Deliver Us From Southerners

 My father loved Deliverance the film. Therefore, I first saw it around the age of five or six and then several times throughout the years after. I actually liked the film quite a bit, too. It was not until just recently, however, that I delved into the book. Honestly, my review of it could be this: As a writer, this novel made me jealous.

Yeah, it's near perfect. 

The film has its faults, though it is a great film. The book does not share the film's faults. In fact, it really had none that ruined any of the reading for me. The author, who loved his alcohol, wrote several volumes of poetry, but only three novels. That fact alone makes Deliverance all the more stunning, as it was his first of three. His first of three. I have no desire to read the other two, though. I believe his first cannot be topped. I will not sully that work with something inferior.

The film, after watching it again recently to compare it with the book, influenced me and my writing. I see elements from in it in a lot of what I write about when it comes to fiction. I am hoping his book rubs off on me in the same way. The gorge climbing scene itself is a section that should be taught in writing classes. Some of the lines of dialogue? I read one aloud to my girlfriend and goosebumps traveled up my arms. It's that good. 

My copy of the novel is a fairly beat up edition from Laurel. It's a paperback that I got at a museum sale many years ago. I picked up quite a few good books there, actually, and made my money back and more selling some of them on eBay. I almost sold Deliverance, but I'm very glad I did not succumb to greed on that one. The only way that is leaving my shelf is if I buy a new one in better shape, but to be fair I really like this one's cover.

So here's to James Dickey. He is not alive to read this, but I hope one of his living relatives stumbles across it some day. The man did good. He did damn good.

Click on a link and buy something, and I may get some money as an affiliate that would allow me to buy a canoe to go down this river in Georgia . . .