{"product_id":"one-mans-initiation-1917","title":"One Man's Initiation—1917","description":"\u003ch4 class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eHe went to war to find himself. He found only the wreckage of everything he believed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eJohn Dos Passos's first novel is a raw, impressionistic account of a young American's disillusionment during World War I—a journey from naive idealism to weary horror, told in prose that owes as much to poetry as to journalism.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eMartin Howe, a young American artist, volunteers for the ambulance service in France before the United States enters the war. He is eager, idealistic, certain that he is on the side of civilization against barbarism. He expects adventure, meaning, a chance to prove himself. What he finds is mud, boredom, bureaucratic stupidity, and the endless, senseless slaughter of young men.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eHe drives his ambulance through ruined villages. He carries the wounded and the dying. He listens to soldiers who have lost everything—limbs, minds, hope. He meets a French poet who recites verses in a dugout while shells explode overhead. He falls into a brief affair with a woman who is as lost as he is. Slowly, the idealism drains away. What remains is exhaustion, disgust, and the dawning realization that the war has no purpose except to continue itself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThis is Dos Passos at his most lyrical and angry: a novel about the death of innocence, the failure of words to capture horror, and the transformation of a young man who went to war believing in something and came back believing in nothing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003ePublished in 1920, Dos Passos's debut novel, written while he was still in his early twenties\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eA semi-autobiographical work based on Dos Passos's own experiences as an ambulance driver in France and Italy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eA stylistic precursor to the experimental techniques he would perfect in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eManhattan Transfer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eU.S.A.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e trilogy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eAvailable in multiple formats:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003ePaperback \u0026amp; Hardcover:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Beautifully designed print editions presenting the complete, unabridged text made to last.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eEbook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e DRM-free EPUB compatible with Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and all major e-readers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eAudiobook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged, available on all major audiobook platforms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eA beautifully crafted edition for your shelf, your device, or your ears, or the perfect gift for anyone who knows that the first step into adulthood is often the step that breaks you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eJohn Dos Passos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e (1896–1970) was a prominent American novelist, artist, and political thinker, best known for his \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eU.S.A.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e trilogy—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThe 42nd Parallel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e1919\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThe Big Money\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e. Born in Chicago, he graduated from Harvard University in 1916. After graduation, he volunteered for the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Service, serving in France and Italy during World War I. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eOne Man's Initiation—1917\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e was his first novel, published in 1920, followed the next year by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eThree Soldiers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e, which established his reputation. The two novels together form a diptych exploring the disillusionment of the Lost Generation. His other major works include \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eManhattan Transfer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e (1925) and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003eU.S.A.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e trilogy. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1970.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Casa Carlini","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":54690456338804,"sku":null,"price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Ebook","offer_id":54690456371572,"sku":null,"price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":54690456404340,"sku":null,"price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":54690456437108,"sku":null,"price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0988\/5561\/6884\/files\/One_Man_s_Initiation.png?v=1780055903","url":"https:\/\/casacarlini.com\/products\/one-mans-initiation-1917","provider":"Casa Carlini","version":"1.0","type":"link"}