I gave the book only 3-stars because Wharton chose to include his post-war stories about the characters as the story unfolds - a dead (no pun) giveaway as to who survives the war and who doesn't. By contrast, all those stories come at the end of the movie, which yields a much more powerful ending. Specifically, the movie ends with the knowledge that Wilkins does indeed send Knott a $10 bill every Christmas for 10 years starting in 1946. The effect of revealing that in the final few seconds brought a powerful ending to the movie. The book simply ends.

3 people found this helpful

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Phillip Urlevich

Read the book, watch the movie

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2014

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A powerful statement on war from a veteran himself. Not your typical anti-war story, it takes a more cynical view of how the military works and how the grunts are really treated. The books tone does turn take a turn when it turns tragic. It is a very excellent read, but I recommend watching the film version after reading this, as it definitely improves the book

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

I enjoyed the book - in spite of the subject matter ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2017

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I saw the movie a long time ago and came across the book. I enjoyed the book - in spite of the subject matter very amusing and entertaining! Came as described buy seller. Would recommend the seller!

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Raymond H. Mullen

War Never Makes Sense

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2011

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The book is well written and deals with a group of young soldiers (German and American) that find themselves in a unique situation during WWII. How they handle this and how it goes terribly wrong is actually a good study of the mindset of many young soldiers that have been sent to kill other young soldiers by their governments and politicians that really have no clue what actual combat does to a man.
This work makes it pretty clear what really goes on in the minds of soldiers. The reason I gave it only 4 stars was just the fact that it seemed a little 'slow' it its' development and, in my humble opinion, had a rather odd, uneventful ending.

One person found this helpful

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J Carreiro

A great read.

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2014

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I really enjoyed the novel (and film). Very profound. I will have to check out more of William Wharton's novels.

One person found this helpful

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un lecteur

découverte

Reviewed in France on September 14, 2013

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Ayant l'article sur ce livre dans un TLS récent, je l'ai acheté. Une découverte. A lire à coté de For Esmé with Love and Squalor de Salinger.

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Charlie Gray

Highly recommended

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2013

Verified Purchase

I only recently discovered William Wharton's work, and he's now very much on my favourite author list. As the synopsis outlines, this one is about half of a squad sent on reconnaissance in the latter part of WWII near Christmas. They're all very young, having been brought in as "high IQ" draftees straight from high school, so there's a lot of hilarious banter as they each try to cope with their circumstances.

The squad is holed up in an abandoned chateau, trying to gather enemy intelligence, so they know the enemy is close by. On their first night there, they realise just how close, and are terrified, but all isn't quite what it first seems, and as the story unfolds, we learn a lot about the loyalty they have for each other and indeed the mutual respect between the 2 sides.

If you're looking for a shoot 'em up war story, this isn't it; rather, it's a searingly honest story about young men at war. Wharton served in WWII, so if it's not partly autobiographical, it certainly seems authentic. I found it moving and funny in about equal part, and would recommend it without hesitation.

6 people found this helpful

joor

great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2018

Verified Purchase

it is an amazing book which talks about very challenging and difficult subject of war. it is very different as it shows it from an unusual angle, the psychology of human involved, the huge weight and impact on one's shoulders

Jamie L. Harding

A fantastic read, couldn't put it down.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2013

Verified Purchase

This really is a wonderful book. Extremely realistic and detailed, yet hilarious and flowing. Thoroughly enjoyed.
A must-read for all those interested in the military, history, or just a good read!

mikeongar

A war story with a difference. Portrays soldiers who ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

A war story with a difference. Portrays soldiers who are ante their own commanders as much as the enemy. Interesting & unusual read.

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