James Webb's Novels

By: buzzbolt
Published On: 10/27/2006 12:53:32 PM



I had never met James Webb until the day I volunteered to work with his Senate campaign in April, 2006.  He introduced himself that day but I told him that I had known him very well through his writing since the 1970's.  Beginning with his first novel, Fields of Fire (1978), I have periodically read, reread, and shared his novels and non-fiction with others.  I have bought a dozen or so copies of Fields of Fire to loan to others; the books tend to vanish.

Last winter, I read his non-fiction narrative of cultural history, Born Fighting, How the Scots-Irish Shaped America, which also treats the reader to a number of James Webb's autobiographical family stories.  I was going to volunteer anyway, but Born Fighting sealed the deal--I need this man representing me in the U. S Senate.

Since August, I have been writing reviews and thoughts on James Webb's fiction here on Raising Kaine.  I am not a literary critic, but a person who gets most of his entertainment from reading.  I have suggested how writers, and particularly James Webb, craft their fiction from life experiences and leave artifacts for readers to discover well into the future. 

Today, 11 days before Election Day, the George Allen / Karl Rove Campaign has launched a massive smear directed at James Webb's fiction.  They have chosen to "cherry-pick" small passages from the many millions of words written by James Webb.  They believe they can create a scandal with some words that have been in plain sight for years if not decades.  As this develops look for them to use buzzwords like pornography, smut, and obscenity.  (More below)
 
The passage that is getting the most heavy distribution involves an incident that James Webb witnessed in Thailand.  It does NOT describe a sexual act; it relates in a few short words an affectionate embrace between a father and son that is common if not ritualistic within the culture.

There is always a context problem when small passages are picked to prove anything. It is nonsense to present a few passages, with no context, as definitive proof of James Webb's attitudes. Given a few hours, I believe that many hundreds of Webb's passages could be found that dispute all of Allen's desperate claims.  James Webb hides nothing, apologizes for nothing, speaks with enormous pride of his novels AND encourages you to read them.  He did as much and more in a live radio interview today.  Read his novels page for page and make your own conclusions.

=======
If you have not followed the exclusive Raising Kaine reviews of James Webb's six novels, you may still view them:

Fields of Fire, (1978), click  HERE.

A Sense of Honor, (1981), click  HERE.

A Country Such as This, (1983), click  HERE.

Something to Die For, (1991), click  HERE.

 
Reviews of The Emporer's General and Lost Soldiers will appear here before election day.  In the meantime, treat yourself to one of James Webb's exceptional novels.
================================================================

C. W. Dean has been a Professional Photographer in the State of Virginia since 1972 specializing in portraits.  He is a Vietnam veteran, son of a World War II veteran, and, like James Webb, proudly traces his origins to Virginia's Scots-Irish immigrants.  He lives with his wife, Elizabeth, near Mount Vernon, Virginia. To visit his website: click HERE.


=================================================================

Comments