Mash: A Book about three army doctors

Hardcover

Published 1968 by William Morrow.

Before the movie, this is the novel that gave life to Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John, Hot Lips Houlihan, Frank Burns, Radar O'Reilly, and the rest of the gang that made the 4077th MASH like no other place in Korea or on earth. The doctors who worked in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) during the Korean War were well trained but, like most soldiers sent to fight a war, too young for the job. In the words of the author, "a few flipped their lids, but most of them just raised hell, in a variety of ways and degrees." For fans of the movie and the series alike, here is the original version of that perfectly corrupt football game, those martini-laced mornings and sexual escapades, and that unforgettable foray into assisted if incompleted suicide--all as funny and poignant now as they were before they became a part of America's culture …

Before the movie, this is the novel that gave life to Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John, Hot Lips Houlihan, Frank Burns, Radar O'Reilly, and the rest of the gang that made the 4077th MASH like no other place in Korea or on earth. The doctors who worked in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH) during the Korean War were well trained but, like most soldiers sent to fight a war, too young for the job. In the words of the author, "a few flipped their lids, but most of them just raised hell, in a variety of ways and degrees." For fans of the movie and the series alike, here is the original version of that perfectly corrupt football game, those martini-laced mornings and sexual escapades, and that unforgettable foray into assisted if incompleted suicide--all as funny and poignant now as they were before they became a part of America's culture and heart.

5 editions

Jim Fulner reviewed Mash: A Book about three army doctors by Richard Hooker (H. Richard Hornberger)

The first one is so good its no wonder it started a movie, a T.V. show and a series of novels.

5 stars

The book that started it all. It's been a long time since I have seen the movie, some of these stories were familiar, some not. But the book was pretty darn good. Its kind of funny how dis-similar it is to the TV show, what with Hawkeye coming to and leaving Korea in only 18 months. (While he is on TV for how many years?)

Father McClay ass the bead rattling "Dago Red" is pretty hilarious. And "Spearchucker Jones" is a character that just isn't politically correct at any time. Kicking the holy roller out for being a Christian was a differ net idea than I expected, but don't forget that they are the professionals from Dover and they go to Soul to find the Epileptic Whore.

It is a fun fast story. It's no wonder that it was adopted for the screen but had to be changed …

The book that started it all. It's been a long time since I have seen the movie, some of these stories were familiar, some not. But the book was pretty darn good. Its kind of funny how dis-similar it is to the TV show, what with Hawkeye coming to and leaving Korea in only 18 months. (While he is on TV for how many years?)

Father McClay ass the bead rattling "Dago Red" is pretty hilarious. And "Spearchucker Jones" is a character that just isn't politically correct at any time. Kicking the holy roller out for being a Christian was a differ net idea than I expected, but don't forget that they are the professionals from Dover and they go to Soul to find the Epileptic Whore.

It is a fun fast story. It's no wonder that it was adopted for the screen but had to be changed to fix the medium. Usually the book is better, occasionally the film/show is better, in this case they are both great on their own. Whether you are a fan of the screen adaptation or not, I recommend taking it for a spin.

Subjects

Fiction, medical
Korean war, 1950-1953, fiction
Medical care
Korean War, 1950-1953
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Fiction, historical, general
Fiction, humorous, general
Fiction, media tie-in
Fiction, war & military
Korea, fiction