The Emperor's General, published in 1999 by Sen. Jim Webb, is a great novel. More on that, but first a few words about the Senator.
Jim Webb was on the podium, debating for the Democratic nomination for President a couple month's ago with Hillary, Bernie and the other guy. I was hoping that all of the aspects of his amazing biography would override his obvious reluctance to submit himself to the US presidential process. He grew up in a military family, went to the Navel Academy and lost a disputed boxing decision to a much bigger Ollie North for his class championship. Then he went to Vietnam as a Marine officer, and won a Silver Star, and other medals, including two purple hearts. He got a Law degree from Georgetown, was Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, was an award winning journalist, wrote highly praised novels, turned Democrat and beat the once Republican Presidential hopeful George Allen for the Virginia Senate.
There is even more, look him up. I imagined him as the perfect populist candidate. He didn't need to copy Bernie's policy direction of course, but he did need to focus on his 'Democratic' credentials, which if you look at his voting record in the Senate are real. But, we are in a weird political times, and perhaps that trumps accomplishment and character. The last thing he said on the podium, before dropping out of the race was to imply how he had personally killed a Vietcong soldier in battle. That wasn't going to sway Hillary and Bernie's voters, who should have been his target audience.
But it highlights his other problem which is his consistent history of flipping off the powerful. One example – when he was in the Senate, President Bush Jr. asked him about his son, who was serving in Iraq. Webb told Bush in a very pointed way that that was between him and his son.
All of that, all of his many accomplishments, pale in comparison to his talent to tell a story. The Emperor's General is the best novel I have read in years. On the surface, it is a history novel about Gen MacArthur and the last couple years of WW2 and six months into the occupation of Japan. It deals primarily with one of the almost unknown chapters of the war, the trial, conviction and execution of Japanese General Yamanshita for war crimes in the Philippines. It is told through the eyes of a young American Army Captain, Jay Marsh, who through a series of plausible and well crafted incidents, become a fly on the wall of MacArthur's deliberations and eventually becomes a player in the high level diplomatic game between MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor.
Marsh narrates and his story over-shadows the 'big story' without skipping any of the subtle details of MacArthur's maneuvers. It is great history, explaining the larger significance of the Japanese occupation, while putting you on the ground, coming ashore with MacArthur as he validates his “I shall return” promise to the Philippines, as well as in Yokohama and Tokyo after the surrender. The discriptions and the context that Webb presents will astonish you and give you a feel for the entire panorama of the time and place.
But that is not why the Emperor's General is a truly great book. Marsh is forced to leave the arms of a beautiful, trusting woman to enter into the highest levels of the Japanese Geisha world. He loves both women. This powerful and tender love story is understated and tactile and seems so true. Jay is forced into unfaithfulness, by his duty, an unfaithfulness most men would consider the highlight of their romantic life. Jay accepts the assignment, in fact makes the most of his sexual opportunity, all the while knowing it was destroying his one hope for happiness.
It is unapologetically a man's story. Men don't get many novels that explain the torments of the heart, particularly in a way that weaves it into the thrill of world-shaking ambition. Webb – a smart, tough guy, who in real life told a feckless President to kiss off – will break your heart with this novel. The historical gossip, the depiction of the real human side of near-mythical personalities – (like Emperor Hirohito) – all of that is delicious reading, but it all stands down in the presence of a great and painful love story.
Webb is a great writer, and ultimately that is a higher calling than politics
Jim Webb was on the podium, debating for the Democratic nomination for President a couple month's ago with Hillary, Bernie and the other guy. I was hoping that all of the aspects of his amazing biography would override his obvious reluctance to submit himself to the US presidential process. He grew up in a military family, went to the Navel Academy and lost a disputed boxing decision to a much bigger Ollie North for his class championship. Then he went to Vietnam as a Marine officer, and won a Silver Star, and other medals, including two purple hearts. He got a Law degree from Georgetown, was Reagan's Secretary of the Navy, was an award winning journalist, wrote highly praised novels, turned Democrat and beat the once Republican Presidential hopeful George Allen for the Virginia Senate.
There is even more, look him up. I imagined him as the perfect populist candidate. He didn't need to copy Bernie's policy direction of course, but he did need to focus on his 'Democratic' credentials, which if you look at his voting record in the Senate are real. But, we are in a weird political times, and perhaps that trumps accomplishment and character. The last thing he said on the podium, before dropping out of the race was to imply how he had personally killed a Vietcong soldier in battle. That wasn't going to sway Hillary and Bernie's voters, who should have been his target audience.
But it highlights his other problem which is his consistent history of flipping off the powerful. One example – when he was in the Senate, President Bush Jr. asked him about his son, who was serving in Iraq. Webb told Bush in a very pointed way that that was between him and his son.
All of that, all of his many accomplishments, pale in comparison to his talent to tell a story. The Emperor's General is the best novel I have read in years. On the surface, it is a history novel about Gen MacArthur and the last couple years of WW2 and six months into the occupation of Japan. It deals primarily with one of the almost unknown chapters of the war, the trial, conviction and execution of Japanese General Yamanshita for war crimes in the Philippines. It is told through the eyes of a young American Army Captain, Jay Marsh, who through a series of plausible and well crafted incidents, become a fly on the wall of MacArthur's deliberations and eventually becomes a player in the high level diplomatic game between MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor.
Marsh narrates and his story over-shadows the 'big story' without skipping any of the subtle details of MacArthur's maneuvers. It is great history, explaining the larger significance of the Japanese occupation, while putting you on the ground, coming ashore with MacArthur as he validates his “I shall return” promise to the Philippines, as well as in Yokohama and Tokyo after the surrender. The discriptions and the context that Webb presents will astonish you and give you a feel for the entire panorama of the time and place.
But that is not why the Emperor's General is a truly great book. Marsh is forced to leave the arms of a beautiful, trusting woman to enter into the highest levels of the Japanese Geisha world. He loves both women. This powerful and tender love story is understated and tactile and seems so true. Jay is forced into unfaithfulness, by his duty, an unfaithfulness most men would consider the highlight of their romantic life. Jay accepts the assignment, in fact makes the most of his sexual opportunity, all the while knowing it was destroying his one hope for happiness.
It is unapologetically a man's story. Men don't get many novels that explain the torments of the heart, particularly in a way that weaves it into the thrill of world-shaking ambition. Webb – a smart, tough guy, who in real life told a feckless President to kiss off – will break your heart with this novel. The historical gossip, the depiction of the real human side of near-mythical personalities – (like Emperor Hirohito) – all of that is delicious reading, but it all stands down in the presence of a great and painful love story.
Webb is a great writer, and ultimately that is a higher calling than politics
No comments:
Post a Comment