A review by firstwords
The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer

4.0

4 1/2 stars. Unlike other readers, the "racism" and false cursing didn't bother me. The latter was to accurately depict soldiers' speech in a time when putting expletives in would have gotten the book banned, if not kept it from being published. To the former, I think the readers that can't get past it are simply putting on rose-colored glasses. The language is, from what other texts I have read, and my understanding of the times, actually a bit light on the ethnic slurs. If you think it's done for no reason, then you're not reading the book. The slurs are used by men on each other...who depend on each other for their lives. The author makes a point to show occasions when a soldier who has denigrated or insulted another comes to respect or rely upon that soldier.

All that aside, it's a heavy read, but never slow. Despite it's length, you don't have the 20 pages of explanation of a valley, or 6 pages on a man's thoughts. The book is moving, and the flashbacks are done well.