The War Lover

The War Lover. The War Lover is a 1959 war novel by American author John Hersey, best known for his earlier work *Hiroshima*. The narrative provides a detailed, psychological exploration of World War II B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crews based in England during the air war over Europe. Focusing on the complex relationship between two pilots, the novel delves into the adrenaline-fueled attraction to combat and its moral and human costs, contrasting the archetype of the warrior with the instinct for survival.

Plot summary

The story is set in 1943 at the fictional RAF Archbury airbase, home to the USAAF's 91st Bomb Group. It follows the crew of a B-17 named *The Body*, commanded by the charismatic but reckless Captain Buzz Marrow. The plot is primarily narrated by the aircraft's co-pilot, John "Bo" Boman, a more introspective and morally conflicted officer. The narrative traces their combat missions over German targets like Schweinfurt and Bremen, detailing the intense aerial combat, the constant threat from Luftwaffe fighters and flak, and the profound camaraderie and tension among the crew. A central subplot involves their relationships with English women, particularly Daphne, which further highlights the contrast between Marrow's destructive impulses and Boman's desire for life and connection. The climax builds toward a catastrophic, final mission that forces a definitive confrontation with the novel's core themes of bravery, fear, and the true nature of heroism.

Characters

* **Captain Buzz Marrow**: The titular "war lover," a supremely confident and aggressive pilot from Chicago who thrives on the danger and excitement of aerial combat. His skills are undeniable, but his psychological need for war borders on the pathological, making him a danger to his crew. * **First Lieutenant John "Bo" Boman**: The co-pilot and narrator, a former Ivy League student from a privileged background who serves as Marrow's foil. Boman is a competent officer but is acutely aware of his own fear and questions the glorification of war, representing conscience and the will to survive. * **Sergeant Clint Haverstraw**: The veteran top turret gunner and flight engineer, whose experience and grounded perspective offer a crucial, enlisted man's view of the officers' conflict. * **Daphne**: An Englishwoman working with the Women's Voluntary Service who becomes romantically involved with Bo Boman. Her character symbolizes the normal, life-affirming world that exists outside the confines of the airbase and combat. * **Other Crew Members**: The novel provides distinct portraits of the other seven members of *The Body*'s crew, including the navigator, bombardier, and gunners, each grappling with fear, duty, and the strain of repeated missions.

Themes and analysis

The novel is a penetrating study of the psychology of combat, explicitly examining the addiction to warfare's intensity, a trait Hersey embodies in Buzz Marrow. This is contrasted with the more traditional martial virtues of duty and courage seen in Boman. A major theme is the conflict between this destructive "love" and the human instinct for preservation, love, and creation. Hersey, drawing on his extensive experience as a war correspondent for *Time* and The New Yorker, provides meticulously researched details of strategic bombing operations to ground its psychological explorations in stark reality. The novel also critiques the impersonal nature of modern, mechanized warfare, where crews in heavy bombers rain destruction on unseen targets, complicating simple narratives of heroism.

Publication history

The War Lover was first published in 1959 by Alfred A. Knopf in the United States. It was released to significant critical attention, given Hersey's established literary reputation from prior works like *A Bell for Adano* and the groundbreaking nonfiction novel *Hiroshima*. The novel emerged during a period of renewed public and literary reflection on World War II, joining other contemporary works that examined the war's personal and moral complexities. It has remained in print through various editions over subsequent decades.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted into a major American motion picture, also titled *The War Lover*, released in 1962. The film was directed by Philip Leacock and starred Steve McQueen as Buzz Marrow and Robert Wagner as Bo Boman. While the film retained the central conflict and setting, it simplified certain character motivations and plot elements. It was noted for its authentic use of B-17 aircraft in extensive aerial sequences filmed in the United Kingdom, but received a mixed critical response compared to the depth of the source material. Category:1959 American novels Category:American war novels Category:Novels about World War II Category:Novels by John Hersey Category:Alfred A. Knopf books