book review forrest gump

BOOKS AMEYA

For the voracious indian reader.

Book Reviews

[Book Review] ‘Forrest Gump’ by Winston Groom

Book review of Forrest Gump, by Winston Groom

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winston Groom is a renowned American author. Born in 1943 in Washington, D.C, he received his education from the University of Alabama. He served in the U.S. Army, toured Vietnam, and rose to the ranks of a captain before switching to literature. He started as a reporter and later worked as a columnist in Washington Star, Washington D.C. for about nine years before becoming a full-time novelist. He was awarded the best fiction award by the Southern Library Association in 1980. However, it was his 1980-novel, Forrest Gump , that changed his life forever. In fact, the re-release of the book sold more than 1.7 million copies, as compared to 40,000 books on the initial release. The movie adaptation grossed over $657 million worldwide, and garnered six Academy Awards.

I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is.

There is a joyous madcap feeling to the first half of this unusual novel. That is before absurdity gathers momentum and begins to threaten to take over the very plot. Groom’s picaresque tale has been narrated in first person, by Gump himself. Gump follows his outrageous life from early stardom for Bear Bryant’s Crimson Tide , through a tour in Vietnam and across the broad canvas of America during the ’70s and ’80s.

Like most literary idiots, Forrest Gump is a lot smarter than the people he encounters. In fact, he is no ordinary idiot . He is rather an idiot mathematical savant, who is capable of outperforming NASA’s on-board computers. And that is why Gump eventually ends up on a space mission with an ape and the first female astronaut ever. This mission ends in the forests of New Guinea, where Gump runs into a Yale-tutored cannibal. All this takes place after Gump has met Lyndon Johnson and saved Chairman Mao from drowning, which is to say that this is a very broad satire.

An excerpt from Forrest Gump, by Winston Groom

Forrest Gump can proudly claim to be one of the few contemporary novels to have their own philosophy . The novel presents multiple conflicts. One such clash is the society always doubting Forrest, always putting him down, and his ability to succeed. However, the major conflict that stands out is the love Forrest and Jenny have for each other since they were young. In fact, they had always loved each other, but it took Jenny a while to realize it because she sporadically leaves Forrest and gets involved with drugs and other bad influences . Even so, Forrest makes repeated attempts to look for Jenny and bring her back. But Jenny’s pent-up grief and pain from her traumatic childhood experiences force her to keep pushing him away.

I may be a idiot, but most of the time, anyway, I tried to do the right thing, an dreams is just dreams, ain’t they? So whatever else has happened, I am figgerin this: I can always look back an say, at least I ain’t led no hum-drum life.

The book is a bit too hard to read and comprehend, which is entirely due to the way Groom has written it. He has written out the words the way you would pronounce them, not to mention the fact that there are a lot of grammar mistakes . When reading the book, you really need to concentrate when trying to figure out some words or sentences. That said, you get more and more used to it with every page. It must be pointed out that this actually gives the novel more character, because the author has intentionally written it like an idiot would – like Forrest would have written it.

Since the book is inextricably linked to its screen adaptation, the comparison of the two is inevitable. While the movie is soft, sweet and inspiring, the book is much darker. It is hard to disagree that the book and the movie are two entirely separate things, only connected loosely by their title and the basic plot. The only criticism that the book draws is from people who first see the movie, and then get down to reading it for a pick-me-up experience with the books-are-always-better-than-movies mindset .

Forrest Gump rightly merits 3.8 stars out of 5. This is down to its in-depth story about love and the struggles some people go through in their daily lives. It is absolutely recommended to anyone who likes dramatic stories interspersed with tidbits of humor.

…now that you’re here

As you might know, Ameya runs on a purely non-profit basis. With no tangible products on offer, advertisements and donations are our only two sources of keeping this blog up and running. You could convey your support to us with something as little as $5 - that's less than what an average Starbucks would cost!

3 thoughts on “ [Book Review] ‘Forrest Gump’ by Winston Groom ”

Add Comment

Pingback: Quote #161 | Stanisław Jerzy Lec | Youth is the gift of nature (...)
Pingback: Quote #203 | Bruce Lee | Mistakes are always forgivable (...)
Pingback: Small Wins Every Day | Luke Coutinho

Books of Brilliance

The latest book reviews and book news.

Classic Novel

Forrest Gump: Book Review

Forrest Gump book review

Forrest Gump is an iconic movie but you will be shocked to find out that the movie left out a lot of crazy scenes. Keep reading to see why you should read the novel by Winston Groom and why certain scenes were left out!

