Gone the Sun [Hardcover]

Winston Groom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1988

Journeying back to his childhood home in Alabama, Beau Gunn takes over a decrepit newspaper and unexpectedly wins a Pulitzer Prize, but his investigative reporting uncovers shocking truths about people he once trusted. Reprint.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An engaging story dominated by a clever plot, Groom's fifth novel ( Better Times Than These , Forrest Gump ) offers a diverting portrait of a Vietnam veteran-turned-playwright named Beau Gunn. Narrated by a lifelong friend of Gunn's, the book purports to be a "Life Certificate," as opposed to a birth or death certificate. We learn on the first page that Gunn has both of these, which is the only reason his death, three pages from the end of the book, comes as no surprise. Set mostly in the mythical shipping port of Bienville, Ala., the story moves in time from the 1940s to the present. Following graduation from an oppressive military school and a heroic stint in Vietnam, Gunn begins a promising career in New York writing plays. But his life begins to stall with failures both romantic and onstage, and he returns home to clear his head and think about the future. There he falls into the editorship of of the town's only newspaper and proceeds to investigate a shocking scandal that reaches back into the pasthis own included. There are a few parallels in plot that echo Thompson's Celebrity , but the writing is very much Groom's own. The novel is unquestionably a page-turner, though the form of the narrative as related by Beau Gunn's Boswell is sometimes disconcerting. However, the plot twists are clever, and the tale is absorbing and very well told.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 302 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385235763
• ISBN-13: 978-0385235761
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #604,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Coming of Age Novel, May 21, 2006

By 

Gary Turner (Powder Springs, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gone the Sun (Mass Market Paperback)

Winston Groom, he of Forest Gump fame, has written an interesting tale about J.P. "Beau" Gunn II, an Alabama native son who reaches fame as a newspaper writer and playwright. The book traces Beau's childhood in Alabama to Vietnam, Washington, New York and eventually back to Alabama as the editor of his hometown paper. When he uncovers a conspiracy involving high ranking officials, he has to balance the drive for the truth with the effect it will have on people he has known all his life. Excellent writing!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best piece of Work from Groom yet!, February 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gone the Sun (Mass Market Paperback)

It is my opinion that "Gone The Sun" would make a better movie than Forrest Gump. The mixture of the South and the sixties always makes a great storyline. If you like history and great storylines, than READ THIS BOOK!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was so good I bought the hardcover version after I, June 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Gone the Sun (Mass Market Paperback)

finished reading the paperback. Once again Groom defines his characters so the readers relate to them and adds realism to his endings. The main story line is about a enterprising, assertive journalist. But his relationship with his father will allow people to relate to the character.