Forrest Gump: Book Summary

As the first pages unwind, we meet Forrest Gump . He is the narrator of the novel and that leads to a lot of grammatical errors. Forrest then goes into his life story from his childhood to the present. And we meet Jenny Curran who plays a big part in Forrest’s life.

When Forrest hits sixteen, he is 6’6″ and playing high school football. That gets him looks from a big college that wants him to play for them. It’s either that or going to the army. As Forrest navigates his football career, his love for Jenny gets him in trouble and they go different ways.

Life in college is hard for Forrest as he is mentally challenged and has a hard time fitting in on the team. But the coach finds a role for Forrest after an incident on campus. Besides football, Forrest discovers he is talented in other areas such as math and playing the harmonica.

Fast forward and we see Forrest join the army , wins a ping pong tournament and work for NASA to name a few things. As life progresses for Forrest, he tries to discover the meaning of life and his life as he strives toward happiness.

As someone who loved the movie , the novel was a great read. There are a lot of differences and I can see why. Some stuff is just too controversial to put in a movie that will be viewed by millions of people. The movie also eft out a lot of Forrest’s adventures. What I really loved about the book is that you get to really understand Forrest much clearer.

The movie also ended up leaving out a lot of Forrest’s talents and achievements. If you really want to know Forrest, reading the novel is the best way. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a while. There are no dull moments and the humor and commentary by Winston Groom is brilliant.

Forrest has stayed relevant throughout the years because of the great acting by Tom Hanks . But I believe its also because we want Forrest to win. He deserves it and things do not go his way more often than not. That is something a lot of people can relate to.

Forrest is an everyday man and he isn’t the brightest person in the room. But his personality and child-like manner makes him the most likable and the one we will always be cheering on. The novel does a better job of highlighting how Forrest is as a person and is a must read in my opinion. Happy reading!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook !

Share this:, 4 thoughts on “ forrest gump: book review ”.

Add Comment

Pingback: Book Recommendations: July 2021 - Books of Brilliance
Pingback: Which Fictional Character I Would Interview - Books of Brilliance
Pingback: 7 Adaptations That Are Better Than the Books! - Books of Brilliance
Pingback: The Ten Best Movies Based on Books - Books of Brilliance

FORREST GUMP

by Winston Groom ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 7, 1986

The usually reliable Groom (Better Times Than These, Conversations with the Enemy) turns as gawky and ham-handed as his hero--Forrest Gump, contemporary American idiot--in this stumbling, droopy-drawered attempt at a picaresque novel. The narrator is Gump himself, of Mobile, Alabama, 6'6"", 242 pounds, and all idiot: ""I've been a idiot since I was born. My IQ is 61, which qualifies me, so they say."" And off we go, Gump starring as a self-consciously literary half-wit (he's a fan of Lennie and Boo Radley) while Groom makes Statements about America. After surviving a poor-white-trash childhood that would've destroyed better men (such as, say, Benjy), Gump is plucked from obscurity by Coach Bear Bryant and taken to play football at the University of Alabama. His teachers there discover he's an idiot savant--he can't pass Gym 101, but he knows the theory of relativity like nobody's business. Before they can exploit him, however, he flunks out, gets drafted and sent to Vietnam, and wins the Congressional Medal of Honor, mainly because he's too dumb to be afraid. After a publicity tour which takes him as far as China, he leaves the Army and goes through a hippy/protest phase (the freaks think he's, yuk-yuk, far out) but gets busted when he throws his Medal over the White House fence during a demonstration. The authorities give him a choice: he can have permanent hospitalization as a dangerous moron, or he can take his computer brain on a secret NASA space flight (""Look,"" I tell him, ""I am just a idiot""). He crashlands in New Guinea, spends four years playing chess with a Yale-educated cannibal, then is rescued and taken to a crude caricature of President Nixon for congratulations: ""I am your commander-in-chief. I am not a crook. I do not lie!"" After this, it's the dismal 70's, and Gump tries his hand at professional wrestling, tournament chess, and shrimping, before settling happily down as a street musician in New Orleans. A heavy-handed, one-joke (Forrest confounds and frustrates various teachers, coaches, Army sergeants, and Presidents) sort of novel which is, finally, a cheat: Forrest, after all, isn't really an idiot--he's simply a country boy who doesn't test well.

Pub Date: March 7, 1986

ISBN: 0743453255

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1986

Categories: FICTION

Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

BOOKS AMEYA